samui

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Informer Informer

Informer Informer

Your FREE guide to Travelling and Living in Samui Your FREE guide to Travelling and Living in Samui

Your FREE guide to Travelling and Living in Hua Hin Your FREE guide to Travelling and Living in Hua Hin

April 2011

CONTENTS

Do’s and Don’ts P3

Samui map P5

Teeing off P6

Chakri Memorial Day P7

Peaceful place P2

Publishing License No. สศก 15/002/2553

Time for SongkranIf you happen to be visit-

ing Thailand during April 13-15, you might be in

for a big surprise. It’s that time of the year again. Get ready to be drenched in water and covered in powdery sub-stances, all in the name of celebration.

The Songkran Festival is the name for the Thai New Year, one of the most impor-tant dates on the Thai calendar.

Fundamentally a water festival, Songkran, depend-ing on where you are situated in Thailand, could last more than one week from April 13 onwards.

If you are frightened of getting wet, you are advised to stay indoors because the streets will turn into one of the largest water fights ever.

Up until 1888, April was the official start of the Thai New Year, which was then change to the standardised new year of the western world on January 1 for business reasons. Songkran has been celebrated as New Year for hundreds of years and is be-lieved to have been adapted from the ancient Indian Holi Festival, which is also funda-mentally a water festival.

The festivities are celebrated nationwide and usually last for just a couple of days, although in Chiang Mai and other parts it can last more than a week long, becoming an endurance test of epic proportions.

During this colourful cele-

bration, the throwing of water is the key element of the fun.

At every turn, you will be running the gauntlet as people line the streets with machine gun-styled water guns and buckets of icy cold water. This is a war you cannot win.

Driving your motorbike during Songkran is also haz-ardous, as convoys of pick-up trucks with entire SWAT teams on the back swarm the roads, performing drive-byes

where nobody is safe. Please take part in the festivities and don’t get annoyed when you get drenched, because it’s inevitable, so take it all in good humour, or stay at your hotel.

The Songkran Water Fes-tival traditionally symbolised cleansing, as “blessed” water would be poured into the palms of Buddhist monks as a mark of respect and to give good fortune to elders.

Songkran is also a time to

make New Years’ resolutions, which is also in line with the cleansing ethos behind the whole festival.

The water is used as a sym-bolic gesture to wash away the old and bring in the new.

Whatever your reason for taking part in the Songkran festivities, the New Year cel-ebrations in this day and age focus more on fun and a water fight to end all water fights than anything religious.

Keep anything valuable

and non-waterproof back in your room, don’t wear that latest little Lacoste number you just purchased, arm yourself to the teeth and take no prisoners.

Fortunately for those holi-daying in Phuket, the water festival only lasts for roughly 24 hours.

There is no special place where the water fights take place – it is literally all around you, so be warned, and have a great Thai New Year.

To fully enjoy Songkran you will need a sense of humour. Don’t leave home without it!

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This amazing temple is located just a kilo-metre from the Big

Buddha, but it is often over-looked by the tour compa-nies, which is really a pity.

Upon arriving at the temple you will see the giant Buddha statue in white, about 20 metres high with its many arms. Each arm represents a different area of Buddhism.

To get to the statue, you cross a charming white stone and marble bridge as the statue itself is located in the centre of a lake. It certainly makes for a stunning vista, one that you would definitely want in a backdrop of your holiday photos.

There is more to see within this temple’s amazing grounds. A second temple, also on the lake, has hundreds of tiny golden bells hanging from the roof, making a de-

Finding some peace at Wat Plai Laem

lightful sound in the breeze. Inside the building, the walls are covered with paintings of different scenes from Bud-dhist writings.

Just sitting quietly in this temple you feel a great sense of peace and tranquility wash over you.

If you arrive at the right time you can make a dona-tion and be blessed by one of the monks in this temple.

As with all holy tem-

ples, it is important to dress respectful ly and women should cover their arms and legs as much as possible.

A third statue has just been completed and features the more well-known image of Buddha to Westerners, al-though most will not be used to seeing this laughing Buddha at around 20 metres tall.

The lake that all these tem-ples and statues are built upon is filled with turtles and catfish

and you can buy bags of feed and watch them rush to you for dinner.

At the end of your visit, make a wish over the “Buddha footprint” and enjoy a cool drink in the garden’s picnic area by the lake.

Wat Plai Laem is located in the north of Koh Samui on road 4171 from Big Buddha to Choeng Mon Beach. The temple is famous for the hundreds of big fish enjoying their lives in the lake of the temple and waiting to be fed.

The big smiling Buddha with his 18 arms.

The new temple is peace-ful on its lake.

The Buddha statue inside the temple where worship-pers can find some contemplative moments.

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Thailand Etiquette

IN THAILAND

DO’S & DON’TSIt is important to remember that Thai social nuances are different to those in the western world. Whereas we reserve the rights in our own countries to speak out against how country affairs are conducted, Thailand is a little different.

DON’T Speak Out Negatively About The Thai Royal FamilyThe Thai Royal Family is revered across the nation and must be treated with the utmost respect at all times. DO NOT publicly criticize the King of Thailand or any member of the Royal Family. You may find yourself with a lengthy prison sentence or at best a large fine. It has happened before to unknowing visitors and it will happen again. Beware!

DO Keep Your Feet On The GroundIn Thai culture, the feet are the lowest part of the body, which is a negative thing. DO NOT use your feet to point at things or show the soles of your feet to other people. Keep the soles of your feet firmly on the ground at all times and everything will fine.

DO Not Cause a Thai to Lose FaceThais are a non-confrontational nation who would rather smile than argue. Never ridicule a Thai in private or public, because this will make them lose face. This is an important aspect of Thai culture and should always be remembered.

DO Exercise Tolerance It is the norm in the western world to become visibly agitated when things don’t go our way. Communication breakdowns in Thailand can lead to heated disagreements. DO NOT lose your temper in the heat of the moment, even if it’s a dispute over a restaurant or bar bill. Just smile, do the right thing, and you will find things work out just fine.

DO NOT Stop at a Roadside IncidentSadly enough, if you see a roadside incident such as a motorbike crash, DO NOT stop to help. Maybe this goes against your human nature and instincts, but you could find yourself being blamed for the incident. You might find yourself paying a hefty fine even though you did nothing wrong. Be warned!

DO Not Wear Skimpy Clothing in a Temple When visiting a Buddhist Temple, wear the appropriate clothing. Skimpy clothing should be reserved for the beach and the discotheques. It is especially important that women DO NOT wear short skirts, low-cut shirts or reveling shorts when visiting a place of worship in Thailand.

DO Check Your Laundry When ReturnedThis is not a life or death Do or Don’t, but Thai laundry services are famous for returning the wrong items back to you. If you do not check the contents of your laundry, you might find your expensive Lacoste Polo Shirt has miraculously shape shifted into a pair of 1980s dungarees or an 18th century corset.

Do Treat Thailand with RespectThis one is common sense, as visitors to another country should always remember where they are. Do treat Thailand with respect, which could mean throwing your garbage in a bin, or just showing common courtesy to those around you. Just because we spend copious amounts of money in Thailand when on holiday, we must always remember we do not own this country.

Do Leave Tips in Restaurants and Bars where WarrantedIt is custom to leave a tip after paying your bill, especially in upscale and international restaurants. Although, you don’t necessarily have to tip the smaller Thai restaurants perched on the side of the road, but it would still be a nice gesture. It is not mandatory to tip in bars, but if the service was good, then give them what they deserve.

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6 April 2011 - Chakri Memorial Day – Public HolidayThis is a public holiday across Thailand and a special day for the nation. Chakri Memorial Day is to commemorate King Rama I, who was the first Thai King under the Chakri Dynasty. King Rama I was a famous monarch who pushed the Burmese out of Thailand and founded Bangkok as Thailand’s capital city.

13 April 2011 - Songkran Festival – Thai New YearIf you want to experience the mother of all water fights, the Songkran Fes-tival is not only great fun but also a celebration of Thai New Year. It will be a wet one for sure, and if you are lucky enough to be in Thailand within its duration, you will be in for a special treat – one you won’t forget in a hurry!

18 April 2011 - Full Moon Party, Koh PhanganThe nearby island of Koh Phangan, which is famous for its full moon parties, is once again hosting this incredible experience on 18 April 2011. Being on holiday in Samui allows you easy access to the island, which you should take advantage of during your stay. The Koh Phangan Full Moon Party experience is something you will never forget – or never remember!

24 April 2011 - Samui Triathlon The Koh Samui Triathlon & Duathlon 2011 is held in Bophut on April 24th, 2011. The main Triathlon event consists of 4 km swimming, 127.9 km biking (one and a half laps around Island), and 30 km running. Registration fees are 2,600 Baht (3,200 for late registration) plus 1,000 Baht for a race pass, should the registrant not carry a valid International triathlon pass and a 400 Baht deposit for the race chip. Supplies consist in mineral water, fresh fruits, energetic beverages, Coca Cola, dry fruits etc…. Lodging and transportation are proposed to competitors, Media, Organisation Team at competitive price. A swim cap, an identification plate for the bicycle, two race numbers and one T-shirt are obligatory. A Finisher T-shirt shall be rewarded to all finishers.

Whats on in Samui

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A B C D E F G

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4171

4169

4169

4172

4174

4169

4169

4170

4170

4173 MAP LEGEND

DISTRICTSAMUI

SURAT THANI

1.5 KM. 3 KM.

TempleChurchBus Terminal Market/ShopGlof CourseVillageGovernment

Gas StationBankPost O�ceEducationPoliceInterestingHospital/Clinic

Provincial RoadSecondary RoadSoi

SURATTHANISURATTHANI NAKHON SI THAMMARATNAKHON SI THAMMARAT

KO SAMUIKO SAMUI

KO PHANGANKO PHANGAN

30 mins

40 mins

30 mins

BAN PANG KABAN HARN

BAN THURIAN

BAN THA PO

BAN SA KET

BANG POR

BAN THONG PO

NATHON

TONG YANG

TALING NGAM

BANG KAO

HUA THANON

LAMAI

LAEM NAN BEACH

THONG KRUT

BAN LIPA YAI

BAN LIPA NOI

BAN TAI

BAN PLAI LAEM

MAE NAM

BO PHUT

KOH SOM

CHOENG MON

CHAWENG

PANG KA BAY

LAEM YAI

FIVE ISLAND BEACH

LAEM HIN KHOMTHONG TANOTE BEACH

LAEM SOR

LAEM SET

NATIEN BEACH

ROCKY’S BEACH

LAEM NA LANSAMRONG BAY

TONG SON BAY

KOH MATLANG

BAN TALING NGAM

BAN CHAWENG NOI

PROVINCIALCOURT

NA MUANG 1WATERFALL

BUFFALO FIGHTING

BUFFALO FIGHTING

WAT KIRIWONGKARAM

WAT KEE REEMAS

WAT SANTIKARAM

SAMUISTADIUM

WATPRADOEM

WAT KHUNARAM

BUDDHA’SFOOTPRINT

WATKLANG

SAMUIHOSPITAL

HIN LAD WATERFALL

VIEW POINT

WATNA PHRA LAN

WAT SISUWANNA RAM

VIEW POINT

VIEW POINT

VIEW POINT

WAT LAMAI

WAT SILA NGUHIN TA - HIN YAI

WAT PHUKHAO THONG

LOMPRAYA

WAT HIN LAD

WAT CHAENGWAT KHONG KHARAM

WATERFALL

WANORM WATERFALL

THONG TANG

NATHON

WAT NARA CHAROEN SUK WAT SAKET

TESCO LOTUSWAT

CHAWENGTESCO LOTUS

THAI INT

BANGKOK SAMUI INT

KO SAMUI INT

BAMDOM INT

BIG BUDDHA

SAMUI AIRPORT

CHIEFTAINNONTH

WAT PLAI LAEM

SAMUI INTCHAWENG

LAKE

PHRA PHUTTHABAT HAMLONG

KHAO HUA CHULMAKRO

BIG C

WAT BO PHUT

WAT SIETAVIB

TESCO LOTUS

PROVINCIALCOURT

PROVINCIALCOURT

PROVINCIALCOURT

NA MUANG 1WATERFALL

BUFFALO FIGHTING

BUFFALO FIGHTING

WAT KIRIWONGKARAM

WAT KEE REEMAS

WAT SANTIKARAM

SAMUISTADIUM

WATPRADOEM

WAT KHUNARAM

BUDDHA’SFOOTPRINT

WATKLANG

SAMUIHOSPITAL

SAMUIHOSPITAL

SAMUIHOSPITAL

HIN LAD WATERFALLHIN LAD WATERFALLHIN LAD WATERFALL

VIEW POINTVIEW POINTVIEW POINT

WATNA PHRA LAN

WATNA PHRA LAN

WATNA PHRA LAN

WAT SISUWANNA RAM

WAT SISUWANNA RAM

WAT SISUWANNA RAM




WAT LAMAIWAT LAMAIWAT LAMAI

WAT SILA NGUWAT SILA NGUWAT SILA NGUHIN TA - HIN YAIHIN TA - HIN YAIHIN TA - HIN YAI

WAT PHUKHAO THONGWAT PHUKHAO THONGWAT PHUKHAO THONG

LOMPRAYA LOMPRAYA LOMPRAYA

WAT HIN LADWAT HIN LADWAT HIN LAD

WAT CHAENGWAT CHAENGWAT CHAENGWAT KHONG KHARAMWAT KHONG KHARAMWAT KHONG KHARAM

WATERFALLWATERFALLWATERFALL

WANORM WATERFALLWANORM WATERFALLWANORM WATERFALL

THONG TANGTHONG TANGTHONG TANG

NATHONNATHONNATHON

WAT NARA CHAROEN SUK

WAT NARA CHAROEN SUK

WAT NARA CHAROEN SUK WAT SAKETWAT SAKETWAT SAKET

TESCO LOTUSWAT

CHAWENGTESCO LOTUS

THAI INT

BANGKOK SAMUI INT

KO SAMUI INT

BAMDOM INT

BIG BUDDHA

SAMUI AIRPORT

CHIEFTAINNONTH

WAT PLAI LAEM

SAMUI INTCHAWENG

LAKE

PHRA PHUTTHABAT HAMLONG

KHAO HUA CHULMAKRO

BIG C

WAT BO PHUT

WAT SIETAVIB

TESCO LOTUS

The Frog & GeckoPub

Bistro Journal

Bo Phut HillsGolf Club

ARKbarThe most famousWednesday Beach Party

Buddy OrientalSamui Beach Resort

Beach Republic

E2 F3

F5 E2 E2 E2


TRY GOLF!!!

SPECIAL GREEN FEE'S (As low as THB 500...Samui Residents)NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARYHigh Quality Rental Equipment availableFull Bar with THE COLDEST BEER IN SAMUICHAMPIONSHIP QUALITY GREENS!!!9 hole par 27 golf course (all par 3's)Challenging enough for the pro's, but "chilled out" enough for first timer's

SPECIAL GREEN FEE'S (As low as THB 500...Samui Residents)NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARYHigh Quality Rental Equipment availableFull Bar with THE COLDEST BEER IN SAMUICHAMPIONSHIP QUALITY GREENS!!!9 hole par 27 golf course (all par 3's)Challenging enough for the pro's, but "chilled out" enough for first timer's

Tee-off with Koh Samui GolfWith the increasing

popularity of golf tours, packages and holi-days, Thailand is fast be-coming the Mecca of Asia’s golfing holiday industry. With sub-tropical climates and beautifully-manicured courses, Koh Samui makes for the perfect destination to merge an idyllic beachside holiday with a few rounds on one of the island’s five-star golf courses. If you are thinking about taking in some golf during your stay on Samui, here is the lowdown on your golfing options.

Santiburi Samui Country Club in Koh Samui is the only championship 18-hole golf course on the island, stretching along the hills of the northern coastline, offering spectacular eleva-tion changes, from 25 to 180 metres above sea level. Samui, normally recognised

for its white sandy beaches and relaxed atmosphere, is blessed to have a course de-signed to meet international standards.

The Santiburi golf fair-ways are carved into tropical mountains and follow hilly contours providing some tricky moments of play and obstacles. Many times, you are forced to drive the ball uphill and the fairways are made more difficult not just by the position of bunkers but also by the natural slant of the mountain, as well as rock-filled valleys, coconut trees, streams and water-falls.

If you are seeking the best golf course in Samui, the Santiburi Samui Country Club is the best around.

Royal Samui G ol f & Country Club is built into a mountainside above Chaweng and Lamai. This classy Samui golf club offers

spectacular views of both beaches and the surround-ing island. Each hole offers panoramic views of adjacent and neighboring holes with many breathtaking drops in elevation.

The club holds l it tle margin for error, so be sure to hit the fairways and greens on approach shots or there could be trouble. The tees, fairways and rough were built using mountain green grass providing high resis-

tance to drought and heavy rains – a first in Thailand.

During your round, the changes in elevation can be confusing so be careful on club selection. Royal Samui is kept in good condition all year round and is enjoyed by all golfers from novice to the experienced. Be sure to ex-perience this course during your holiday stay.

Bophut Hills Golf Club is a nine-hole course situated

close to the major Samui tourist area of Chaweng Beach. Surrounded by lus-cious coconut trees, the course is 27-par, allowing both high and low handicap golfers to enjoy the layout of this meticulously-pruned course.

The course itself is posi-tioned on a hill with scenic views you would think oc-cured only in dreams. The course was first opened in 2006, set over an area of 1,139 metres ideal for be-ginners.

Bophut Hil ls Country Club is a fun course that will provide you with an afternoon of enjoyment. It’s well suited for holidaymak-ers staying in one of the main tourist areas, as well as more serious golfers who would like to fine tune their iron play before heading to one of the other Koh Samui golf courses.

Conveniently located Bophut Hills Country Club.


Different tourists are comingFor many years Europe

has been the continent most of Thailand’s tour-

ism influx comes from. For sure, Europe and America have been going through 20 years of economic growth cre-ating a high standard of living that encouraged consumerism and travel in equal amounts.

The Brits were right at the top of the global travel chart until the bubble burst and reality decided to rear its ugly head with the economic col-lapse during the final quarter of 2008.

The world has become a different place, with consum-ers opting to keep their money in their pockets, creating a recession. Not only did this affect tourism in Thailand, but also with the strengthening of the baht, this dramatically reshaped the landscaped.

Although this was stark news for the Thailand tour-ism market, the world is also evolving with other nations

The gloabl recesssion, along with shifting currencies, has meant a changing tourist demographic for Thailand.

becoming much stronger than before.

At the beginning of 2011, the Australian dollar was at its highest point at 30.91775 against the Thai baht since mid-2008. This is great news, as the Australian people love to visit Thailand. What better incentive to book your Thai holidays right away while the iron is still hot.

Another slice of good for-tune is that the British pound has also showed recovery signs during the past few weeks against the baht. Although the rise is minor, sterling has been dipping dangerously low at around 46 to the baht for several months.

Over the past week, the pound has risen to 49, which is great news for British holi-daymakers who should also be considering their summer-time holidays to Thailand.

The world economic demo-graphics are changing, with even the Tourism Authority of

Thailand (TAT) stating its in-tention to explore new poten-tial markets such as Indonesia, Brazil and Argentina. TAT go vernor Suraphon Svetas-reni said, “Indonesia is a very interesting market with huge opportunities.

“We strongly believe Indo-nesian tourists are looking for new destinations after visit-ing Singapore and Malaysia.

Therefore, Thailand should grab this opportunity to pro-mote itself.”

In regards to European tourists, Mr Svetasreni reck-ons, “Tourists from Europe will travel less due to their economic problems and the stronger baht making trips here more costly for them.” TAT has projected that by the end of 2012, the Indonesian

arrival figures will rise by 35 per cent.

When you take into con-sideration that 240 million people live in Indonesia – which is the fourth most pop-ulous country in the world – there is massive potential there.

Surprising tourist figures include those of Brazil – that rose 13.7 per cent to 16,010 in the first 10 months of 2010, and those of Argentina, which rose 35 per cent to 8,161 during the same period. They show that the world economic status is evolving.

Other interesting markets include India and China, whose arrivals in Thailand grew 22.3 and 49 per cent in the first 10 months of 2010 respectively.

Although many parts of the world are suffering heav-ily from the world recession, other nations are rising and will hopefully fill the void.

C hakri Memorial Day, held on April 6, com-memorates Rama I,

the founder of the Chakri dynasty, and Thailand’s first King in the lineage.

As with most Thai Kings, Rama I is revered as an es-sential part of the country’s history. Numerous legends portray him as a very power-ful figure.

Before the establishment of the Chakri Dynasty, the King-dom of Thailand (then known as Siam) was in turmoil as Burmese troops had occupied the northern Thai region of Lanna, and were marching towards Ayutthaya, then the capital of the Thai kingdom.

Thai forces, commanded by nobleman Thong Duang, tried to stop the Burmese, but Ayut-thaya fell on April 8, 1767, and the Siamese people retreated to Thonburi down the Chao-phraya river. Ayutthaya was renowned as a beautiful city until the Burmese destroyed

much of it, plundering and looting gold and jewellery.

But the Burmese were also seriously affected by the bat-tles and knew they would struggle to hold the city when the Thais returned, so they retreated after just one week. War campaigns were con-stantly exchanged until the Siamese armies finally united in Thonburi in 1779.

Thong Duang became Chakri and the military commander. Realising King Taksin had grown weak due to his over-emphasis on reli-gion and lack of attention to managing his country’s de-fence, Chakri wanted to unite his countrymen and provide them with direction.

Siamese rebels descended on Thonburi, calling for the replacement of Taksin with their new leader, Chakri. He took over the Siamese King-dom and was given the title King Ramathibodi, reigning from April 6 1782 until 1809.

With his military back-ground, King Rama I recog-nised Thonburi’s vulnerable position. He took charge and commanded that a new capital city be established along the Chaophraya River, naming the city Krung Thep, now known also as Bang-kok.

With Bangkok now the

new capital, he proceeded to construct the Grand Palace, and the Wat next door, home of the famous Emer-ald Buddha. He also devoted his early years in power to liberating the Thai kingdom from Burmese occupation, with Ayutthaya back under Siamese rule just 14 years after Bangkok was founded.

Celebrating Chakri Day is a proud time: the Thai flag is passionately displayed by Thai people, while both gov-ernment officials and com-munity members partake in traditional ceremonies offer-ing flowers and garlands to many of the statues of the first King in the House of Chakri.

The first eight Kings from the Chakri dynasty, Thailand’s current ruling dynasty. The founding of the dynasty is celebrated on April 6 each year.

Chakri Memorial Day - April Sixth

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