What do you think is the best way to develop in future? Koh Phangan has a lot of potential besides beeing just a party place. Total votes: 57   develop more ECO Tourism type of attraction   get Phangan more Family Friendly   more exclusive upper class resorts   offer more daytime activities    (Display results)

Previous Topics: What are Koh Phangan's most serious Problems? What do you like most about Koh Phangan?

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10th June 2005 - 06:11:36 PM

94 : Simon

I'm not a financial advisor, at least not professional ... but I think as long as you have to pay land in thai baht, the relation between price of the land and currency exchange rates does matter, when you use forein money. But maybe I need to make my point more clear ... I do belive that Koh Phangan will get more developed, but I disagree with the idea of "upper class" things will make backbackers disapper, not in the near future. Koh Phangan doen't grow at the same speed everywhere ... the north and west side are still a big difference the the mad house in haad rin and the whole area from Thongsala to Ban Kai. The airport is wrong, Samui is really enough, since they get their 2. airport anyway.

10th June 2005 - 11:35:40 AM

93 : Chillumpuffer

Jonny Phangan Paradise Island ??? I think most peoples' view of a Paradise Island would be swaying palms, the sound of the sea, peace and tranquility. The smell and noise of an airstrip on KPG would certainly not fit the bill at all.If my memory serves me correct is it only a 20-30 min boat ride from Samui? Come on. 30 minutes of a 2 week holiday !! Why would an airstrip be good business for KPG? If you live on KPG. CAMPAIGN AGAINST IT As far as the English, whom i am one, would rather fly to Samui? I have very bad memories of a Plain crash on Samui in 1990/1991. The weather was dreadful (as it can be in Nov/Dec)I for one would certainly think twice about flying, and anyway the train can be a real pleasure. Does the night boat still chug its way from the mainland?? I do get quite confused over whats being said here. Some want the island to retain its "Paradise Island" image, some want more development (i suspect these are the ones who want to get fat on it). But always healthy to get views on this As I have said a few times on this site. Budget travellers of the late 80's/90's were pioneers of this island. Long term travellers who respected the locals, contributed far greater than 2 week holiday makers (to be honest they didn't exist in 1989). Humans don't always "go to the nicest places and exploit it". That is a capatalist, thoroughly nasty point of view in my opinion. I stayed on KPG on and off for 4 years from 1989 - 1993, I never once ripped off, exploited and treated the island like it was my divine right to treat it like an extension of my life in the west. And there many who shared that ethos. We learnt a bit of Thai, shared the food, shopped when one went to Thong Sala to save time . My Mama gave me an honesty book for food & drink etc and I paid every 2 weeks. As soon as I heard stories of " i left without paying hee hee" then i knew the decline. The honesty book would be replaced and the trust was gone. Once I remember someone bragging about this as he stepped on the boat to leave and he was turfed off into the sea, much to the cheers of all. One year I was horrified to arrive at Thong Sala to see a hotel and Televisions in bars. Thats how it was. I am thinking, and this is really a tough call for me, of visiting KPG next april. Will I be shocked, I think so. But I am always asking myself "how can the physical shore line change?". OK bungalows come and go, concrete replaces coconut etc. All I want to know is can you still walk from Ban Khai to Haad Rin along the beach and over the rocks ?? This was a journey I did many times. On moonlight nights it was easy to do without a torch. Man what memories. Believe me i once walked to Haad Rin and didn't come across anyone until the walk through to Tommys. Fact. No Banks, no e-mail, no internet, no TV. I will undertake to convert my old photos of KPG to Digital and share them if anyones interested. Cheers simon for this site.

10th June 2005 - 08:43:32 AM

92 : jonny boy

So.... whats happening? Are they building a second airport or not on samui? Look, honestly I don’t know about a airport on Phangan but I think its good for business on Phangan either way. Personally I would not like them to build one here instead pushing ahead with National Park zoning would please me more. As for this secret site of mine, I will tell you where it is. Drive past the turn off to Maehaad, towards Chaloklum and about 200 meters after the Maehaad turning is a road cutting into the jungle on your right. So why do I suspect something here? Well first off all the access road is 8m wide, ok I have not measured it but guestimate its 8m, therefore to build such a road under Thai law would mean permission for its development from Surrathani and it must serve a purpose. This is Thai law, road cannot be built 8m wide even if the land is NSS or even Chanute. Second, there is two water pipes going up either side of this road, what for? Maybe for large scale construction, drive up the road and your see a large collection of water tanks, again what for? So OK, maybe they are building a resort there, doubtful as it’s a totally crap position, no sea view, no local shops, kinda the middle of nowhere. Thirdly I have witnessed myself, men in orange uniform, survey the area I have seen them go up this road plus round the other side where the run way would end. I caught them popping out of a bush at the back of Chaloklum village. These men are not from the Phangan land office, I know the land office guys and sadly after the tragic accident they only have one guy in the office and he was definitely not with these orange survey guys. Then there’s the fact that it would be feasible to build here, look on the map and you’ll see the contours level out for about 1.5km. A runway can definitely be built there and there is little in the way of buildings up there. Ok it’s a short runway but have a look at Sydney's East-West runway, its possible. Simon are you a financial advisor? Cus I am a qualified financial adviser I used to work for Lehman Brothers in Sydney, what you say about the Thai Baht holds no relevance to land prices. And I disagree, a lot of people would use the airport if we had one, its only people on a budget who won’t use it, and there are fewer and fewer of these type of people each year. In the last few years I have had lots of friends come over from England and every single one has taken a flight to Samui. If someone is on a two week holiday from Europe the last thing they want to do is sit on a bus or a train for 12 hours, they don’t care about spending 50 pounds to fly down, that only a round of drinks in England. The island will change, the visitors will change and business will boom, sorry if some people don’t like to entertain this thought buts that’s life, humans will always go to the nicest place and exploit it to its full. P.S. Simon, great work on this website, although I may disagree with some of your points, you certainly make useful websites, top stuff, five thumbs up  keep it up, professional websites like this are great for the Phangan Paradise Island.

08th June 2005 - 07:15:58 PM

91 : seville

Here's the big secret about the Samui Airport uncovered Jonny you might want to start trying to get out a little bit. There is a new top secret information source out there called, newspapers. One airport is enough on Samui May 2,2005 Bangkok Post Koh Samui is Thailand's third largest island, a popular holiday destination for foreigners and the centre of yet another construction boom spiralling out of control. Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit visited Samui last week to kick off a high-profile revival of the scheme to build a second airport on an island that would fit into a small corner of Bangkok. The estimated cost of this boondoggle is 800 million baht plus land expropriation plus massive environmental cost, beginning with the levelling of an entire small mountain. Koh Samui has one airport, and does not need another. Category : TEXT/ General News END OF MONOPOLY: New airport for Ko Samui THAI has plan to begin flights to tourist resort The Transport Ministry plans to end Bangkok Airways' airport monopoly on Samui Island by constructing a second airport at a cost of Bt600 million. "The Transport Ministry will complete a feasibility study on the second airport on Samui within three weeks," said Deputy Transport Minister Vichet Kasemthongsri. Privately run Bangkok Airways is the only domestic airline operating air services to the island's airport, which the carrier built more than 10 years ago. However, tourists have complained for a long time that Bangkok Airways' fares are too expensive. Currently, a round-trip ticket on the Bangkok-Samui route costs more than Bt6,000. National carrier Thai Airways International has had a plan to launch a new service to Samui in the works for several years. Vichet said the time had come for a second airport, which the ministry believes will be necessary to cope with expected growth in domestic air traffic. There are 26 provincial airports, many of which are under-utilised. Some 21 of these are controlled by the Department of Aviation, Samui is controlled by Bangkok Airways, while Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket and Hat Yai airports are run by Airports of Thailand Plc. The Transport Ministry wants to expand the capacity of provincial airports to cope with the expected growth of domestic passenger traffic from 8 million to 20 million per year within five years. Low-cost airlines are expected to propel substantial growth in the domestic market. Chalor Kocharat, director-general of the Department of Aviation, said landing fees at Samui Airport - Bt90,000 - are too high. This compares to just Bt10,000 at many other provincial airports. The cost of constructing a new airport on the island would be no more than Bt600 million, he said. "The new airport will support the growth of tourism on Samui," he said. The Transport Ministry also wants to construct new airports in Mae Hong Son and Uttaradit provinces. Bangkok Airways called an executive meeting yesterday to discuss the government's plan to build a second airport on Samui. --The Nation 2003-12-30

07th June 2005 - 09:51:18 PM

90 : Simon

OK, Jonny is now our offical under cover agent (let's call him Agent '006') to uncover the secret airport plot ... I also think the prices for land will continue to rise, but on the other side the Thai Baht is less worth every year, the inflation rate is high and once a peak is reach it will normalize. An airport would be a economical desaster ... most Phangan visitors won't use it.

07th June 2005 - 05:42:35 PM

89 : Jonnies

Why not a secret location? Why should the locals know? If you where to build an airport, would you want everyone to know?.... I wouldn’t. Ask the 'locals' I cannot, there are no locals there, about 30 years ago they all moved out, finished mining and cultivating the site and went down to live in the village to become fishermen. The thought of lounging on a squid boat all night must have seemed better then bashing solid granite with hammers in the blistering heat, attempting to mine for tin. I know the nearest locals and can speak Thai so have spoken with them, they know nothing of an airport. I have seen there Nor Sor papers for hundreds of Rai they own and also know from aerial maps that their land is a small piece of the flat titled uninhabited land ideal for a runway. I have seen no where else on the Island suitable for a runway, except over on the East of Phangan but that’s meant to be protected forest, so no airport there. They just build the terminal and the rest and knock the runway through at the last minute. Its like what they are doing down at Lamai in Samui, its so obvious that they are building a second airport, everyone knows it but whoever is doing it wont admit it, it got a bit obvious though when a 5km flat strip of coconuts suddenly disappeared. Anyway just to say again, I am only stabbing in the dark with this one, if I was a betting man I would bet against and airport being built here. It was just a gut feeling I had when I saw this site, its terrain and what there where doing there, its all a bit strange like so many wonderful things on Phangan. “What's the price of land have to do with the type of visitor that comes here?” Everything, absolutely everything and more, it’s the single most important factor. The type and in particular the wealth of the visitor that comes here is directly proportional to the value of property. This can be shown with human geography and mathematics, unless anyone has a post-grad in geography and would like to disagree on this point.

06th June 2005 - 01:32:38 PM

88 : Chillumpuffer

Seville Sorry now I know !!

05th June 2005 - 10:02:18 PM

87 : seville

Hey there fellas good to see the conversation is still going. I'm a women by the way and Chili I can understand completely where your coming from,but I agree with Simon in the idea of land being bought by people to build single family homes or small bungalows to help keep the Big Huge Resorts at bay. Attracting more long time visitors is something I'm hopefull about. They are the people who live in an area, not just trash it with no thought of the long term impact. Andy I see has not returned to the conversation and that's not surprising to me, but maybe he will answer some of the questions put to him... Jonny, maybe you don't drink, but if the air strip has been started,it's not going to be some "secret" location. There are no secrets with the locals on Phangan and if it's being built, you better believe the Thais know about it and where. If you have an idea of "where" it is simple ask the people that live near by that are local Thais. If they know you they'll be able to tell you everything you need to know and you can get back to us. What's the price of land have to do with the type of visitor that comes here? Chili, I've been living 6 months out of the year on Phangan for the last two years, split between two trips a year. There's a big up swell of westerns where I live that are very concerned with the changes that have been going on in the last two years and I'm hoping to get people out of the attitude that, "we can't do anything, because the Thai don't care." Simon is 1000% correct; Farangs are far more concerned with the impact of new building and creating ways of maintaining the ecological soundness of an area that they are living in or planning on building. I truely believe that Phangans best chance of not becoming Samui is if the Westerns band together and then work on bringing the Thais they are close to into the understanding of the long term effects of what going on. One of the things that is surprising and disturbing about Thailand is the amount of Farangs that live here and don't speak or read Thai. But then bash the Thai people in general for being this or that. Cheers look forward to more dialog.

05th June 2005 - 06:47:49 AM

86 : Jonny

Well I dont drink and I only "beleive" that I think I know where the aiport is allready being built. There are some clues there like the access road which is so large it would need government permission to knock through, other clues are also present at the site. Yeah I'm only guessing but my gut instinct does have a good track record. Yes I agree land can be found cheaper than 1m baht in the mountains, I know a friend that has just brought a Rai inland for 250k but theres no seaview, hence the price. Try and find one single Rai up in the hills close to a beach with spectacular sea views, your be pushed to find it for under 1m, unlesss you brought a larger piece but then thats not a single Rai anymore Whereas even 2 years ago it could have been brought for 80k. I dont know about Mikes site, have to go and have a look....

04th June 2005 - 06:49:42 PM

85 : Simon

Jonny ... a Airport Construction is going on ... are you sure you mean Koh Phangan? "I wont tell you where the site is but if you look hard enough you can find it" ... I don't know want you are drinking ... but don't tell me ... please ... and about 1m baht / rai for mountain land ... there is a lot cheaper land around the island, if you keep a bit away from the beach. Maybe visit Mikes Site ... he can help you out ... http://a-beachplace.com/

04th June 2005 - 07:51:21 AM

84 : johny

This may sound funny but I beleive construction of phangan airport has allready started, I wont tell you where the site is but if you look hard enough you can find it, no runway yet that will be the last thing they do as its get kind off obvoius when a runway sunddenly appears from nowhere. also this is not a major airport only a short runway for small planes, the ones that land on Samui cannopt land here the runway is just not long enough. Also in refernce to easlier emails I beleive the backpackers will all leave this island and a different type of people will come in, why? simply becuase the price of land will become very high, todays land values are still very low, even 1m baht a rai in the mountains is low.

02nd June 2005 - 10:21:33 AM

83 : Chillumpuffer

Simon Yes of course. I'm sorry to generalise. I do not know you or your business. I am sure there are many Farangs who still care for the enviroment and build bungalows in keeping with the island. Its just that, you know when you see a stretch of beach with 6 huts, a small resteraunt no electricity, and then you hear "upmarket development" it just really annoyed me. I enjoy this forum, and people should use it more often, even if it is to catch up on old friends and hear what's happening. but please do not let Phangan become Samui (or is that too late?)

01st June 2005 - 10:59:53 PM

82 : Simon

Hi Chillumpuffer, Even in most issues I'm with your opinion, but in one poit I have to disagree. '.. buy land off the locals, who i'm sure are very grateful of your greenbacks, build houses, rent them out to Tourists for a nice buck ...' I don't see this so much negative, (not only because it's my business ;-) because at the end this kind of development is some how still more enviroment friendly than building more bungalow resorts. And (farang) houseowners are more interested in proper waste disposal than the locals. And Andy ... please show me one of these "large underground reserve tanks" that helps the upper scale places to store enough water ... and besides storing is not saving. Rich people tend to waste more resources ... And Andy ... "ko phangan will never feel or look like Samui, purely because of its natural landscape/mountains/hills" ... Samui was quite natural too ... 30 years ago Simon

01st June 2005 - 06:20:59 PM

81 : Chillumpuffer

Seville Top notch man. I agree. I first went to KP in 1989. We stayed at Silvery Moon next to Booms Cafe between Ban Khai & Haad Rin. Our Bungalow was a rustic thatched affair with no electricity and it was wonderful. The water was from the jungle behind and we tried our very best to be as eco friendly as possible. Groups of us would clean the beaches from Haad rin back to Thong Sala. It was real community. I was horrified to hear that concrete had taken over. Fridges were the norm IN THE HUTS.An English Pub at Ban Khai !! Jesus. I Am sorry to say that I just can't go back to the Island that i made friends with locals and other travellers alike. It will just be too upsetting. Do you know what I mean? One thing that i remember doing and i bet no one does this: 1 Large Bottle Mekhong 1 Large Bottle Coke 2 Kgs Of Ice From The Ice Man in Thong Sala !!! a few glasses, some friends, the sounds of night. Priceless Seville, are you a long standing KP man ??

01st June 2005 - 05:46:20 PM

80 : seville

Andy, how do you suspect that development will be good for the locals with, "Up Scale Developement"? Maybe you should go and stay at some of the "small scale" bungalows, run by locals that have been there for generations and see how they are doing and how excited they are that for the last two years their place has been next to a construction site. My experience in the last two years is that tourist are still wanting bungalows for 200 baht, most of which are not, "backpackers", but people wanting to stretch their money so they can spend it on shopping and other activities. Or they want to spend a few months on the island and can afford to do so at $5.00 for thier bungalow. These are the people that come back every year and have watched local children grow up, been invited to weddings and cried along side the Thai at funerals. They tell thier friends about this great little island and the Thai families that they have and their friends in turn show up at the same place and are also welcomed in with big smiles. Go have a look around the up scale places and see how many rooms they have available. Most tourist that come to KP want to stay in rustic, free standing bungalows to get a sense of freedom to be away from it all and get a chance to make relationships with the Thai people. The big places like Drop In, Panviman and the like have more rooms then tourists. Koh Phangan has more then enough up scale places. Chillumpuffer is right the more low key type of tourist and bungalow owners where able to help each other out, createing a sense of pride and careing for the island. Where as the Club Med type vactioner only sits around wondering why someone doesn't clean up all the garbage on the beach. Developement has never in the history of the world, helped water shortages. While you may in your mind want to believe this to be true, it simply is not. I want you to explain to me how you are going to Help the local people with your plans. I'm not saying this to be confrontational, I'm interested in knowing how you see things. Are you going to only hire local people at your place? Panviman, Drop In and Sanctuary just to name a few only hire people from Burma, Issan or Thammarat. Are you going to give money to the schools? Are you going to provide a little house for the guy who very quietly sits infront of the store in Thongsala hopeing to get some spare change? Tell us a little about yourself Andy? I truely want to meet someone with a lot of money who cares about what is happening to the Island. 20 years ago the local people didn't have to worry about water from the "government". They just ran PVC pipe to the jungle. Now, thanks to development, they get to worry about if there will be water shipped over from Surrat Thani.

01st June 2005 - 01:23:35 PM

79 : Chillumpuffer

Andy What do you mean "sorry to the backpackers on a budget"? In the late 80's when "travellers" really started the Full Moon Parties, very low key intimate affairs, there were no capitalist's creaming the "backpackers" (as you so call them). Travellers would clean the beaches, help build and repair bungalows (for the Locals), even repair generators that brought electricity to the masses. It seems to me that the more "modernisation" will only ruin a once beautiful Island.(It's probably ruined already) The words Western/property/land interest smacks of capitalism. I suspect you buy land off the locals, who i'm sure are very grateful of your greenbacks, build houses, rent them out to "Tourists" for a nice buck. Tell you what? Why don't you go to Koh Chang. Plenty of opportunity to ruin that island as well !!

01st June 2005 - 09:46:15 AM

78 : greenspirit

Good news from Thailand…. The Greenspirit festival will be back on new year 2006 with a mindblowing 3 day psytrance festival.(30.12.05-01.01.06) After the devastating tsunami only days before the festival on New Year 2005, the organiser had to cancel the event on very short notice. some of the dj,s who where already in Thailand traveled over to Koh Phangan where a series of charity parties where organised in close working together with the Greenspirit team from Krabi. As a result there where substantial funds raised and donated to help the victims of the tsunami. This has increased the credibility of such events in the view of the official thai authorities and Stephan from Greenspirits in Krabi can now confirm a 3 day festival with names such as DJ Goblin (Psysex HOMmega), Azax Syndrom,DJ Shivajoerg,Trauma/Beat Hacker,Gataka/Sesto Sento,DJ Sabai Sabai and many many more to be held on new year 2005/6 in ao nang Krabi. The location is secure in any way as it is on higher grounds and not directly by the sea. More details www.greenspiritkrabi.com so far that much; there will be again a impressive lineup of international djs and liveacts as well as the fabulous asian djs to guarantee an unforgettable event in the stunning natural surrounding of Ao Nang/Na Thai. There will be many shops, foodstallls (inquiries are very welcomed) besides the fat soundsystem and nicely decorated nature paradise. camping just beside the dancefloor is free and sanitary facilities and showers will also be available. For sure a unique start into the new year under the stars on the golden beaches of one of the worlds most beautiful locations. also to mention that the location is not by the beach and uphill in a beautifull location. Last but not least we would like to thank all the ones who contributed to the tsunami charity events In Ko Phangan and especially Greenspirit Crew in Krabi, who after 10 months of preparation only days before the happening had to cancel and still found immediate power to help and coordinate the charity parties In Ko Phangan and make this years party happening. Big thanks goes to Thujon (Alchemy rec), Sabaii Sabaii (SpiritZone), Scotty (VooV), Antaro (SpiritZone), Pravah (Dragonloops), Sanuk (.;.), the Koh Phangan Team, Dj Leung, Dj Pat, Dj Note, JR, Dj Jao, Dj Opel and everybody who helped in this difficult time. Watch out for more news regarding the Greenspirit Festival in Krabi. www.greenspiritkrabi.com An event not to miss we see you on the dancefloor.

29th May 2005 - 09:10:50 AM

77 : andy

upmarket property development will prevent water shortages. Responsible builders will have large underground reserve tanks built below there property(as i will) with rain guttering around the roof. Those that pull from the govt water supply will encounter problems for sure.

29th May 2005 - 09:05:57 AM

76 : andy

the airport proposal on koh phangan has been approved so I understand but I also hear that bangkok airways have purchased the surrounding land around the proposed airstrip to prevent any private enterprise. conclusion therefore it will never happen. Also ko phangan will never feel or look like Samui, purely because of its natural landscape/mountains/hills. Development will be good for all locals and businesses. I think the western stronghold on the island with property land interest with ensure a careful tasteful modernisation will occur. So much so that this Island will become exclusive over samui. Sorry to the backpackers on a budget.

18th May 2005 - 05:09:34 PM

75 : seville

I just e-mailed an American women I know in Ban Kai to get some feed back from her. Don't sell the Thai people too short, some of the ones I know are very much aware of the inpending dangers and more and more are seeing it all the time. Shana's husband who is Thai from what she tells me is very much concerned and perhaps can help move things a long. That is if she is interested. I do agree with the lack of political interest, but right now everyone is screeming broke and money as you know is a big motivator. You know that Samui has just gotten the ok for a second airport. A website would be good, but I was thinking more basic like a flyer that could be taken around the island to the locals,of course in Thai and English. I'm in the states as you know, but will be back in about 5 months. Living on Had Tien I know a lot of long time westerners who would have some interest in this. Also there is the Green Conservation? group on the island. You know the group of businesses listed in Phangan Explorer. If they are truely what they say they are that would be a list of people to join in the movement. I have time to collect e-mail addresses of businesses on the island via the net. E-mail places, small resorts and whatever else I can find that isn't backed by big businesses. See what you have and maybe get in touch with people you know on the island, when you have time. We can maybe have some dialog and then send out a mass e-mail in English and Thai and what happens. Finding out who has the most influence on what happens on the island and how things are put into play. There are loads of tourists and expats everyday on Thaivisa.com talking about how they are looking else where to go for holiday. We need to convince the locals that turning Phangan into Samui is not what most people want. I'm really happy you are interested and will check in with you soon.

 

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