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Quality of life in Kho Samui


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34 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

All your pix in this thread have exceptional clarity.

 

What camera do you use for these?

Thanks.
A variety of cameras, some are taken by a so-called "big camera", a Cannon 600D, some are taken with a small Sony pocket-camera, and some are taken with smart phone, the ones here with an Oppo A31 (cannot bring a camera in a super market, but they don't seem to mind photos by a phone)...????

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On 5/5/2021 at 4:30 PM, kiteman9 said:

Getting bored of Chiang Mai means more and likely you will end up bored in Kho Samui. Scientific research reports that individuals who are often bored are also more prone to poor mental health.

 

I love the ocean. Can sit for weeks in a hammock, swim, snorkel, walk.

 

I'm bored in a day in the mountains unless they really are MOUNTAINS. Then it'd take a week. I've visited CM twice in 30 years in Asia because it's so boring.

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1 minute ago, khunPer said:

There has been many various statements about that – including a t-shirt that you a some point could be eligible to buy: "I drove on Koh Samui and survived" – but official facts seem difficult to find.

 

I once joined a local group with the goal to improve traffic safety, especially for tourists on motorbike, partly established by some local English language media or journalists, but it unfortunately never ended in anything more than ideas. I believe this diagram originates from members from that group...

 

Traffic-death-stat.thumb.jpg.fb65794f6c8e6b6444e744b0412520e9.jpg

 

If you calculate the about 2-3 death a month, about a decade ago, which equals around 24-36 a year, and recall Samui's official population by that time was close to 50,000, then it fits with at least 40 per 100,000 population a year. Taking into consideration that some victims unfortunately also died later in hospital (EEC counts), the around 130 death a year per 100,000 population actually fits quite well, i.e. 65 per 50,000.

Wow!!

 

Motorcycles or cars as well? That's insane.

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12 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

No worse than anywhere else in Thailand. (Pattaya, Phuket, Bangkok etc)

Just do not start a business that competes with them and you will be fine.

I have lived here and I have run a small business for over 20 years - all good. No threats.

Otherwise, there is always the old saying that "if you can't beat them, join them"...????????

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5 hours ago, fdsa said:

the beloved international airport on Koh Samui is not a government one but a privately owned by Bangkok Airways and the monopoly allows them to pump up the prices.

The prices are high because it is an International airport that is privately funded. No government subsidies.

In all of the many years that I have lived here, there have always been other airlines flying to Koh Samui.

Originally just Firefly and then over the years many more - including Thai Airways until they went 'code share' with BA in 2018..

Pre-Covid (remember those days) there were at least 8 or 9 different airlines that had scheduled flights that 'touched down' on Samui. Even Tibet Airlines had a daily flight here.

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5 hours ago, Deli said:

Samui is a great place and had it all. The only downer is: whenever you wanna go somewhere else, you need to ferry or fly.

 

True....But what better place to curb Covid???...if they do it right?

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13 hours ago, Logosone said:

I've had 3 accidents in 9 months in Chiang Mai, none my fault, so I assume insane driving anywhere in Thailand.

I don't drive my scooter into down town Pattaya.  I'd hate to think of how many friends I know who were banged up, or no longer with us, due to scooters.  Many.  But that's true all over Thailand.  It is perhaps the most dangerous place in the world to ride a scooter.

 

We were on the ferry and I had a beer in the car.  So I drank it on the way over.  Put it in the cup holder, a large Leo.  My only beer up until that point.  Went to our hotel and the next day went out shopping.  There was a police check point at the main intersection in Bophut.  I stopped.  Beer can still in the cup holder, in plain view.  The cop looked at it, looked at us, and waved us on.  This was 10am. 

 

https://www.samuitimes.com/staying-safe-roads-koh-samui/

Quote

The roads in Samui are out of control. There is absolutely no traffic enforcement of any kind. It results in up to 30 road deaths per month, on Samui alone. Most are on bike. The police and the government absolutely refuse to do anything to improve the situation. There is no policing of speed limits or drink driving rules and there are only a hand full of checkpoints on the odd day here and there to enforce helmet use.

 

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3 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

Beer can still in the cup holder, in plain view.  The cop looked at it, looked at us, and waved us on.  This was 10am. 

 

https://www.samuitimes.com/staying-safe-roads-koh-samui/

Quote

The roads in Samui are out of control. There is absolutely no traffic enforcement of any kind. It results in up to 30 road deaths per month, on Samui alone. Most are on bike. The police and the government absolutely refuse to do anything to improve the situation. There is no policing of speed limits or drink driving rules and there are only a hand full of checkpoints on the odd day here and there to enforce helmet use.

 

That is a pretty old article. (2013)

Those numbers were certainly true back then but they are meaningless now.

It was about that time that the police/local government stopped the reporting of traffic deaths as the numbers were so bad.

As khunPer wrote in a previous article - the reported numbers were only those that died at the roadside. The real number was higher but back then there would probably be a couple of million tourists a year coming to the island.

We could all tell tales about the number of times that we have seen new 'bike riders' having their first accident with in 400 meters of the rental shop.

The number or road deaths on Samui now would be minimal (although one is too many).

 

I loved the story about the Leo and the police check.  ????

 

Edited by Tropicalevo
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4 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

https://www.samuitimes.com/staying-safe-roads-koh-samui/

Quote

The roads in Samui are out of control. There is absolutely no traffic enforcement of any kind. It results in up to 30 road deaths per month, on Samui alone. Most are on bike. The police and the government absolutely refuse to do anything to improve the situation. There is no policing of speed limits or drink driving rules and there are only a hand full of checkpoints on the odd day here and there to enforce helmet use.

 

Those 30, and some even say 70, road deaths a month, is unfortunately undocumentated speculation. The 30 to 70 figure might originate from the road-safety group, which the editor of Samui Times were a member of (I was also in the group), when she still stayed in Thailand. 30 x 12 would give 360 per year of a 50,000 to 65,000 registered population, which would equal between 550 to 720 death a year per 100,000 population.

 

However the number of average deaths per month might be higher than the official stats, please see my earlier post above and graph...

 

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8 minutes ago, khunPer said:

Those 30, and some even say 70, road deaths a month, is unfortunately undocumentated speculation. The 30 to 70 figure might originate from the road-safety group, which the editor of Samui Times were a member of (I was also in the group), when she still stayed in Thailand. 30 x 12 would give 360 per year of a 50,000 to 65,000 registered population, which would equal between 550 to 720 death a year per 100,000 population.

 

However the number of average deaths per month might be higher than the official stats, please see my earlier post above and graph...

 

 

I recall talking to a gentleman who lived on Koh Chang for over a decade and he told be that there is a road death every day on Koh Chang you just don't hear about it.  Take it for what it is worth.

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1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

That is a pretty old article. (2013)

Those numbers were certainly true back then but they are meaningless now.

It was about that time that the police/local government stopped the reporting of traffic deaths as the numbers were so bad.

As khunPer wrote in a previous article - the reported numbers were only those that died at the roadside. The real number was higher but back then there would probably be a couple of million tourists a year coming to the island.

We could all tell tales about the number of times that we have seen new 'bike riders' having their first accident with in 400 meters of the rental shop.

The number or road deaths on Samui now would be minimal (although one is too many).

 

I loved the story about the Leo and the police check.  ????

 

There's a huge difference between a traffic accident, and traffic accident that cause death.

 

Many tourists have traffic accidents, often smaller ones resulting in so-called "Samui tattoo", i.e. skin abrasions, most of those small accidents might never see a police report. Only relative few tourists actually got killed in traffic accidents, but of course some did, and some might unfortunately still do.

 

Official stats says that 41 percent of tourist deaths (I don't know if expats are included) are caused by drowning accidents, whilst traffic death counts for 22 percent, health counts for 16 percent, and other causes 21 percent (including 7 percent suicide). In 2016 228 tourists died and 540 were injured. 22 percent of 228 is 50, i.e. 4 per month, but as that is figures for the whole nation the number would be much lower for Samui; tourist traffic deaths would never add up from 2-3 deaths a month to 30 deaths a month (I am not allowed to share my source links in this forum).

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11 minutes ago, tlandtday said:

 

I recall talking to a gentleman who lived on Koh Chang for over a decade and he told be that there is a road death every day on Koh Chang you just don't hear about it.  Take it for what it is worth.

And folks on Samui says that there are several road deaths a day, but it's not reported in the media – also take that for what it's worth – but some days yes, there are several traffic deaths (I've seen the bodies myself), but they won't count as average.

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2 hours ago, TimBKK said:

Any recommended FB groups for general happenings in Samui, and for long term rentals? ????

 

 

Poke around Facebook doing some searches. I am out now. But when we were on samui last year, there were several active groups. Got some great information from them.

 

AirBnB is good for long term rentals. But I'd track them down and go in person. Much better prices that way.

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On 5/7/2021 at 4:53 PM, Jeffr2 said:

AirBnB is good for long term rentals. But I'd track them down and go in person. Much better prices that way.

 

That statement is very true but there are other reasons for booking through AirBnb.

 

Conflict between parties and security of the booking.

 

Some owners that I deal with do not want direct bookings. If there is a conflict - AirBnb will mediate. Even though AirBnb side with the renter at least 80 - 90% of the time, some owners prefer this way.

 

Regarding security of the booking, again, one guest made a direct booking (last minute) and before the owner could block it, due to time zone differences, another guest booked the villa via AirBnb.

 

Quite a few people these days are booking through AirBnb for a 'trial' period and then extending direct with the owner.

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