TOP TABLE
Hansar Samui takes dining to the next level at H Bistro with ‘Chef’s Table Extraordinaire’
Perfect Fit
Nora Buri Resort’s brand-new ‘In 2 Fitness’ centre could help put the spring back in your step
Splashdown! April means only one thing in Thailand – it’s Songkran!
E x p e r i e nce D e l ec t a b le Cuisine O ve r l o ok ing the Gulf o f Th a i l a nd
The only honors awarded by the world's largest travel community, based on the trusted opinions of millions of real travelers
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A Warm Welcome
Editor
Steve Taylor 0 812 722 940
steve@siammap.com
Graphic Designer
Wunvilai Punnern - Meow
Photographer Ugrit Komlue - Grit
Feature Writer Johnny Paterson
Feature Writer Rob De Wet
Contributor Christina Wylie
Contributor
Richard Hartigan
Contributor Jan Henderson
Contributor
Lisa Cunningham
Webmaster
Seksak Kerdkanno - Klauy
Group Sales & Marketing Director And ‘warm’ is definitely the operative word, as many of you have arrived from Northern Hemisphere countries that have experienced their coldest temperatures in recorded history over the last couple of months. But you can forget all about that whilst you’re here. Leave your jackets and coats in your suitcases and immerse yourself in Samui’s hot tropical climate. And not only is the island hot, hot, hot, it’s got other benefits too. Beautiful palm-fringed beaches with warm waters; a vibrant nightlife with huge free-to-enter open-air clubs; an eclectic wining and dining scene with everything from roadside noodles to Michelin-standard fine-dining fare; world-class spas and health centres for totally rejuvenation; a wealth of local temples and cultural centres; watersports and boat trips to neighbouring islands; a championship 18-hole golf course and a go-kart track; plus plenty of bargains to be had in the many shops and local markets. Yes, as you can see, Samui offers the lot, and you’ll get a tan into the bargain too. March sees our very own Bangkok Airways opening its Samui-Kuala Lumpur route on the 1st of the month, linking us directly with Malaysia’s capital and making the island even more accessible to visitors (see article on page 76). And on April the 13th it’s Songkran, Thailand’s famous New Year festival, when the country celebrates by hosting the world’s largest water-fight (see article on page 14). Then on the 22nd of April there’s the spectacular ‘2012 International Samui Triathlon’, with competitors swimming, cycling, and running their way through gruelling courses (see article on page 54). What with all these things to see and do on Samui, after your stay here you’ll be going home to have a rest. Happy holidays!
Nipawan Chuaysagul - Ning 0 898 783 891
ning@siammap.com
Production Manager Graeme Malley graeme@siammap.com
Managing Director Henrik Bjørk
0 818 913 215
henrik@siammap.com
Siam Map Company Ltd.
52/6 Samui Ring Road, Moo 3 Bo Phut, Koh Samui, 84320, Thailand Tel: 0 7742 2201 Fax: 0 7741 3523 E-mail: info@siammap.com www.siammap.com
All Rights Reserved
Reproduction or use of editorial or pictorial content in any manner is prohibited without written permision from Siam Map Company Ltd. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this publication, Siam Map Company Ltd. assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. Siam Map Company Ltd. 2012
Steve Taylor Editor Distribution at Bangkok Airport courtesy of Bangkok Airways. Reservation Center: 1771 Samui Chaweng Office: 0 7760 1300 www.bangkokair.com
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CONTENTS
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38
14 SPLASHDOWN!
APRIL MEANS ONLY ONE THING IN THAILAND – IT’S SONGKRAN!
20 GR8 VFM
THE COST OF LIVING ON SAMUI COMPARES MOST FAVOURABLY WITH THAT OF OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD.
24 ANIMAL MAGIC
NAMUANG SAFARI PARK AT NAMUANG WATERFALL 2 IN THE SOUTH OF THE ISLAND IS A FUN-PACKED DAY OUT FOR ALL THE FAMILY.
28 PERFECT FIT
NORA BURI RESORT’S BRAND-NEW ‘IN 2 FITNESS’ CENTRE COULD HELP PUT THE SPRING BACK IN YOUR STEP.
34 A BUG’S LIFE
SAMUI’S NIGHT MARKETS OFFER A REAL TASTE OF THAILAND, IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE!
38 STAR QUALITY
NOT ONLY DOES EATING AT ROCKPOOL MEAN DINING UNDER THE STARS, IT CAN ALSO MEAN DINING WHILST WATCHING THE STARS.
44 PROGRAMMED IN
OVER 25,000 HOUSEHOLDS ON THE ISLAND TUNE IN DAILY TO SAMUI CHANNEL TV, WITH OVER 250 HOTELS AND RESORTS BEING SUBSCRIBERS.
48 THE WEAKER SEX?
THE WORLD’S MOST FEROCIOUS MARTIAL ART OF MUAY THAI ISN’T THE SOLE PRESERVE OF MEN.
54
54 SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST
SAMUI IS MORE THAN READY TO CHEER ON THE ATHLETES AT THIS YEAR’S INTERNATIONAL SAMUI TRIATHLON AND DUATHLON.
60 DEFINITELY DEFINITIVE
WHEN IT COMES TO HAVING ‘THE’ THAI BEACHSIDE DINING EXPERIENCE IN CHAWENG, IT’S GOT TO BE POPPIES!
92 A TIMELESS QUALITY
CLASSIC GEMS HAS SPENT YEARS PROVIDING THE HIGHEST QUALITY JEWELLERY, RIGHT HERE ON SAMUI.
98 WHY WAI?
A TRADITIONAL THAI GREETING CAN BE DIFFICULT TO MASTER BUT START WITH A SMILE AND YOU WON’T GO FAR WRONG.
64 MICE CAN PLAY
102 EPIC CURE
70 TOP CLASS
106 VITAL ENERGY
76 SKY HIGH
112 ALL INCLUSIVE
WE LOOK AT WHY THE EXPANDING MICE MARKET IS FLOURISHING IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD.
THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF SAMUI’S SUCCESS IS JUST AS MUCH TO DO WITH ITS CULTURAL CORE VALUES AS ITS CURRICULUM.
THAILAND’S ‘BOUTIQUE AIRLINE’, BANGKOK AIRWAYS, IS FOREVER REACHING NEW HEIGHTS.
82 WHAT WAT?
SAMUI’S TEMPLES ARE HOME TO MORE THAN JUST IMAGES OF BUDDHA; JUST FOLLOW THE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT!
88 TOP TABLE
HANSAR SAMUI TAKES DINING TO THE NEXT LEVEL AT H BISTRO WITH ‘CHEF’S TABLE EXTRAORDINAIRE.’
HOW SAMUI PLAYED AN IMPORTANT PART IN ONE MAN’S FIGHT AGAINST CANCER.
AMALA RESTAURANT, AT PRANA RESORTS & SPA IN BANG RAK, TAKES VEGETARIAN CUISINE TO A NEW AND EXCITING LEVEL.
WHETHER IT BE A LOAN, HOUSE, LAND, CURTAINS OR JUST PLAIN OLD ADVICE YOU’RE AFTER, BAANSUAY LAND & HOUSE IS THERE TO HELP.
116 BUILDING UP
REASONS WHY CHEER FORCE HAS BECOME ‘THE’ TRIED AND TRUSTED MAINTENANCE COMPANY ON SAMUI.
124 NOT SO QUICK!
THE UPS AND DOWNS OF STARTING A BUSINESS ON SUNNY SAMUI.
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Island Insight An overall guide to Samui’s towns, villages, beaches and hotspots.
Samui is an idyllic tropical paradise. A blend of traditional Thai hospitality and remote island life has joined hands with modern traveller expectations. But the towns, villages and interior are home to much more than just luxury resorts, restaurants, bars and retail shops. And whilst the main beaches are recognised as some of the best in the world, there are also secluded coves and magical hideaways around many corners – if you know where to look. And this quick guide will point you in the right direction.
Chaweng
Chaweng’s main beach is five kilometres in length and is lined with 5-star luxury resorts, boutique hotels, budget accommodation and great oceanfront restaurants. Behind the resorts, the Chaweng Beach Road is filled with restaurants, bars, spas, shops, street stalls and mobile food vendors. The lake sits to the rear of them and is a wonderful place for an early morning walk or jog. Near the southern end of the lake is the Soi Reggae entertainment area which also has two Muay Thai boxing stadiums, a temple guarded by carved monkeys and the huge Laem Din market complex. All manner of fresh produce is delivered here every day and the adjoining Dow Seafood market is a hive of activity from the early hours.
Lamai
Samui’s second most popular beach is around four kilometres long and the waters are perfect for swimming. There’s plenty of choice in accommodation, restaurants, bars, spas and health resorts. It also has a free Muay Thai event every Saturday and just off the Beach Road there’s a children’s water park. Wat Lamai is home to a cultural centre and museum that houses artifacts of Samui life before the advent of tourism. On Sundays there’s a ‘Walking Street’ along part of the Beach Road. And just outside of Lamai town on the ring-road is the famous Hin Ta-Hin Yai rock formations that has dozens of small local Thai restaurants around it. 8 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
Mae Nam
Nestled on the northern shores of the island, Mae Nam Beach stretches for several kilometres and overlooks the neighbouring island of Koh Pha-Ngan. High-end resorts and beach bungalows are dotted along the coast and many visitors love it for its peacefulness, soft golden sands and wonderful views. It has seven side streets that meander into the mountains: from Soi 1 you can follow the road over the mountains all the way to Lamai; Soi 4 has a ‘Walking Street’ every Thursday from mid-afternoon and also houses an ornate Chinese temple overlooking the beach and a large Buddhist temple set a few hundred metres back from the ringroad; Soi 5 has a tree-top canopy adventure theme park a few kilometres into the hills; there’s a buffalo fighting stadium a couple of hundred metres off the main road between Soi 5 and Soi 6; an early morning market is also in Soi 6; an evening market near to Soi 7; and the world-class Santiburi Golf Course in the hills above Soi 7. There’re dozens of bars and restaurants in Mae Nam, many of which are on side roads that lead down to the ocean. And at the western end of the beach the Lomprayah ferry takes passengers to the neighbouring islands several times a day.
Nathon
This is the island’s main administrative centre and the major ferry port for boats to and from the mainland. There’re some hotels but it’s more a town you would visit for an afternoon rather than stay in. Beside the terminal, there’s a local food market every day from mid-afternoon until late in the evening. Along what is known as the ‘middle road’ there’re old teak shop-houses and small businesses and a ‘Walking Street’ on Saturdays. And on the one-way road that goes through the town there’re dozens of shops and restaurants. Just off the main road there’s an ornate Chinese temple and garden in Soi 4. And near the far end there’s a renowned open-air duck restaurant – just follow the crowds around lunchtime.
Bo Phut
Bo Phut is best known for Fisherman’s Village. It’s a single narrow street that still has authentic wooden houses that Samui folk have lived in for generations. Parts of it have been modernized but it’s still awash with local foods, international restaurants, bars, shops and market stalls. It becomes one huge ‘Walking Street’ every Friday and you’ll find lots of local delicacies that few other restaurants have. Along with small hotels, there’re several 5-star luxury resorts at the far end and the beach curves around a large bay that also overlooks Koh Pha-Ngan. And small speedboats leave from the village pier heading for the Full Moon parties that take place there every month.
Big Buddha and Plai Laem
The magnificent golden Big Buddha statue that watches over the island from the north-east corner of Samui is one of the first things you see as you fly into Samui Airport. Built on a tiny island (Koh Farn) with a connecting causeway, it’s the most iconic image of the island. Many Thais pray at the temple so dressing and acting appropriately is expected when you enter the site. There’re some very good Thai restaurants and small stores around the temple. It also affords some beautiful views and along the road from it you’ll see another large Buddha image at Wat Plai Laem. Half-way along the road between the temples is a side road that cuts through to Choeng Mon. Down this road there’s access to some quiet secluded beaches, although some of them are through resorts.
Choeng Mon
Choeng Mon lies just 15 minutes or so from the middle of Chaweng but it seems like worlds away. There’s a small town that the road runs through with a couple of dozen restaurants and bars. The beach is a favourite for many locals as it’s quiet, picturesque and safe for swimming most of the year round. There’s every class of accommodation with some old-style beach bungalows at one end. And they all overlook the tiny deserted island of Koh Farn Noi which you can walk out to if the tide is low.
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Big Buddha
Lipa Noi
Taling Ngam
Bang Rak
In between Fisherman’s Village and Big Buddha is where you’ll find Bang Rak. There’s a few very good resorts and some private villas for rent along the beachfront that stretches around for several kilometres and has stunning views. Bars and restaurants line the main street and there’re two piers. The one nearest to Big Buddha has daily ferries to Koh Pha-Ngan, Koh Tao and on to the mainland port of Chumpon, from which a VIP bus takes passengers to Hua Hin and on to Bangkok. Start to finish, it’s a 12-hour journey with about half of it on the boat. Just beside the ferry terminal in Bang Rak is one of the busiest fish markets on the island. Local fishermen drop their catches here and the place is bustling with people all day long. At the other end of town there’s a short-cut into Chaweng on a road called Soi Bond Kai (which the locals refer to as the ‘Ghost Road’).
Taling Ngam and Lipa Noi
The south-west part of the island is known as the ‘Virgin Coast’. It’s largely unspoiled with lots of secluded bays, although most of the shoreline tends to be rocky. The west coast overlooks the famous ‘five islands’ and some of the closer islands of the Angthong National Marine Park (which is a perfect getaway for a day’s boat trip excursion). In this part of the island there’re some hotels, private villas for rent, up-market and local restaurants and several temples of note, including two that house a mummified monk. A second car ferry terminal is located in Lipa Noi and, like the one in Nathon, boats to and from Donsak on the mainland arrive and depart every hour from 5:00 am until 6:00 pm (check for details). And inland on the island’s main ring-road there’re several large waterfall sites and a safari park with elephant trekking, animal shows and adventure tours. Further along, next to the Ford and Mazda dealers is a new Butterfly and Insect Kingdom Park. 10 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
Hua Thanon
This predominately muslim village is home to the descendants of some of the island’s earliest settlers. There’s still a thriving fishing fleet and fish market and a natural coastline that’s survived the ravages of time. Just after the village (coming from Lamai) you can turn off the ring-road to the left and signs will direct you to the nearby Tiger Zoo, Aquarium and Sea-life Show, the Butterfly Farm, the Snake Farm and the local Rum Distillery. There’re also dozens of little side roads that lead down to quiet beaches and out of the way local restaurants.
The Interior
Samui predominately consists of hills, mountains and coconut plantations. And few visitors make the time to appreciate its hidden beauty. One way to do so is to take the turning into Mae Nam Soi 1. A new road has recently been constructed that goes over the mountains all the way to Lamai. The drive is only about 20-25 minutes over 15 kilometres with a couple of stopping off areas that offer fabulous views. Another way to really get the full picture of Samui is from Tar Nim’s Magic Garden at the top of one of the island’s highest peaks. Built during a 25-year period by a local farmer the stone statues in the garden were sculpted by hand and sit over 2,000 feet above the beaches below. It’s a part of Samui that shouldn’t be missed.
Villas overlooking Laem Yai Bay
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Set on a cliff above a stretch of private beach, The Estates Samui is an award-winning collection of 14 villas where traditional Thai design blends naturally with contemporary luxury. Ranging from two to five bedrooms, The Estates Samui offers all the services, facilities and management of adjacent Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui. With only seven units remaining, all units come fully furnished and ready to occupy. Prices starting from THB 105 million. To arrange a private viewing call +66 (0) 8 5484 8752 or email propertysales@minornet.com. www.theestates-samui.com
A DEVELOPMENT BY MINOR INTERNATIONAL PCL.
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Splashdown!
April means only one thing in Thailand – it’s Songkran!
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uick! Grab your water guns and take to the streets. Because this is an all-out war. What on Earth for, you ask? Well it’s Thai New Year or Songkran, as it’s called in Thai, lasts from the 13th to the 15th of April and really is an occasion not to be missed. But even if you’re not looking for it, it will definitely find you! You don’t have to look far to see signs of this energetic festival. And it’s not restricted to houses or temples. Nor a field or square. No, during Songkran – also known as the water festival – people with be anywhere and everywhere, running around like madmen soaking total strangers. The reason? Well, traditionally, it’s a symbolic cleansing for the year ahead but things have moved on from those gentle days, as you shall discover. Songkran is observed nationally as a public holiday and if any of the designated holiday dates fall on a weekend then an extra couple of days are added on as compensation. As with many other cultures’ New Year festivities, Songkran is all about cleansing and renewal. And for that reason, many people tend to do a pretty decent spring-clean of their houses. New Year’s resolutions are also made. Eat less food, drink less alcohol, be a better person, yada yada. You know the drill. Chiang Mai’s celebration of Songkran is renowned for having particularly extravagant street festivities. A spectacular parade is held, which includes the official bathing of a gigantic Buddha statue. Sitting high atop a float, it’s marched through town for people to toss water at. Local demonstrations take place at street level too and, of course, a there’s the usual full-blown water fight. Huge elephants even join in, shooting water from their trunks. And as Songkran is held during the hottest time of the year, with temperatures sometimes rising to over 40°C, any activity involving cooling down with refreshing water is largely welcomed by the sweaty masses. www.samuiholidaymagazine.com l 15
“And you can throw ice-cold water at police and they can’t do anything about it. Doesn’t get better than that!”
A lot of Thai people head home for Songkran to spend time with their families. They bless the elder members by placing garlands over them and pouring water on their shoulders and hands (as you can see, this is a tamer, more traditional, style of the water festival). A Buddhist Thai family will usually visit the local monastery during Songkran to pay respect to the monks. At home, many people will wash any small household shrines or Buddha statues with water mixed with a Thai fragrance. Nowadays, Songkran is known worldwide for being a fantastic, wet ’n’ wild, all-day party. People travel across the globe to partake in this countrywide free-for-all water fight. On Samui, balloons and festive decorations line the island’s main towns. A slow procession of pick-ups amble down Chaweng Beach Road, filled to the brim with soaking wet, bucket-wielding passengers wearing cheeky grins. Local kids plod about with brightly coloured water gun-backpacks squirting random tourists who gladly return the favour. People of all walks of life – foreigners and Thais, children and adults, men and women – participate in this good-natured street party. And if you’re worried about how bars and restaurants might respond their street-fronts being sullied in this fashion, well don’t. Because they’re in on it too. They’re even kind enough to provide large bins filled with gallons of water for a handy refill.
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Local resident, Khun Si Tumbridge, provides the perfect description of the atmosphere. “You get the chance to be a kid again in the biggest water fight you’ve ever had. And you can throw ice-cold water at police and they can’t do anything about it. Doesn’t get better than that!” But Khun Kanjana Intakhin, another local, offers a different opinion. “After a while it can get a bit much. There’s loads of traffic in Chaweng with people everywhere just waiting with buckets of water to throw all over you. When I go out I certainly keep the car windows closed. If you don’t want to get soaked then I’d recommend you stay inside.” Nowadays, she tends to go back to her hometown that’s a few hours’ drive from Chiang Mai to spend the festival with her family. There, the older members of the family only get a light sprinkle of water with a finger flick. “Otherwise they get angry!” she laughs. Without wanting to put a dampener on things, it’s also worth mentioning that Songkran is a phenomenally dangerous time to be out and about on your motorbike. Imagine happily riding along and then being smacked in the face with a bucket of ice-cold water. Many are also drink-driving, so it’s worth being extra cautious on the road, keeping your eyes constantly alert. The Road Safety Center (RSC) reported a death toll of 271 people across Thailand in 2011 during what they describe as the “seven dangerous days” of Songkran. On the plus side, this figure saw a drop of 24.9% from the previous year. www.samuiholidaymagazine.com l 17
From its roots as a spiritual festival based on gentle, symbolic cleansing, Songkran has today evolved to what can only be described as total madness – of the fun kind, of course. These days it’s not uncommon to see people sporting huge, two-meter long water guns or practically swimming in the back of a pickup truck filled with water to drench passer-bys. And the water used for said ‘cleansing’ is sometimes laden with other ingredients. Some people mix in the traditional Thai fragrance whilst others opt for coloured talcum powder, ice or even Tiger Balm – the latter not being so great for accidental eyeball infiltration. Songkran today is essentially a time when you can take to the street, break normal social barriers, and have a great time. And whilst it may be madness, you’d be mad to miss it!
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BOUTIQUE RESORT KOH SAMUI
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Gr8 VFM
The cost of living on Samui compares most favourably with that of other countries around the world.
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C
omparing prices is fascinating stuff. Did you know, for example, that Perth is 38 per cent more expensive than Vancouver? That Luanda in Angola is the most expensive place in the world to live for expats, and that Karachi is the cheapest? That Hanoi is the most inexpensive place in the world for beer? If you’re coming to Samui for a holiday, you might wonder how it stacks up when comparing prices worldwide. How much value for money are you actually getting when you’re here?
For around 600 or 700 baht on Samui, you can get a ‘bungalow’/private room in a resort often with a pool and in many cases free wifi. A hotel room will cost from 1,000 baht a night, an amount that mightn’t even get you a hostel room in London or Paris. And if you’re staying longer, look into monthly rental – a one-bedroom ‘bungalow’ with porch and wifi should cost around 8,000-10,000 baht a month, at least half the amount it would be in Spain and a quarter the cost of a similar place in Hong Kong.
The good news, of course, is that Thailand and Samui are both going to be quite a bit cheaper than Western countries, even if you might have to pay similar prices as back home for some imported goods like cheese or cosmetics. Bangkok, for example, is rated 121st on the Mercer Cost of Living Survey’s most expensive cities in the Asia Pacific region. So, if you can manage without the cheddar or your favourite brand of designer hair gel, you’ll stretch your money far on Samui.
Whilst like anywhere else in the world where you can splash out on a budget-busting five-course meal at a five-star restaurant, there are plenty of food options on Samui that are much cheaper than other tourist destinations. On the lower level, a bowl of noodles at a roadside stall will cost around 30 baht; much cheaper than basic meals anywhere in the world apart from neighbouring countries here like Cambodia and Vietnam. A meal in a local restaurant on Samui will cost around 100-150 baht, compared to 350 baht for an average meal in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, or 450 baht in Lyon, France.
The main expenses anywhere on holiday are going to be accommodation and food, whether you stay in a basic hostel and eat at the local stalls or dine and eat five-star every night. There’s plenty of accommodation of all levels on Samui, most of it at a significantly lower price than you’d pay in other countries. A hostel room will cost you about 400 baht a night, for example, compared to around 665 baht in Inverness or 1,700 in Ibiza.
The cost of the beer to wash down your meal is one of the items many travellers want to know about. On Samui, a local beer like Leo sells for about 30 baht in the supermarket and around 60 in a bar. A pint in one of the British or Irish pubs in Chaweng is around 120 baht, often selling on special offer for 99 baht. This works out at around £2 sterling or 2.26 euros, a lot cheaper than the average £3.50 cost of a pint in London or five euros in Dublin.
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Out and about during the day, if you don’t want to haggle with taxi drivers or wait at the side of the road for a songthaew (covered pick-up truck taxi), you’ll probably want to hire a car whilst you’re here. As most travellers know, rental costs can be eye-wateringly expensive around the world and make a sizeable dent in the holiday budget. Not so much on Samui. A motorbike will cost around 200 baht a day to hire; a car or jeep from 800-1,500. Hiring a bike in Sydney will cost around 2,500 baht a day, with a car or jeep starting from at least that. Even staying within Asia, hiring a motorbike will cost at least 425 baht a day and a basic car will start from 1,000 baht a day in Taiwan.
one of the best rates in the world. Samui is also fast becoming known as a top destination for medical and cosmetic tourism, including teeth-whitening and liposuction. A teeth-whitening procedure on the island should cost you around 7,000 baht, cheaper than around 13,000 baht in Italy or 18,000 in Canada, whilst liposuction and other cosmetic surgery is much cheaper than Western prices – around 117,000 baht for a tummy tuck here compared to 320,000 in London.
Bangkok, for example, is rated 121st on the Mercer Cost of Living Survey’s most expensive cities in the Asia Pacific region.
And if you want to pamper yourself at a spa, you’ve come to one of the best and most cost-effective places in the world to do it. As with meals and accommodation, you can pay as much as you want to when indulging yourself, but, as a basic guide, a traditional Thai massage costs around 2,000 baht at a spa and only 200-400 at a local shop, making it affordable to enjoy a couple of times a week rather than once every few months back home. Whilst you’re enjoying and pampering yourself on Samui, hopefully nothing will go wrong with your holiday. But if it does, it’s good to know that hospital and medical prices here compare very favourably with many other places around the world. A consultation fee at a local hospital on the island is just 200 baht; 22 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
Other prices of basics around Samui show just how cheap it is here compared to most other places. A litre of petrol is about 40 baht; a litre of milk around 45. You can buy a T shirt at a night market for around 100 baht and a pair of designer jeans from around 1,000. A new netbook will set you back around 10,000 baht, a laptop 10-15,000 and a desktop computer approximately 20,000. A two-litre bottle of water starts at14 baht. So the message is, stay away from the imported cheese and designer hair gel, and you’ll save as much as you need to on Samui, giving you all the more money for all the more massages.
Lisa Cunningham
Romantic views, soothing sounds and classic Italian fare with a modern approach combine to please the most discerning diner. Olivio - a must for visitors and locals alike.
Olivio ~ beachfront at Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort Chaweng Beach. Free round trip transfer from Chaweng, Bophut, Choeng Mon, Mae Nam. For reservation please call 0 7723 1500
Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort & Spa 154 Moo 2, Chaweng Beach, Bophut, Koh Samui, Suratthani 84320 Tel: +66 77 231 500 Mob: +66 81 751 6073 Fax: +66 77 231 520 Email: info@baanhaadngam.com, booking@baanhaadngam.com www.baanhaadngam.com
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ANIMAL MAGIC
Namuang Safari Park at Namuang Waterfall 2 in the south of the island is a fun-packed day out for all the family.
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t first glance, the main activities on the island appear to happen in Chaweng and Lamai. That’s where the majority of the resorts and nightlife is located. However, there’s another side to the island, both geographically and metaphorically. And the other parts of Samui offer the kinds of discoveries, adventures and fun that the east coast simply can’t match. Even the ring-road is much quieter and far more picturesque. After passing by Lamai (coming from Chaweng) and through the village of Hua Thanon there’s a turning on the left for the 4170 road. Down here you’ll find the Tiger Zoo and Aquarium, the butterfly farm, the snake farm, a rum distillery, several ancient temples, countless little Thai restaurants and dozens of secluded bays and deserted beaches. But if you stay on the ring-road, heading towards Nathon, there’s also adventure and wonder waiting just around the corner for all the family. A few kilometres past the Hua Thanon traffic lights is Namuang Waterfall 2 (not to be confused with Namuang Waterfall 1, which just has elephant trekking). Not only does it have an 80-metre high waterfall, but it’s also a safari park with hundreds of animals, live shows, elephant trekking and adventure tours around the island and into the mountains. Most hotels and resorts will have information about it (and it doesn’t matter if you book through your hotel, with a high street tour operator, online or in person, the prices are the same). And by booking one of the many packages you don’t have to worry about transport; they all include a pick-up and return to hotel service. Namuang Safari Park at Namuang Waterfall 2 is spread over 140 rai of land and is the gateway to the mountainous interior of the island. It was created in 1997 by Khun Attaporn Ruangsri whose family have lived on Samui for generations. Key to the development of the project was a desire to preserve the natural environment and provide a safe haven for many different types of animals. And to offer visitors a view of Samui that they didn’t know existed. Khun Panadda is the Sales and Marketing Manager, and has spent her career in the tourism industry in Chiang Mai, South Korea and, for more than five years, on Samui. She spent time as a tour guide at the park before taking on her current role and knows many of the animals by name, their individual personalities and their favourite foods. “Namuang isn’t just about observing the animals, we want guests to inter-act with them and be a part of their lives. Every one of the 130 members of the team here is committed to the well-being and safety of the animals. And to the safety of every visitor, so please do listen to the guides.”
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Last October, the very first baby elephant to be born on Samui successfully made her way into the world. And she’s already a superstar in the making, receiving all of the team’s attention. “Our activities’ programmes include visits to local cultural icons, elephant trekking and tree-top cable rides. Our daily shows feature elephants, monkeys, crocodiles, exotic birds, snakes and scorpions. And you can feed and have your picture taken with tigers, leopards, baby deer, birds, otters and monkeys in our mini-zoo. You can also venture deep into the interior on ATV quad bikes and experience adventure off-roading in our especially-built 4x4 jeeps. It’s a whole day out that adults and children alike can enjoy and the emphasis is on fun, excitement and new experiences.” Their animal nursery is of immense importance to them and their breeding programme has produced many new animals for the park. But the latest new arrival has stolen the limelight. Last October, the very first baby elephant to be born on Samui successfully made her way into the world. And she’s already a superstar in the making, receiving all of the team’s attention. Named ‘Kwan Samui’, which means ‘Gift from Samui’ in Thai, she and her 21 year-old mum, ‘Oom’, are doing well and getting rather used to all the attention. The Park has a further 21 adult elephants that take visitors on treks, and three adolescents (aged under 10) who are the current stars of the elephant show and are in constant demand for wedding ceremonies. Each and every elephant has its own mahout or handler and they stay together for life. It’s not uncommon for a mahout’s partnership with his elephant to last a lot longer than his marriage to his wife. And as you come into the park you’ll see acres of long grass being grown. This is a part of the elephants’ diet, with each one consuming up to 300 kilogrammes of food and 150 litres of water per day. If you do make your own way to the park, the five different animal shows start at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm every day and each last for a total of two hours. In the first show, you’ll see the elephants play football and have a tug-of-war competition with the crowd. In the next show, eagles swoop down low over the visitors whilst parrots do circus tricks. Then monkeys demonstrate the key skills required in collecting 26 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
coconuts from the tallest trees and perform acrobatic feats that have everyone laughing and applauding. Moving on to the snake show and you’ll be both amazed and a little concerned. But fear not, their snake master was born and raised in ‘King Cobra Village’ in the province of Khon Kaen and he (and generations of his family before him) has spent his entire life working with huge pythons, deadly cobras and a host of other snakes indigenous to Thailand. He has a giant yellow python, that you can have your photograph taken with, that he rescued from a local resort a few years ago. And the show concludes with a truly unbelievable performance from the crocodile trainers. They have nearly 100 crocodiles in the park and it’s not fair to give too much away. Suffice to say your heart will be in your mouth and, whilst you should take swimming gear with you, it’s not for here. Leave stripping down to your swimwear until you get to the waterfall and the lagoon. There’re a host of half-day and full-day packages available from 1,100-1,850 baht for adults and 800-1,400 baht for children, with kids under three getting in free. A full day’s excursion, in addition to free transport to-and-from your hotel and lunch, can include: elephant trekking or a treetop cable ride; a visit to the Hin-Ta Hin-Yai (Grandfather and Grandmother Rocks); a viewing of the mummified monk at Wat Khunaram; a trip to the Magic Garden in the mountains; all five animal shows; a tour around the mini-zoo at feeding time; a jungle walk to the waterfall with swimming; a visit to a rubber plantation. You can pick and choose which activities you want to take part in and they are also individually priced. And within the park there’re bars, restaurants, a coffee shop and a souvenir shop with local handicrafts on sale. If you’ve had enough of lounging around by the pool and need to have some fun, then take the short trip over to the south of the island. At Namuang Waterfall 2 you’ll laugh, applaud, gasp in surprise and be enthralled. And you’ll get to see Samui from high up in the hills and mountains and realise that the island is almost totally made up of jungle and coconut plantations. It’s a far cry from the bustling beach roads and is a great day out for everyone.
Johnny Paterson
____________________________________________ For further information, telephone 0 7742 4098.
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PERFECT FIT
Nora Buri Resort’s brand-new ‘In 2 Fitness’ centre could help put the spring back in your step.
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un for your life! Don’t worry, you’re not in imminent danger – maybe. But if your lifestyle is somewhat sedentary then moving a little faster than a snail’s pace could make all the difference.
There’s a well-established theory backed by increasing amounts of evidence that mild to moderate physical activity is, for most people, the best way to better health. However, unless you do something you enjoy, or can at least put up with, the chances are that you won’t stick at it. Similarly, if you start off doing too much too soon, you’ll get fed up and stop, get injured or even make yourself ill. So what’s the right amount of exercise to get fit and healthy without injuring yourself in the process? The intensity at which you workout can be described as strenuous, moderate or mild. What constitutes a strenuous, moderate or mild exercise workload for you will depend on your current fitness. If you’re an Olympic 10,000-metre runner, jogging one mile in nine 28 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
minutes would count as mild activity. For most people, though, it would be strenuous if not impossible. Experts recommend that for purposes of general health, mild to moderate levels of physical activity are all that are required. This means brisk or purposeful walking, or the equivalent level of effort in another activity. Again, what brisk means will depend on your current state of health or fitness. It’s a pace at which you feel you’re making good progress whilst still being able to hold a conversation. As a rule of thumb, exercise of moderate intensity will make you a little warm or sweaty, and slightly out of breath, but no more than that. To avoid obesity, heart disease and other life-limiting conditions, it’s recommended that adults should do a minimum of 30 minutes moderate-intensity physical activity, five times a week. And you don’t have to do the whole 30 minutes in one go. Your half-hour could be made up of three 10-minute bursts of activity spread throughout the day. These recommendations also apply to older adults, assuming they’re healthy and mobile enough to
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manage them. In fact, older people should take particular care to retain their mobility through daily activity. Specific exercises to improve strength, coordination and balance are particularly beneficial. Top resorts these days are now expected to have fitness centres. And many people won’t book their accommodation without knowing exactly what equipment is in the gym. Going on holiday usually means relaxing but it doesn’t mean having to give up your exercise regime. And when you are in the tropics the weather is inevitably either very hot and humid or very wet with monsoon rains lashing down. Neither is particularly conducive for exercising outdoors. And road-running can be dangerous when many of the roads are damaged and pavements are few and far between. So that’s when an air-conditioned gym becomes a very welcome sight.
There’re also eight different machines for exercising the various muscles groups and a set of free-weights. The gym is manned throughout the day by personal trainers who are more than happy to give advice.
Nora Buri Resort is a 5-star luxury property that overlooks the beach on the road between Chaweng and Choeng Mon. And they’ve recently launched their new ‘In 2 Fitness’ centre. Its walls are all made from glass so you have a wonderful elevated view of the ocean. And it’s well kitted out. They have an elliptical trainer, three static cycling machines and three treadmills. And they 30 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
all have small television screens attached so you can watch the news, some sport or a movie whilst you train. There’re also eight different machines for exercising the various muscles groups and a set of free-weights. The gym is manned throughout the day by personal trainers who are more than happy to give advice. And they haven’t skimped on the changing areas here either. Both the male and female rooms have saunas, steam rooms, showers and lockers and they provide free towels and water. And the gym is right beside a large open-air pool, a restaurant, a spa and a terrace that you can relax on by the pool. Membership is open to everyone and you can join just for the day or for a year. And membership comes with some extra benefits. A full year’s membership is
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25,000 baht and that includes a free 90-minute spa treatment and three free dinner vouchers at the resort. A six-month membership is 15,000 baht with a free 60-minute spa treatment and two vouchers for dinner. You can join for three months at 10,000 baht, one month for 5,000 baht or for the day for 500 baht, which also includes round-trip transfers from your hotel or home. In addition, all members receive access to the swimming pool and Jacuzzi, they get a 50% discount on accommodation at the resort, a 25% discount at the resort’s renowned Anodas Spa and a 15% discount in all Nora Buri’s restaurants and bars. You could happily spend the day at the resort. After a little vigorous exercise, a steam and sauna you could take the short walk to Anodas Spa and let yourself be pampered for an hour or two. They have a whole range of massages from body fitness to detoxifying, uplifting, de-stressing, heat compress, healing and traditional Thai oil massages as well as body scrubs and wraps and soothing facial treatments. From there, it’s just a few steps to the Jacuzzi and infinity pool and the sun-deck. And once you flop down you don’t have to move again. They have very attentive staff from the poolside Manora restaurant who will bring you fresh juices or shakes and a menu that’s packed full of tempting choices. Top-class chefs can prepare big salads, pasta dishes, pizzas, healthy options, fresh seafood, steaks and Thai favourites. And 32 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
on the beach ‘The Barge’ restaurant offers everything from lunchtime snacks to fine-dining on three separate levels. And you get a 15% discount as a fitness centre member. Suffice to say, any physical activity, no matter how little, is better than none. But it’s so much more enjoyable in a modern, fully-equipped fitness centre that just happens to have a pool, Jacuzzi, restaurant and spa right beside it.
Johnny Paterson
__________________________________________________ For further information, telephone: 0 7791 3555, e-mail: fb@noraburiresort.com or go along to In 2 Fitness anytime between 7:00 am and 8:00 pm.
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A BUG’S LIFE
Samui’s night markets offer a real taste of Thailand, in more ways than one!
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trip to Thailand, or indeed Samui, isn’t really complete without some cultural visits. Often it’s to a temple or a traditional Thai dance show and sometimes it’s just a wander around the local markets. And some of the latter often have very interesting foods on offer. They’re delicacies really, especially if you’re an aficionado of entomophagy – the consumption of insects as food. For some of you, the very thought of it will have you reaching for the antinausea pills. But you shouldn’t do that and I’ll tell you why later on. Reality television shows, such as ‘Survivor’, ‘Fear Factor’ and ‘I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here’, have all featured bugs and creepy crawlies on their shows. And contestants sometimes have to eat certain types alive. There’s no physical danger (well not to the contestants anyway), it’s more about addressing the competitors’ phobias, fears and finding out where their individual gag reflex
is exactly. And it only works as a spectacle with certain nationalities; those which don’t eat insects every day of their lives anyway (it would be a walk in the park for a Thai person living in the sticks). Over 1,000 different species of insects are known to be eaten in 80% of the world’s nations. At the markets here, most commonly you’ll see deep-fried grasshoppers, scorpions, water bugs, spiders, ant eggs and many bugs that you’ll have trouble identifying. Thailand has over 15,000 cricket farms alone where the little critters are bred purely for human consumption. And other countries are just as enthusiastic about chomping down on a big fistful of bugs. In New Zealand, huhu grubs are a traditional Maori food. They’re said to taste something like peanut butter coated chicken, which actually sounds all right. And up in the very north of Australia, a favourite bush-tucker snack is
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However, Europeans might not have to travel so far anymore to get their hands on some delicious bugs. The European Commission has now offered £2.65 million towards a project to promote eating insects. They have also ordered the UK Food Standards Agency to investigate and potentially look at ways to make entomophagy a more popular choice, especially in restaurants. One study found that grasshoppers offer 20 per cent protein with a tiny six percent fat, compared to ground beef’s 27 percent protein and 18 percent fat. Although after watching shows like ‘Kitchen Nightmares’ and ‘The Hotel Inspector’, I don’t think having bugs in restaurant food is anything new, it’s just that they’re not on the menu. Do you know what ‘shellac’ is? It’s a wood-finishing product used to give guitars, furniture and even AK-47’s that special shine. And it’s also used as a food additive. That’s what makes jelly beans so shiny. And shellac is derived from the excretions of the Kerria lacca insect, most commonly found in the jungles of Thailand. To collect the excretions, the poop is simply scraped off the tree along with parts of the bugs as well. And so they become an integral component in the shellac-making process. And the jelly bean making process. And the jelly bean eating process. Now before some holier-than-thou tree-hugging vegan pipes up declaring they never eat such things, think on this. During the cleaning process, apples lose their shine. Care to guess how it’s restored? And before you head to the medicine cabinet, consider this. That pill you want to take to quell your nausea? It didn’t get shiny on its own.
Johnny Paterson
the abdomen of small green ants. You eat them by picking them up by their head and squash them first (so they won’t nip you) and then bite off the abdomen which has a similar flavour to sherbet lemons, apparently. And it’s considered almost unpatriotic in the land down-under if you don’t try a plump witchety grub. A symbol of Aboriginal cuisine, some fine-dining Antipodean restaurants now have it on their menus at very up-market prices. Across the ocean and in the Central American country of Belize, certain types of ant eggs are treasured for their flavour. Tasting like citrus juice and strong gin, the eggs are known colloquially as ‘ghetto caviar’. A little further north, in Mexico, and their mezcal worms have been lying in the bottom of the spirit bottles since they were introduced as a marketing gimmick in the 1940s. It’s a misconception that some tequila contains a worm in the bottle; it’s only certain mescals. And the worm is actually the larval form of a moth. Given that you have to drink the bottle of mescal to get to the larvae, most people seem to find the courage to swallow it by that time. Still in Mexico and in Oaxaca State they love snacking on ‘chapulines’. These are grasshoppers that are toasted on a clay cooking surface with garlic, lime juice and salt and are very similar to the kind found in Thai markets, although they are much saltier. And in Columbia, a big bag of popcorn isn’t the favourite snack of movie fans, that honour belongs to the large, roasted and fried ants which are served in a paper cone. They have a smoky flavour and a loud crunch (shhhh!). Closer to home and in the Cambodian town of Skuon, tarantulas are the snack of choice. The practice goes back to the days of the Khmer Rouge when food was scarce, but apparently the locals developed rather a taste for the furry 8-legged arachnids and even now they form a major part of the town’s dietary intake. Hundreds of these spiders are hunted, cooked and sold every day in market stalls. And in the backstreets of Seoul, South Korea, steaming, grey silk-worm grubs can be found on vendors’ mobile carts. Also in South Korea, the stores have recently begun to stock tins of chrysalis or caterpillar pupa. Sounds like a can of worms to me. 36 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
Chocolate Cricket Chip Cookies
Ingredients: 2 ¼ cup 1 tsp 1 tsp 1 cup ¾ cup ¾ cup 1 tsp 2 1 1 cup ½ cup
flour baking soda salt butter, softened sugar brown sugar vanilla eggs 12-ounce chocolate chips chopped nuts dry-roasted crickets
Method: Preheat the oven to 375. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla; beat until creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually add flour mixture and insects, mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded measuring teaspoonfuls onto un-greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
Source: Girl-Meets-Bug.com
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Star Quality Not only does eating at RockPool mean dining under the stars, it can also mean dining whilst watching the stars.
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ometimes a restaurant gets its name just right. And RockPool, at Karma Samui Villa Resort, has done just that. Stepping out onto their decked, platform dining area poised above the rocks, you enter your very own, lofty crevice in the rock face. The resort describes it well. “RockPool is the ideal spot for those wishing to get even closer to the ocean, but without getting their feet wet or sand between their toes.” And it really is just that.
for a memorable dinner with friends or that one-of-a-kind romantic date.
Tables lit solely by candles enhance the intimate setting created by the modest number of tables. Come here are night and you’ll only see the people – or person – you’re with, some flickering candles across the deck and the moon and stars above you. And whilst you’ll hear some subtle background music, the primary audio is provided by nature’s very own soundtrack – waves splashing against the rocks below. The atmosphere is wonderfully personal here making it the perfect destination
As well as the aforementioned outdoor dining area, there’s also a polished inside space befitting to any fine dining devotee. But most diners prefer to be out on the deck. Out on the eponymous rocks themselves. And if that’s the case with you, then, after being greeted by the professional and friendly staff, you’ll be led through the indoor restaurant, down the wooden platform and out to your table for the evening.
RockPool’s located just a five-minute drive from the hustle and bustle of Chaweng’s main strip. And you can feel the calm descend upon you as you leave behind the bucket-wielding partygoers and enter the sophisticated realm of exclusive tranquillity at Karma. After a short buggy ride down from the hotel entrance, you’ll find yourself at RockPool’s doorstep.
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This year they’ve had the internationally acclaimed Sian Evans of Kosheen fame who recently enjoyed huge success with the 2011 summer No.1 hit ‘Louder’.
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Your One Stop Chill Spot
Receiving the menu is an experience in itself. It comes adorned with a glow-worm-esque reading light clinging to the top of it. This illuminates the pages without ruining the low-light ambience. In terms of the cuisine, RockPool is dubbed an ‘oyster and tapas’ restaurant. But it’s also a lot more than that. Let’s start with the oysters though. Their delicate slippery morsels hail from France and you’ve got a choice in the accompanying sauce – natural, Kilpatrick or Rockefeller. There are plenty of other fresh sea-faring goodies on the appetizers menu too, like the superbly fresh sashimi and scallops. And there’re also meaty morsels, such as the succulent slivers of veal tenderloin carpaccio and a robust, pan-seared foie gras. And you’ll be happy to hear that the main courses have received just the same lavish treatment as the starters. One popular dish is the falling-off-the-bone duck leg confit, served with sautéed wild mushrooms, maple glazed baby beets and a pepper sauce. Another winner is the braised Australian beef cheek, drizzled in none other than a natural jus and served atop a bed of long macaroni, sautéed spinach and caramelised root vegetables. Watching the sun set, and then the moon rise, whilst sipping on one of RockPool’s many exquisite cocktails is not a bad way to start an evening in paradise. And if you’re lucky enough to be around for one of their ‘Karma Sessions’ – held every few months – then sit back and enjoy the chill-out tunes and acoustic sets of some big-name artists. This year they’ve had the internationally acclaimed Sian Evans of Kosheen fame who recently
www.impiana.com 91/2-3 Moo 3, Chaweng Noi Beach, Koh Samui, Suratthani 84320 Thailand Tel: 66 (0) 77 422011 Fax: 66 (0) 77 422111 Email: infoirs@impiana.com
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enjoyed huge success with the 2011 summer No.1 hit ‘Louder’. But Karma Sessions are not about party madness à la Chaweng. RockPool is a zone for relaxation to the tune of some chilled tracks and cool beats. Also just launched, is their ‘gourmet barbecue brunch’, brainchild of RockPool’s Executive Chef, Martin Selby. And the English do know how to do brunch. So brace yourself, because this is a big ‘un’! It sees a sumptuous seafood bar and international spread of oysters as well as a barbecue rustling up steaks, lamb, fish and the like. You’ll also find Asian dishes and much, much more. But save some room for the final course because there’s a selection of gourmet cheeses and delicate potted desserts to finish you off. Special occasions are something to remember at RockPool. And whether that’s a proposal, a honeymoon dinner, an anniversary or a birthday, you’re in for a 42 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
treat. The staff there will work extra-hard to make it truly extraordinary. Although any night at RockPool is special, there’s something particularly wonderful about being there during the full moon. The restaurant seems in just the perfect spot. The moon sits, big, bold, glowing and literally right in front of your face. A great pillar of light is reflected upon the sea below you, lighting up the restaurant in a magical blue tint.
Christina Wylie
_______________________________________________________ For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7723 4500.
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HISTORY MYSTERY
A mummified monk, a Japanese sailor and a British wartime pilot. Is there a connection?
PROGRAMMED IN
Over 25,000 households on the island tune in daily to Samui Channel TV, with over 250 hotels and resorts being subscribers
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lessed with beauty and a graceful demeanor, Khun Saithip Noochsamnieng seems far too youthful and demure to have spent the last ten years as Managing Director of Samui Channel TV. But the sharp intelligence and high energy that drives her in achieving her goals soon bubbles to the surface and one can see the passion that has propelled her into making Samui Channel the first and foremost dedicated TV channel in entertainment and island lifestyle on Samui. Educated in Bangkok with a BA degree in business management and advertising, Khun Saithip explains that she originally worked in the field of advertising in the capitol, moving to Samui in 2001 and then leaping at the opportunity to work as a DJ (for the first time!). After a few years doing this, the owner of Samui Cable TV suggested that she should start a dedicated TV station, Samui Channel, which she soon co-founded in 2003 under the umbrella of Samui Digital Studio Co. Ltd.
She says she knew this was the right move because of the huge impact TV has on people regardless of what level of society they are from as it engages their interest. Khun Saithip knew the island was ripe for Samui Channel but it was new territory and took a mammoth effort by a hugely talented team with funding in order to make it work. The project went full-steam ahead and Samui Channel developed its first programmes, which were lively and mostly travel & tourism related for the first two years. It later developed into what it is today, with high quality entertainment and news content for both tourists and residents. Not only does Samui Channel boast of 25,000 viewing households, it also lays claim to over 250 hotel and resort subscribers, all managed by Khun Saithip and a skillful core team of ten staff (plus technical outsourcing). Through the years, as the channel grew in popularity with both tourists and residents, Khun Saithip worked long hours every day to produce, present and edit content of all the programmes, including entertainment, cooking classes, health practices, island events, news pieces and documentaries. More than just an entertainment www.samuiholidaymagazine.com l 45
channel, Khun Saithip explains that the lifestyle programs are educational and provide in-depth information about island issues and concerns as well as covering events and happenings and offering fun entertainment. As the island grew so did Samui Channel TV in its appeal to all types of travelers and residents, and as a mixed media provider to agencies and companies. Soon the company was producing programs with Samui Digital Studio for government agencies like the Tourist Association of Thailand (TAT), Information & Communication Technology (ICI), DASTA and the Tourism Association of Koh Samui (TAKS). One of the resulting videos promoting and offering information on the island is a wonderful 3-minute artistic representation video sponsored by TAKS that shows the unmatched beauty of Samui, ‘Sawasdee Samui’, available for viewing at the Samui Channel website.
programme Khun Saithip founded after a long process of self education, class work and meetings with dozens of like-minded people over a 10-year period. Understanding the need to generate awareness of the island’s growing eco challenges, Khun Saithip spent the years creating, designing and developing an island project specifically aimed at bringing together organisations, businesses and influential people to fund, support and run this foundation. With help from the Ministry of Tourism and Sport and the group’s ratification, the main tourism organisations all came together to commit to an understanding that under the auspices of The Green Island Foundation, “Tourism affects the environment and the island’s businesses are obliged to do something to restore the balance.” Pleased with the level of support from some of these organizations inspired by the Green Island Foundation, Khun Saithip is justifiably proud of the Foundation’s projects, including: ‘Carbon Free Schools’ programme supported and led by the Thai Hotels Association (THA); recycling workshops run by teachers in local schools; and in the private sector, the island’s largest villa rental agency, Samui Villas and Homes, adoption of six conservation principles which it now applies to all aspects of its business. The Green Island Foundation also supports eco-events like the annual Samui Mala Festival and manages initiatives, such as publishing a ‘Green Guide’.
Khun Saithip worked long hours every day to produce, present and edit content of all the programmes, including entertainment, cooking classes, health practices, island events, news pieces and documentaries.
Khun Saithip remains directly involved with Samui Digital Studio in producing TV programs and projects, noting, “We do mixed media, design, print, sound and editing and offer a variety of media services. We’re also sole media manager of Bangkok Air Channel and the Khun Chaweng LCD broadcast screen, and continue to expand viewer-base and increase the channel’s influence.” The other leg of the Samui Channel TV is Samui Channel production, their in-house production company that uses professional 3CCD cameras and professional postproduction for both sound and movie along with Macintosh’s newest technology to produce the best quality for postproduction. When asked how she and her team come up with the dynamic mix of programmes and the development of popular shows that viewers enjoy or have expressed a desire to learn more about, she says her inspiration comes mainly from a group of consistent viewers as one of her goals is to include others to help in determining new topics and programmes. She explains, “I am fortunate to have a regular audience that contributes to content and creative ideas. I call them often to check and evaluate what they think of the current programmes and what else they may want to see and suggest. I call them my ‘consultants’ and they donate their time and ideas on a spiritual basis, as they want to help.” The owner of Silarom Spa, Khun Wichuda, is cited as someone who will often suggest a new topic and as a person whom Khun Saithip holds in high regard, a person that’s been a great contributor on a regular basis along with several others. Woven into her massive Samui Channel TV workload is a different labour of love called the Green Island Foundation – an island-wide environmental 46 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
Khun Saithip sees her future as one filled with infinite possibilities and she’s delighted to find her major passions of TV producing and protecting the environment intersecting, as they did with the recent three-month filming of her ‘My Green Journey’ programme, based on sustainable tourism and airing on UBC Channel 73 throughout November 2011. In fact, she’ll soon be packing her bags for another three-month trip as she just received word that the next ‘My Green Journey’ is already confirmed for a second season with filming starting early this year. Asked how she will manage to continue the success of Samui Channel TV and The Green Island Foundation, she smiles quietly and says, “Samui Channel is more than just an entertainment channel, it represents the many faces of Samui as does the Green Island Foundation. I’ll continue daily to think of ways to help people find ways to make our projects work and live a good life.”
Jan Henderson
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The Weaker Sex?
The world’s most ferocious martial art of Muay Thai isn’t the sole preserve of men.
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he Weaker Sex. I don’t know who first called females that. But they’d clearly never met a women Muay Thai boxer. If they had, then they would have had their mind, and maybe their face, altered rather rapidly.
Muay Thai is synonymous with Thailand. And the history of Thai boxing is deeply entwined with the Kingdom’s battles with its neighbours down through the centuries. Before the advent of guns and artillery, a soldier’s spear, sword or club would only be augmented in close quarter battle by the body’s natural defences; the head, fists, elbows and feet. And it’s known that females called Khunying Mae-yamo (meaning ‘respected mother’) fought alongside men to repel invaders in times gone by and would have had martial arts skills. In its present form, Muay Thai is still dominated by men. It’s estimated that there’re about 60,000 registered professional male fighters in the country. However, as females rarely earn all of their income from boxing, they aren’t registered as professionals. It’s believed that around 8,00010,000 females participate actively in the sport to various degrees in Thailand and have done for decades without any real recognition. And the most well-known tend to be the family members of professional male fighters and gym owners. There was a period in the late 1960s and early 1970s when female boxers took to the ring in Bangkok’s two most prominent venues, Rajadamnern Stadium and Lumpini Stadium. But the renaissance was short-lived.
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It’s believed that around 8,000-10,000 females participate actively in the sport to various degrees in Thailand and have done for decades without any real recognition. One of the main obstacles for women boxers was deeply-felt Buddhist beliefs, including superstitions. For instance, male boxers are blessed by monks in a pre-fight ceremony, however female fighters cannot partake in this as Buddhist monks are forbidden to touch women. This belief that women represent desire, something which must be suppressed in order to attain nirvana, can’t easily be dismissed. And in the 1970s, there was an incident at Rajadamnern Stadium whereby a female TV producer was in the stadium preparing to film the fights. She stood in the ring whilst giving directions to her crew and this made some traditionalists uneasy. And when every one of that evening’s fights ended in serious cuts or injuries to the boxers, the natural thought was that this proved that women did not belong anywhere near a boxing ring. It resulted in an unofficial ban on female fights and from women even touching rings in the stadiums and gyms. Times move on though, and by the 1990s female bouts were again being witnessed in some of the larger stadiums. Promoters often got around people’s prejudices by having the women fight last – so if they did offend the spirits, or 50 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
upset the balance of the ring, no one else would be affected. And to this day, female fighters go under the bottom rope to enter the ring (men go over the top rope) so that they don’t set themselves higher than the spirits. Worldwide acceptance of female fighters has spread over the last ten years or so for several reasons: the popularity of Muay Thai has exploded in the USA, Europe and Australia; several Hollywood female celebrities have taken up Muay Thai as part of their fitness regime; the World Muay Thai Council is largely composed of non-Thai nationals and has been far more open to female fighters; and gyms in Thailand have begun to welcome women fighters from home and abroad into their gyms. And that includes the biggest gyms on Samui. Not everyone who comes to Samui to train at a gym wants to, or is good enough to, get on the card at one of Chaweng’s three boxing stadiums. Two are in the Laem Din Market-Soi Reggae area and there’s a new stadium near Soi Green Mango in the northern end of town. You’ll no
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doubt hear the loudspeaker vans along Chaweng Beach Road advertising coming fights. They all stage female bouts on an occasional basis. And one lady who knows what it takes to step into a professional ring is Jessica Palmred. Originally from Sweden, she took up karate in her teens, training with her brother. And she began studying Muay Thai in her mid-twenties, some six years ago, and took part in competitive all-style competitions at home. She’s lived on Samui for nearly three years and during the day is a teacher at PanyaDee International School in Chaweng Noi. Her partner, Andy, fights for a local Muay Thai gym and also coaches, and their non-work time revolves around the sport. “I was a physical education teacher at the school to start with so I was very active with the kids all day but still needed to put in serious gym time. My trainer suggested that I was getting to the stage where I could have a professional fight. I wasn’t wholly behind the idea at first; I trained in the sport because I loved the adrenaline rush you get from it, the discipline and physical activity. It becomes a way of life and is to an extent quite addictive, but about 18 months ago I did make the step up into competition.” In the space of just a few weeks, she had three professional fights against Thai opponents for which she was paid just a few thousand baht for each one. She won her first bout by knockout in just 45 seconds of round one. Then she won her second fight against a much tougher fighter in the third round. And because it was very close, had a re-match with her which Jessica also won by a knockout in the fourth round. “They were all very memorable fights and I proved something to myself. But that’s as far as I wanted to take it. I’m a schoolteacher and take great joy and pride in that and I’m not sure it would be right to turn up on a Monday morning to greet the little ones covered in bruises and cuts.”
and sons of expats who live and work here. I train at Superpro gym in Chaweng but am happy to go to people’s houses if they prefer. And once parents have seen the set-up at the gym they feel very confident about leaving their kids with me for the sessions. And the children all know me and don’t always want mum and dad watching over their shoulders.” Jessica is also happy to take on kids that are here on holiday if they want to join in some group sessions or want some private tuition, even if it’s just to get some pointers on what the sport is about and fitness in general. And she’ll come to your hotel or villa for the training if you prefer (give her a call on 0 843 080 458 to find out more). You can also see some amateur female boxers at the open-air stadium in Lamai on Saturday nights. It’s near McDonald’s and is free to watch. When they have females on the card they tend to represent the local bars and will come round before the fight asking for a tip, as they don’t get paid. And they do wear protective headgear which the professional fighters don’t. On occasion, there will also be female fighters at local temple fairs which each temple on the island tends to have once or twice a year. Again they’re free to watch and you can give the ladies a tip if you wish. They don’t train as hard or as often as the professional fighters but still put on a show and you wouldn’t want to get punched by them – that’s for sure.
Johnny Paterson
Jessica is one tough lady but also devoted to the children she teaches. And she takes a number of them, predominately girls, for private Muay Thai lessons. “It’s about physical activity, elements of self-discipline and having fun. I have regular group sessions and individual classes and they’re all the daughters
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Survival of The Fittest
Samui is more than ready to cheer on the athletes at this year’s International Samui Triathlon and Duathlon.
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n Sunday the 22nd of April, the roads on Samui will look quite different. There will be 500 athletes racing their way around the island in the 2012 International Samui Triathlon. And some of the elite racers will have one eye on the London Olympic Games triathlon (it’s been an Olympic sport since the Sydney Games in 2000) later in the year. As well as the triathlon, there will also be a duathlon taking place here at the same time, although over a different course. And with prize money totaling 4.26 million baht, the event has attracted a host of world class athletes and very focused amateurs, including five Samui-based competitors. A triathlon is a three-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. Whilst many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances. Triathletes compete for the fastest overall course completion time, including timed transitions between its individual swim, bike, and run components. A ‘standard’ or ‘Olympic’ event requires competitors to swim 1,500 metres, cycle 40 kilometres and then run 10 kilometres. And the best will complete all these activities in under two hours. Samui’s triathlon makes the Olympic distances a veritable walk in the
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park. Athletes here on the 22nd of April will swim four kilometres along Bophut Beach, cycle 122.65 kilometres, (the ring-road is about 52 kilometres around) and run 30 kilometres around the west coast of the island. The duathlon involves a 5-kilometre run, a 44.5-kilometre cycle and then a 10-kilometre run. Elite, professional athletes are expected to complete the long-course triathlon in around six hours for men and about six and a half hours for women. Amongst the elite triathletes will be Cameron Brown from New Zealand, Faris Al-Sultan from Germany and Erika Csomor from Hungary. Cameron is a ten-time winner of the New Zealand Ironman event and has finished in the top five on five occasions over the last ten years in the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. An Ironman triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races consisting of a 3.86-kilometre swim, a 180.25-kilometre bike race and a marathon run (42.2 kilometres). Faris Al-Sultan is 34 years old, a professional triathlete and the 2005 Ironman World Champion. And Erika Csomor represented Hungary at the European Championships in 1998 (marathon race) and in 2001 she became the ITU World Duathlon Champion, a feat she repeated in 2004. And in 2008, she won the Ford Ironman competition in California beating 2006 Ironman Hawaii Champion Michellie Jones.
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Athletes here on the 22nd of April will swim four kilometres along Bophut Beach, cycle 122.65 kilometres, (the ring-road is about 52 kilometres around) and run 30 kilometres around the west coast of the island.
20
ars 10 ye
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first modern swim/bike/run event to be called a triathlon was held at Mission Bay, San Diego, California on September 25th, 1974, by members of the San Diego Track Club. Since then, the sport has exploded across the world. In Great Britain alone there were 850 triathlon events held last year with more than 130,000 competitors, mainly amateur enthusiasts. And this summer’s Olympic Games in London will undoubtedly raise the profile of the sport even more. If you’re up and about early on the 22nd of April and want to watch the competitors in action there’re plenty of good vantage points. The duathlon will start at 7:00 am in Nathon near the piers. From there, the athletes will run 2.5 kilometres south to Lipa Noi and then turn around and race back to the starting point. They will then quickly mount their racing bicycles and again head south to the turning for the 4170 road. This will take them around Taling Ngam, Phang Ka and Thong Krut before turning back onto the ring-road at Hua Thanon and racing back to Nathon. They’ll then drop their bikes and run back down the length of Lipa Noi and back to Nathon to complete the course. Triathletes start at 7:25 am (women) and 7:30 am (men) with the 4-kilometre swim. It takes place in the ocean off Bophut, around the area where Anantara Bophut Resort, Bandara Resort, Bophut Resort and Peace Resort are located. Then they get on their bikes for the first lap and head down towards Chaweng on the ring-road. They’ll pass by Lamai and through Hua Thanon before turning off at the sign for the 4170 and the Tiger Zoo and Aquarium. This route takes them past Taling Ngam and back onto the ring-road and up to Nathon where they will then begin a second full lap of the whole island ending up back in Nathon. And then it’s a 30-kilometre run around the west coast of Samui finishing back in Nathon for the final time.
Triathlon is considered by some to have its beginnings in 1920s France. According to triathlon historian and author, Scott Tinley, the origin of triathlon is attributed to a race during the 1920s-1930s that was called variously ‘Les Trois Sports’, ‘La Course des Débrouillards’, and ‘La Course des Touche à Tout’. The 58 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
All the competitors train extremely hard for these events and, whilst they are focused on their own thoughts, they do very much appreciate the roadside encouragement. Hosting an international event such as this is a real feather in the municipality’s cap. And having some Samui-based athletes gives us all someone to cheer on.
Johnny Paterson
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Definitely Definitive
When it comes to having ‘The’ Thai beachside dining experience in Chaweng, it’s got to be Poppies!
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amous Western chefs have trained this kitchen team into an unbeatable force of culinary excellence. With their skills now whittled to the precision of Thai carrot carving, the chefs at Poppies don’t disappoint. But you won’t find any fancy foam or modern haute cuisine emerging from this kitchen. Here, they’re all about good, honest, ‘real’ food. For Poppies’ chefs, great cooking’s all about getting the best ingredients possible and putting them together in a way that maximises their flavour. The Thai food here’s the piece de la résistance. And whilst the Western food at Poppies is executed with just the same mastery, you’d be mad not to try at least one Thai dish whilst dining there. When in Rome and all that! Accessing the restaurant from the Poppies Samui hotel entrance – on the southern end of Chaweng Beach Road – you take a short amble through their idyllic grounds. The walk takes you across small bridges spanning koi-filled lotus ponds and past peaceful pavilions sporting thatched roofs. These secluded salas, where you can enjoy a pre- or post-dinner cocktail or glass of champagne, are dotted around the gardens, nestled into the banks of a meandering stream. This entrance is the perfect prelude for what’s to come. The restaurant itself is situated within a classical Thai, teakwood pavilion, with outside tables and chairs along the beachside terrace and around the pool. You first spy it from around the pool, seeing just orbs of candlelight glowing on tables and diners enjoying intimate conversations. The restaurant’s romantic set-up is only accentuated by the relaxed mood of the guests. There’s also a beach bar at the back – or front, depending on which way you come in – where you can get smoothies, juices and cocktails. The mixed berry smoothie is particularly flavourful and made with oodles of fresh fruit. The most popular food item on the menu is the kantoke. It consists of four or five mini-main courses served in small bowls. Perfect for those wishing to have a Thai cuisine culinary adventure. You don’t even have to know what the names of the dishes are – you can just order and taste away. The variety in kantoke makes it great for sharing too. Sauces with it range from green curry to tom yum www.samuiholidaymagazine.com l 61
goong, and the meat from duck to chicken. You can even opt for a themed kantoke. Meat, fish or veggie. Within the Western menu, the roast duck breast stands out. The meat is juicy and tender and comes served with a complementary jus to add some bite. Saturdays at Poppies are a particular night to remember. Classical Thai dancers show off their skills adorned in intricate jewelled costumes to the beat of live traditional Thai musicians. The over-water stage upon which they dance juts out into the hotel pool, creating a dramatic foreground for the graceful dancers. The cultural proceedings don’t just end there though. Along the perimeter of the pool you’ll find a local handicraft market with stalls selling soap carvings and other small, Thai trinkets.
The walk takes you across small bridges spanning koi-filled lotus ponds and past peaceful pavilions sporting thatched roofs.
Having repeat customers is an everyday occurrence at Poppies. General Manager, John Ens, estimates that they make up a third of the diners on an average night. And that’s pretty impressive as the average stay on Samui is just eight days and they choose to spend two of those evenings at the same restaurant. “People come to Poppies to get the atmosphere they love, the waiter they love and the food they love.” John explains. “Customers are also appreciative of the serene quietness that they get at Poppies. There’s no band and no buffet. Just good, à la carte food eaten to the sound of the breaking waves on the adjacent shore.” The food’s also affordable. High prices are not something John’s interested in. He’s not trying to make Poppies one of those high-end, overpriced venues that seem to be popping up all over Samui. Instead, he wants to provide a personal service offering fantastic value for money. With regards to the future, there are no plans to change the format of things. Aside from adding some cooking classes – instigated by popular demand – they’ll keep doing what they’re doing. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, as they say. Being one of the longest established restaurants on Samui, Poppies has remained tremendously successful because it sticks to a formula that people love and continue to love – great food, great staff and a winning atmosphere.
Christina Wylie
________________________________________________________ For reservations and more information, telephone 0 7742 2419. 62 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
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MICE CAN We look at why the expanding MICE market is flourishing in this part of the world.
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ost folks recall the past with fondness. There’s a certain nostalgia to looking back on pleasant times that have passed. It’s like looking through old postcards or family albums. Back to the days when life was slower. Perhaps even to when most people travelled by road or rail. When families went to the seaside for their holidays. But, back then, before air-travel became the norm, the entire world was a smaller place. Businesses and companies mostly stayed inside their national boundaries; their offices and factories safe upon familiar soil. Needless to say, things changed. As universal and affordable air travel arrived, along with networks of airlines that spanned the globe, so everybody’s horizons shifted outwards. And this ‘globalisation’ opened up new opportunities. Holidays abroad quickly became popular. But it also meant that companies from all over 64 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
the world could seek and take advantage of not just cheaper raw materials but a more economical workforce, too. Back in Victorian England, it was common to see benign employers taking all their workers off to the coast on the firm’s annual holiday, usually hiring a train for the day to do this. It was easily done; everybody was located in the same place. But today … Today, many of the international companies have taken advantage of the cheaper labour that’s found abroad. In Europe, there’s a hotspot in the Eastern European Block. Similarly so in several parts of Asia. And that means a big company might have its management personnel scattered across the globe. Which, even with today’s Internet networking technology, makes fully-effective
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conferences or meetings a problem. Unless, that is, you utilise that cheap airtravel some more and all meet up in the middle somewhere. And that’s exactly what began to happen. And it’s also the reason that the international MICE market came about. MICE is a cute acronym for Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions. It’s not a new industry at all. At one time every country had its own domestic market (and still does) with regional hubs springing up that specifically catered for these events. And they fell broadly into two categories. The first was the purposeful and convenient business centres, usually in major or central cities, where there were facilities for large numbers of people to gather together. But the other sort was more leisurely and combined business with pleasure. Sometimes as a means of rewarding the company’s high achievers. Or perhaps as a
strategy in a more out-going approach to team management. But whatever the reason it meant that a demand arose for centres with both business and leisure facilities. Hotels with sports fields as well as conference halls. Resorts with spas and water-sports facilities as well as boardrooms. And, somewhere around the turn of the millennium, people began to realise that this idyllic tropical island of Samui was ideal for such gatherings, for several reasons. Being situated in the middle of an air corridor that reached from Hong Kong to Singapore was a major plus. And, if you increase the envelope, you can stretch it from India to Australia, too. It’s the reason why companies such as Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Toyota, Tesco-Lotus, Blue Circle Cement, Bridgestone International and many dozens of other global conglomerates have all taken advantage of Samui’s unique location and amenities over the years. www.samuiholidaymagazine.com l 65
And quite rightly so. The island’s natural resources are second to none and don’t need outlining. But its resorts – the ones that are old hands with MICE events – all offer their own unique combinations of facilities. Firstly, there’s the quality and standard of accommodation. And that runs from well-equipped and comfortable 3-star resorts right up to palatial 5-star establishments. Then there’s the amount and type of space that’s available. Most resorts have an assembly room that can hold at least a wedding party. But a 5-star flagship such as Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui, for example, can adapt to many more permutations with its four huge and adjustable meeting rooms that can accommodate anything from a board meeting to a gathering of almost 400 people.
The Tongsai Bay, for example, makes its conference facilities available (with butler service) at no extra charge to any group which books at least two night’s accommodation.
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And then there’s the vital element of food. Needless to say every one of Samui’s MICE centres boasts at least one fine-dining restaurant and many resorts have several. And such resorts are highly experienced at ensuring that this cuisine is knitted into their MICE agenda. And that also goes for spas and their accompanying treatment packages. They’re a popular option and one which everyone enjoys, particularly after a long afternoon debating corporate policies. And to complement this, most resorts have modern gyms and fitness centres, too. Finally, there’s the aspect of strategy games and team-building activities, which you won’t find in place everywhere. But some of the more aware or specialised resorts have developed and implemented these aspects as part of their MICE options, even extending them into camps or activity centres in the interior jungle or up on the mountains. www.samuiholidaymagazine.com l 67
But the cream on the cake comes in the form of how these MICE activities are promoted and packaged and there are numerous enticing offers for those who have the time to go into it. The Tongsai Bay, for example, makes its conference facilities available (with butler service) at no extra charge to any group which books at least two night’s accommodation. And the Nora Group offers various combinations of accommodation at any of their four Samui hotels or resorts (ranging from 3- to 5-star) with the use of the exclusive facilities, both business and pleasure, at their flagship 5-star Nora Buri Resort & Spa. It definitely pays to ask around.
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Zazen Boutique Resort & Spa
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TOP CLASS The International School of Samui’s success is just as much to do with its cultural core values as its curriculum.
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hat do you want for your children? It’s a question that Jeremy Lees asks parents from time to time. He’s the founder and Headmaster of the International School of Samui (ISS). And the answers are always the same he says, “Given that a specific standard of education is expected, parents simply say to me that they want their children to be happy. And that is fundamental to the core values we share at the school.” Established in 2006, the International School of Samui is the only one in the southeast of Thailand with ‘International School’ status accredited by the Thai Ministry of Education. The school follows the National Curriculum of England and has a very strong emphasis on giving every child the chance to shine. Book stores and university libraries are packed full of tomes on the structure and culture of successful international businesses. But no one talks very much about the culture of a school. And yet it is the principles, experiences and influences learned and observed at school that form the bedrock of a child or young adult’s outlook on life. When in the planning stages for the school, Jeremy and his wife talked endlessly not just about the physical and educational landscape of the school, but about something equally important. “We looked back at our own school years and asked ourselves, ideally, what kind of school would we want our own children to attend on Samui? Certainly one where they would receive the same educational standards as in the UK. And that included having fully qualified teachers with university degrees in their chosen field and a Post Graduate Certificate of Education from an accredited institution. And it should be a school that embraced modern technology, recognised innovations in teaching methodologies and treated each and every pupil as a separate, unique individual who was an integral part of the whole school. And we understood that the National Curriculum subjects alone 70 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
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All the classrooms have internet access and the teachers all have iPads that are linked to projectors and screens in the classrooms. Not only does it save time but access to educational ‘apps’ is almost unlimited.
were never going to be enough to satisfy the potential in every pupil. That’s one of the major reasons we have after-school activities from 3:00 pm until around 4:15pm. The children get an opportunity to focus on areas they want to explore whether that be sports, music and dance, languages and art or games like chess.”
And Jeremy isn’t resting on his laurels. Although he has many years of experience teaching in the UK with a science and research background, he’s also continuing his own education by undertaking a PhD in his own time at Cambridge University in England. And striving every day to keep up with the latest technological advances, particularly applications that can help both the teachers and the pupils. All the classrooms have internet access and the teachers all have iPads that are linked to projectors and screens in the classrooms. Not only does it save time but access to educational ‘apps’ is almost unlimited. Thousands of books, including audio books, are at their fingertips, although Jeremy still insists on paper books as well. It won’t be long before taking an iPad or similar to school will be as normal as taking a pencil. Parents also have access to specific pages on the website created for them that contain the latest news and information about the school. And about their own child’s everyday class work and homework. It surely can’t be long though before Jeremy gets the first, “Please sir, my dog ate my iPad,” excuse for late homework. 72 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
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There’re 230 pupils from 35 countries at the school, ranging in age from one to 17 years old. And that’s about the limit that the school can or will accept. “We’ve had to turn down applications this year for the Kindergarten as we’re at full capacity. It’s unfortunate but I won’t expand just for the sake of it. We have 25 fully-qualified teachers and teaching assistants at the school and another 35 support staff that includes groundskeepers, catering staff, cleaners and administrative staff. We will never lose sight of the fact that each child is unique and very important to us. And deserves as much individual attention as is necessary. Our classes have, on average, just 20 pupils in each and that is enough. Many classrooms in the UK will have 35-40 pupils and in Thailand classes of 40-50 pupils are the norm. That simply won’t happen here.” ISS has three ‘schools’ ring-fenced from each other. And they have separate break times to allow each ‘school’ complete access to all the play areas and dining facilities. They have football and volleyball courts and a multi-purpose artificial-grass sports pitch. There’s a swimming pool as well as plenty of outdoor play space and equipment, and both dance and music studios. Their Kindergarten is for 1-5 year olds and is made up of Ladybirds, Pre-Nursery, Nursery and Reception classes. The Primary School is the beginning of formal education up to age 11, covering Key Stages 1 and 2 of the English National Curriculum. And the Senior School covers Key Stages 3 and 4, and pupils also study for their international GSCE’s to prepare them for A-levels. Whilst there’s always interest in after-school sports activities, their optional music programme has produced queues of children. Students can experiment with piano, guitar, drums, saxophone, flute, clarinet and singing lessons during term time on the school’s premises. And instruments are available for those who wish to ‘try before they buy’. Jeremy is delighted with the response, “All our visiting music teachers are experienced individuals from a variety of musical backgrounds, and many will already be familiar to parents from their performances on Samui. We follow both the Associated Board of the Royal 74 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
Schools of Music (ABRSM) and the London College of Music (LCM) syllabuses and are able to offer all interested students tailored courses in preparation for taking grade examinations with either board. Our Christmas end-of-term productions last year were fantastic and there were many very proud parents and teachers there that day.” Jeremy and his team of teachers, assistants and support staff have a very clear vision of what the school is all about. And it doesn’t take an academic to see that the culture that’s been created, nurtured and embraced is one that makes the children not just happy, but also thrilled and enthusiastic about going to school. How many of us could say the same about our school years?
Johnny Paterson
______________________________________________ For further information, telephone 0 7748 4548, or visit their website: www.iss.ac.th.
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Sky High I
t seems impossible to imagine the lovely island of Samui without its airport. To do this you’d have to travel back in time to before 1989. Try to picture, if you can, standing on Chaweng Beach Road – a dirt road back then – and being able to see the sea. And if you can conjure up images like that, then you’ll probably be able to visualise Samui without the presence of Bangkok Airways. Although today that seems like an impossible task. The international airport here was built 23 years ago. And since that time a great many things have come to pass on the island and also for Bangkok Airways.
The CEO and founder of the company, Dr. Prasert PrasarttongOsoth, had already demonstrated his ambition but soon displayed his qualities of perceptiveness and foresight, too. Back in 1982, Samui was able to boast a great deal of rustic charm but the infrastructure we’re familiar with today had yet to appear. Even so, and before the name of ‘Bangkok Airways’ had actually been coined, plans had been drawn up and Dr. Prasert was negotiating to build an airport on the island. This went ahead and commenced operating in 1989. And, almost
Thailand’s ‘Boutique Airline’, Bangkok Airways, is forever reaching new heights. The 1960s was a blossoming time for tourism in Thailand. Budget international air-travel had become established and holidaymakers and adventurous travellers were taking to the skies in their droves. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) had come into being and by 1968 had opened its first regional branch, in the popular tourist region of Chiang Mai. In that same year, Thailand’s first private aviation company, ‘Sahakol Air’, was established, operating charter services with a nine-seater twin-prop plane. As tourism and business investment continued to expand, so did this company. And in 1986 it was re-born as ‘Bangkok Airways’, operating as Thailand’s first private domestic airline, with regular flights scheduled between the capital and the three destinations of Krabi, Korat and Surin.
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as a self-fulfilling prophesy, it eased the way for the million or so visitors who now come here each year. If you fly to Samui today you won’t be aware of the rustic charm of that first airport and its surroundings. The passenger area was smaller than it is now, but it was delightful beyond belief, with grassy knolls, carved wooden sculptures, and paths that criss-crossed green lawns towards the thatched wooden shops and cafés. It not only attracted openly-admiring gazes from incoming passengers but also a seemingly endless stream of international awards that are too numerous to list. But worthy of mention is the 1998 ‘Asia Architectural Design Award’ and also 4th place in the 2006 ‘Best Airports Worldwide’ poll.
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In fact, from Samui alone you can fly to Hong Kong, Singapore and now, from the 1st March, Kuala Lumpur, as well as internally to Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi, Trat, U-Tapao (Pattaya) and, of course, Bangkok. And the accolades continued when the location was modernised and expanded in 2008, and it was once again immediately rated in the top ten of the world’s airports. Bangkok Airways has always had an active policy of improvement, development and expansion and this is keenly evident in both the quality of service and also the facilities at their associated ‘Samui Park Avenue’ showpiece. The intention was to turn the unavoidable ‘waiting experience’ into something positive and at the same time avoid the featureless ‘bazaar’ quality of the usual, run-of-the-mill duty-free outlets and cafés. The breezy outdoor promenade of Samui Park Avenue not only features a range of high-end dining and shopping choices, plus a spa, for departing visitors but also has a modern entertainment centre for the local community. And if you’re a jazz lover, then this is one of the venues where you can see the acts that appear at Samui’s jazz festival every year. 78 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
So far, this article has been focussing on, naturally enough, our island of Samui. But to regard Bangkok Airways solely in this context is like looking down the wrong end of a telescope. You’ll certainly see lots of detail but not the bigger picture. Because today the airline has expanded to include a fleet of 18 domestic and international passenger aircraft, has built two more airports (at Sukhothai and Trat) and operates scheduled flights to nine domestic and eleven international destinations. In fact, from Samui alone you can fly to Hong Kong, Singapore and now, from the 1st March, Kuala Lumpur, as well as internally to Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi, Trat, U-Tapao (Pattaya) and, of course, Bangkok. But possibly the key to Bangkok Airways’ success is to be found in the slogan which first appeared in 2004 – ‘Asia’s Boutique Airline’. This not only became a means by which the airline could define itself but also allowed their goals and objectives a greater clarity of expression. It helped travellers to understand that the company had a commitment to the consumer and was keeping up with the needs of the modern world. This now goes right across the board, from the sleek design of their airports and lounges (with facilities such as complimentary snacks, drinks, wifi and children’s play areas that are usually only found in VIP lounges), the up-todate website with its online reservation system (that also accesses 100,000 travel agencies in every major city of the world), the e-ticketing and web check-in service, to the excellent quality of the in-flight food and the www.samuiholidaymagazine.com l 79
consistent courtesy of their hand-picked staff. And then there’s the ‘Frequent Flyer’ program, which includes discounts and benefits, such as access to the exclusive ‘Blue Ribbon Club’ lounges. These Blue Ribbon Club lounges differ from the current boutique lounges that they’re adjacent to in each respective terminal, not just in their more extravagant design with hanging crystal chandeliers and a cosier atmosphere, but also in the fact that they offer greater personalised service and more attention to passengers’ needs. More services have been included to make these lounges achieve high-quality status, such as offering hot meals and personal shower rooms, with massage facilities soon to be also provided. And the airline has also recently introduced their innovative ‘Discovery Airpass’ program. This makes light work of scheduling an itinerary which includes multiple destinations, turning it into a simple process and making it both realistic and affordable to visit several sites of interest, both within Thailand and abroad, all on one ticket. This covers overseas destinations such as The Maldives, Mumbai, Yangon, Laos and Siem Reap, plus those previously mentioned in the context of Samui. If you look through some of the policy statements by Bangkok Airways that are readily found online or on their website, you could well smile. It’s polite and thoroughly informative, certainly – but it’s all just so modest! Which, I suppose, is to be expected from an airline which is very definitely not resting complacently on its reputation or its laurels. It’s only when you start to explore a little that you realise just how forwardlooking this company is. It may have begun its expansion with its feet firmly on the ground, but since that time it has, most appropriately, had its eyes firmly on the skies.
Rob De Wet
___________________________________________________________ For reservations, telephone 1771, and for further information see their website: www.bangkokair.com
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WAT? WHAT
Samui’s temples are home to more than just images of Buddha; just follow the path to enlightenment!
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hailand is a country that wears its devotion to Buddha on its sleeve. And often, quite literally, in the form of coloured wristbands blessed by monks or creatively designed tattoos. Every home and workplace will have religious icons on the walls, and many of the special holidays, when businesses close for the day, revolve around reverence to Buddha.
There’re around 40,000 temples in the Kingdom, of which approximately 34,000 are in everyday use. And a small dot in the ocean like Samui has more than its fair share. Thirty Thai Buddhist temples, half a dozen holy shrines and six Chinese Buddhist temples tell you that Samuians are just as pious and reverent as their mainland neighbours. And each temple has a story to tell, with no two being totally alike. Organised tours around the island are commonplace. But many visitors like to hire a car or motorbike and make their own way. And, by doing so, they can explore the island’s many tucked away corners, deserted beaches and off-the-beaten-track natural wonders by taking in the most interesting Thai Buddhist temples on the island. And there’s no better place to start than the most significant one up on the north-east corner of the island. Wat Phra Yai is the home of the famous Big Buddha, Samui’s most renowned landmark. You catch a glimpse of it as the airplane makes its final approach to the island. At 12 metres tall it’s hard to miss and it’s a focal point on major religious days. It sits on a small island (Koh Fan) joined to Samui by a man-made causeway and there’re decent restaurants and shops within the complex. Yes it does enjoy the benefits of visits by tourists, but it’s still a holy site and very much a place of worship. Just along the road a little further north-east is Wat Plai Laem which is famous for its own huge Buddha statue with its 18 arms and benevolent smiling face. Sitting comfortably in the middle of a lake the waters around the Buddha teem with hundreds of hungry fish. You can buy a bag of food for them for 10 or 20 baht. And inside the temple buildings there’re more statues and places to enjoy some quiet contemplation. Continue on through Choeng Mon village and the road leads into northern Chaweng. Take a right turn at the start of the one-way system and follow the road for a couple of kilometres until you see the sign for Q Bar on the right. Drive up the steep hill and follow the road around and you’ll come upon Wat Khao Hua Juk. It was only constructed a few years ago and this small temple has a replica of the Buddha’s footprint inside. It’s worth parking up for a few minutes as the hill overlooks the airport and the whole of Chaweng including the lake. Most visitors
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It’s also home to Wat Kiri Wongkaram and the mummified body of the highly revered monk, Luang Por Rerm.
don’t realise that the lake is actually in the shape of a horseshoe. And if you have a decent camera you can get some great photographs. From there, go out onto the ring-road and turn left towards Lamai. About 500 metres after the Lamai Tesco Lotus, the road turns sharply to the left. Just on that corner on the right is Wat Lamai; you can drive into it and park up. It has a ‘Museum and Cultural Hall’ which has a collection of artefacts and photographs dating back centuries. They’ve all been donated by local families and tell the story of the island long before the advent of tourism. Carry on south and about one kilometre after the Hin-Ta Hin-Yai (grandfather and grandmother rocks) is Wat Sila Ngu which is said to contain a genuine relic of the Lord Buddha. The golden chedi facing the temple entrance is a popular place of worship among local people. And there’s access from here onto a secluded beach.
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Moving on to the ‘Virgin Coast’ on the south-west of the island and there’re two special places of interest just off the 4170 which you turn onto after Hua Thanon village. The first one is Wat Laem Sor that has a beautiful golden chedi that sits on the beach. Relatively few visitors manage to find it but if you do you’ll appreciate the intricate work that has gone into creating the shrine. And you can also enjoy the distinct lack of people along miles of deserted beaches; there’re wonderful views from here and a peacefulness that Chaweng or Lamai will never know again. Further along the 4170, you’ll come across what’s called the ‘Elephant Gate’ on the left. Two huge carved elephants stand either side of a road that leads down to Ban Taling Ngam village and another quiet beach. It’s also home to Wat Kiri Wongkaram and the mummified body of the highly revered monk, Luang Por Rerm. He was born near the temple grounds in 1879 and ordained as a monk at 21 years of age. Later he travelled to Burma and is believed to have spent the next six decades or so immersing www.samuiholidaymagazine.com l 85
himself in deep mystical Buddhist practices. In later life he returned to Samui and passed away in 1966 at the age of 87. It’s said that his hair and nails still grow and that they’re cut periodically and used as protective charms. The current Head Abbott, Pra Maha Jam-Reuan, is a Samui native and was born in 1935. He was ordained as a monk at just 17 years of age and still resides at the temple. Back on the ring-road and from Hua Thanon heading towards Nathon there’re three easily accessible temples that more than warrant a visit. Wat Samret is 800 metres past the turning for the Tiger Zoo and the Aquarium and is also signposted as the White Jade Buddha Temple. It houses more than a dozen buildings and salas one of which holds a three-metre high image of Buddha that was transported from India many years ago. It also has three shrines to former head abbots that are highly revered and praying to them is encouraged if you 86 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
wish for success in your life (Samret means success in Thai). To the right of the parking area is the site of Samui’s oldest and tallest tree. It’s over 500 years’ old and 30-plus metres tall. Back onto the ring-road, turn left, and after 1.5 kilometres you’ll see Wat Khunaram on the left. It has Samui’s most famous mummified monk, Loung Por Daeng, and he is on display in a specially built shrine. After his death in 1973 he was placed in a meditation position, the posture he still retains. His body has only decayed a little over the years and the reasons for this are unknown. Come out of Wat Khunaram, turn left and go on for 1.9 kilometres and then take the left-hand turning. Follow this road for 1.4 kilometres and just over a small concrete bridge there’s a turning on the left, it’s easy to miss. This road leads to Wat Pradoem, Samui’s oldest temple. Some sources say it’s 250 years old
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but locals date it to the Thai Buddhist year 2225 (1682 in the Gregorian calendar) making it possibly 330 years old. It has an ancient wooden hall used for storing Buddhist scriptures and several archaeological digs at the site have recovered artefacts dating back hundreds of years. The scriptures have been carefully preserved and maintained, allowing visitors to catch a glimpse of these ancient writings. Wandering aimlessly does have a certain charm. But by following a more ‘spiritual’ path you might discover a whole lot more about Samui – and perhaps about yourself.
Johnny Paterson www.samuiholidaymagazine.com l 87
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Top Table
Hansar Samui takes dining to the next level at H Bistro with ‘Chef’s Table Extraordinaire’.
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et’s talk about famous tables. You’ve got Leonardo da Vinci’s venue for his most famous painting, ‘The Last Supper’. Then there’s King Arthur’s round table where he and his knights could sit around with no problems of favoritism. And now we have H Bistro’s exquisite ‘Chef’s Table Extraordinaire’. The table itself is a gigantic, 6.3-metre long, hand-made solid golden teakwood beauty. It seats between eight and 20 diners and is ideal for family occasions for which you want a special touch, or business meals where the name of the game is team-building. On one side of this marvellous table you’ve got H Bistro’s impressive open kitchen and to the other, the great blue sea. Creating the award-winning French and Mediterranean fare at H Bistro is former private chef to His Majesty the King of Jordan, Executive Chef Stephen Jean Dion. Some highlights of the ‘chef’s table extraordinaire’ menu include foie gras from the Soulard farm in France’s Perigord region, and the highly-prized French delicacy bresse royal pigeon, which is featured in many three-star Michelin restaurant menus. To complement the sumptuous food, there’s a selection of handpicked international wines and champagnes. Without wine pairing, the price for ‘chef’s table extraordinaire’ is 2,400 baht per person, and with it, it’s just a thousand more at 3,400 baht. But get your reservations in early because you’ll need to book seven days in advance to grab a spot at this highly coveted table. A luxury resort and spa, Hansar Samui, is the home of H Bistro and is just ten minutes’ drive from the airport. “We’re located on the tropical stretch of golden sands and turquoise waters of Samui’s up-market Bophut Bay,” Stephen explains. “We offer a front seat to island life. And just a leisurely stroll down the quaint cobblestone ‘walking street’ adjacent to the resort, is the vibrant Fisherman’s Village, with its antique wooden shopfronts, chic cafés and atmospheric seaside bars.” To get the full low-down on H Bistro and the exciting new ‘Chef’s Table Extraordinaire’ concept, we asked Stephen some more direct questions. CW: Hi Chef, how would you describe the theme of H Bistro? SJD: I would say it’s strongly focused on providing cuisine at the highest level. It’s the resort’s signature dining experience and features a fresh, French-Mediterranean menu and exclusive wine list. You can enjoy true Mediterranean spices merged with ingredients ranging from imported fresh Maine lobster to oysters from Canada, Japan, and France. Welcoming guests from all over Samui, H Bistro’s indoor and outdoor dining spaces are yours to experience from breakfast until late at night. CW: What did it mean to you to win ‘Best Restaurant in Thailand’ 2011 award from Tatler Magazine and a certificate of excellence by TripAdvisor? SJD: I still feel that I am learning and evolving, new challenges arise all the time. Winning ‘Best Restaurant in Thailand’ 2011 by Tatler and receiving the TripAdvisor certificate of excellence gave me a sense of fulfilment and recognition, both for the H Bistro team and myself. It’s a reflection of what we’d done in the year leading up to it. Without the team we have here at H Bistro this wouldn’t have happened. This is a team award, and the feeling of fulfilment for me personally and the team was incredible. www.samuiholidaymagazine.com l 89
CW: So, what’s your speciality cooking style? SJD: French-Mediterranean. I love it because it gives you a broad range of cooking styles to draw from, with a lot of French, Mediterranean and Italian influences. At the moment, we use a cooking method called sous-vide. I truly believe it’s the best way to cook meats, seafood veggies, etc. as it retains all the juices and minerals inside the ingredients as well as the best natural flavour of that particular ingredient.
CW: You’ve got a lot of specialist, international ingredients on your regular menu. Is that also the case with the menu for ‘Chef’s Table Extraordinaire’? SJD: Yes, that’s the case on both menus. As a chef, I think it’s important to continuously stay on the lookout for new produce. The ‘Chef’s Table Extraordinaire’ menu will also be tailor-made for our guests. They’ll decide if they want iberico pork, Madagascar prawns, whole Atlantic Dover sole from Brittany, Gillardeau oysters, etc. Those are just some of the new ingredients kicking off in 2012.
CW: And how did you develop ‘Chef’s Table Extraordinaire’? SJD: We wanted to provide a true culinary or epicurean experience for our guests. Some people find it difficult to always source and import new produce to Samui, but we can do it. We want to promote high-end gourmet food, both Western and Thai, in Thailand so we’re providing great food at a reasonable price.
CW: Lastly, can you tell us a bit about ‘Beach Bar’ at Hansar Samui? SJD: Beach Bar, which is located by the hotel’s infinity pool, is a relaxing place where people can enjoy snacks, delicious homemade ice-cream and freshly blended fruit drinks. The venue is especially popular during happy hour, when day turns to dusk – although we actually have three happy hours in a day! The cocktail selection here is great because we always keep to the original recipes in order to deliver both freshness and quality. Our concept is about combining value for money with the right ingredients.
CW: Does the menu for ‘Chef’s Table Extraordinaire’ use dishes from the existing menu? SJD: Some similar ingredients will be used but they’ll be cooked in a different style. We always keep sourcing new produce – there’ll always be something new!
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Christina Wylie
_______________________________________________________ For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7724 5511.
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Timeless Quality Classic Gems has spent years providing the highest quality jewellery, right here on Samui.
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amui, with its exotic lifestyle, white sandy beaches, blue seas and palmcoated mountains is considered by many to be ‘The Jewel of Thailand’. But if it’s real gems you’re looking for then there’s one place on the island that’s guaranteed to satisfy your needs. Classic Gems is one of Samui’s longest running businesses, having been an ever-present fixture on the Chaweng Beach Road for over 15 years. Understandably, during that time, the company has seen the exceptional standards and high quality of its products result in numerous repeat customers and recommended clients. But the history goes back much further than that, as this is part of great family tradition within the jewellery industry. It all started with a jewellery factory in Bangkok. And the experience and practicalities of that business have been transferred to the store in Chaweng which also has its own factory. Jewellery forms the backbone of many a relationship, whether it’s given as a gift at a special time, such as engagements and weddings, or to represent a particular wedding anniversary, many of which being synonymous with a precious stone or metal. And remember,
there’s nothing quite as romantic as an item of jewellery which is given purely as a sign of affection. One of the main reasons for this is the fact that jewellery can literally last forever. The materials associated, such as gold, diamonds, sapphires, rubies and so on, once given, will remain with the owner forever. And it’s this eternal aspect which makes it such a popular and appreciated gesture. As Mae West once famously stated, “I have always felt a gift diamond shines so much better than one you buy for yourself.” And let’s not forget the lyrics of songs such as, ‘Diamonds Are Forever’, which informs, “Diamonds are forever, they are all I need to please me, they can stimulate and tease me, they won’t leave in the night, I’ve no fear that they might desert me.” Buying someone a nice piece of clothing, an accessory such as a handbag, an electrical item like a TV or an iPhone, or even more extravagant gifts such as a car can be very much appreciated and well received. But all of these items have a shelf-life, or can simply become outdated, whereas a classic ring or necklace will never stop working, or become worn out. And, even if the design becomes unfashionable, the gold can be melted down and redesigned and the stones can be removed and reset, or even transferred to newer pieces.
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The whole company has an aura of style and sophistication which is so often missing from jewellery shops in Asia. This is a company which puts the class into classic, and that’s exactly what you’ll receive - classic knowledge, classic service, and most importantly, classic gems. 94 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
In order to really impress someone, it helps if the quality of the jewellery matches the style. It’s amazing how much the gesture is depreciated if the receiver discovers that what they thought were diamonds, are actually cubic zirconias. At Classic Gems, the quality is assured. As a member of the ‘Thai Gem and Jewellery Traders Association’, certain standards are guaranteed. And to take this a stage further, at Classic Gems, each diamond has to be .20 carats and each is also individually certified by the ‘International Gemmological Institute’ which grades each stone on colour, quality and clarity.
Discover authentic Indian Cuisine & Cooking
You will also be assured that only 14 and 18 carat gold and the finest quality silver are used. Even the settings at Classic Gems are individually guaranteed and certified, and they’re designed so that they can be fixed easily should they ever get damaged. So, you may now realise that the best possible gift for most scenarios involves jewellery of some description. It’s also now a known fact that at Classic Gems the quality is second to none and is totally assured. But here you can make that gift even more personal if you want.
Noori India Restaurant - Chaweng Center Chaweng Beach Road, opp. Chaweng Buri Noori India Restaurant - Chaweng South at Chaweng Cove Resort Noori India Cooking Centre - Chaweng South 80/27 Moo 3 Chaweng Beach Road For reservation (English) - 0 867 407 873 or 0 7741 3108 For reservation (Thai) - 0 813 960 283 E-mail: nooriindia_samui@yahoo.com www.nooriindiasamui.com
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Some people may walk into the showroom and fall instantly for that one special piece which stands out to them individually. Others want their jewellery to be completely unique and this is no problem at all. All you have to do is either email the showroom or take in a design idea and it can be made specifically for you. And by having the factory onsite, it means that any customisation is possible, whether it’s as simple as resizing or changing stones, right the way through to creating one-off bespoke designs. In addition to the fact that Classic Gems has been in the same location for such a long period of time, which in itself instils significant confidence in the quality of the products, there are other additional facts which reflect the deserved excellent reputation. For instance, if you ask any resident to recommend a jewellery shop, it would be surprising if Classic Gems wasn’t one of first ones mentioned, or should you ask a wedding company which local company they’d recommend for making/providing exceptional wedding rings, the name Classic Gems will surely come up again. But even without all of this local knowledge and evidence, a single visit to the showroom and personally experiencing the kind of customer service on offer, is bound to leave a lasting impression. You can find the showroom on Chaweng Beach Road, opposite Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui, or you can simply email or call to the shop and a driver will be sent to collect you from your hotel or villa residence and take you to and from the premises. The whole company has an aura of style and sophistication which is so often missing from jewellery shops in Asia. This is a company which puts the class 96 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
into classic, and that’s exactly what you’ll receive – classic knowledge, classic service and, most importantly, classic gems. And the service doesn’t end with the closing of the till. Aftercare is extremely important with most jewellery items and the ongoing maintenance of your jewellery, such as cleaning or resizing, is performed with no labour charge. This is perfect if you live here or who return to the island year after year. If ever you needed proof of the power of jewellery, the serial bride and divorcee, Zsa Zsa Gabor, was once quoted as saying, “I never hated a man enough to give him his diamonds back.” Fortunately, it seems that Classic Gems is as timeless a company as the precious metals and gems that are on offer and the ideal place to find that special gift.
Richard Hartigan
____________________________________________________________ For free transportation and further information, telephone 0 7723 0479, or email classic_gems@yahoo.co.th
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WHY
WAI
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A traditional Thai greeting can be difficult to master but start with a smile and you won’t go far wrong.
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t’s one of the first very noticeable things you’ll observe in Thailand – the wai. Walking into your hotel, entering a restaurant or getting on a Bangkok Airways flight to Samui, it’s how you’ll be greeted. These will be some of your first experiences of it but certainly not your last. And for visitors and expats alike, the uncertainty that is felt can be disquieting and even rather unnerving. But understanding how to respond needn’t be something that gives you uneasy moments or embarrassment.
Knowing when and how to wai is learned in early childhood and becomes second nature for Thai people. But it can be very confusing for a visitor. Since the 12th century, Thais have used the wai to say hello, goodbye, thank you, sorry and to show respect to Buddha, the King and royalty, monks, older people, statues and spirit houses. It originated from an ancient mutual greeting that was done to show that neither individual had any weapons (rather like the Western handshake). And when greeting you, a Thai person will usually say sawadee krap (by a male) or sawadee ka (by a female). The word sawadee was coined relatively recently in the mid1930s by Khun Phraya Upakit Silapasan of Chulalongkorn University. It’s derived from the Sanskrit word svasti meaning ‘well-being’ and had previously been used in Thai only as a formulaic opening to inscriptions. The strongly nationalist government in the early 1940s promoted
the use of the word amongst the government bureaucracy as well as the wider populace as part of a wider set of cultural edicts to modernise Thailand. When Thais perform a wai it’s very graceful, elegant and seemingly effortless. But split-second automatic decisions are made as to which type should be used, as there’re several forms of the wai and a strict etiquette to adhere to. As a foreigner you aren’t expected to know what to do or even to wai back. However, it would be considered impolite if you didn’t at least acknowledge it by smiling and giving a nod in return. And it doesn’t always matter if you are holding something at the time, the ‘mobile phone between the palms’ wai can be seen regularly on the streets of Samui. And you occasionally see taxi drivers wai as they pass a particularly important temple or Buddha image. They do this without reducing speed or maintaining their grip on the steering wheel. It’s a practiced art form and not for the uninitiated.
However, there are a few don’ts involved; for example, there’s no need to wai or return the wai to shop staff, waiters, bar girls, taxi drivers or anyone really who’s providing a service – a polite smile and nod will suffice on these www.samuiholidaymagazine.com l 99
occasions. And never wai a child even when they wai you first, it’s just not done. And PLEASE, as a foreigner, never wai another non-Thai person – that’s just ridiculous. In the strictest sense, for Thais, only monks and royalty don’t need to return a wai. And family members, friends and work colleagues who see each other regularly don’t tend to wai each other very often. You wouldn’t go into the office or workplace and shake hands with everyone each morning in your home country. Etiquette and social status determines who initiates the wai. Younger people will wai older people first and those who are lower in social status wai those of higher status first. The wai is a method of showing respect in different degrees and there’re four basic positions with each having a number of variances. With all of them the palms are placed together with the fingers pointing slightly inward rather than outwards as you would when praying in a Christian church or chapel. Elbows should be tight to the body. And the further the head is bowed to meet the fingers signifies the amount of respect shown. 1) The first level of wai is the one where the tips of the fingers reach to just below the chin. This is used for people of a much lower social standing, to equals or to people whose social standing you’re not sure of yet. 2) The second is the one presented to someone who is the same age or social status as you or to someone whom you respect. This wai is given, for example, to teachers and mothers and fathers. In this wai the fingertips touch the tip of the nose. Women then either bend their heads or bend their knees in a slight curtsey. Men bend their heads in a slight bow. 3) The next level of wai is given to people of a higher social status or who are older. In this wai, the tips of the fingertips touch the area between the eyebrows. Men bow and women curtsey at the same time. 4) The final level is the one reserved for monks and the King. In this level the fingertips touch the hairline and the nose touches the base of the thumb. Men bow and women curtsey but, in this curtsey, one foot is stepped backwards so the curtsey can be lower.
It originated from an ancient mutual greeting that was done to show that neither individual had any weapons (rather like the Western handshake).
As a foreigner, when returning a wai you can typically use first level of wai which is generally accepted as a happy compromise. This is also the most useful wai for you as typically you won’t know the social status of the Thai person. In some cases, especially business situations, a Thai will offer a handshake to you instead of a wai. Simply returning the handshake is completely acceptable. If they do offer a wai the polite thing to do is to respond in kind. If you want to learn more, you can ask the staff at your hotel to teach you some basics or you can unobtrusively observe Thais interacting when they first meet. And if nothing else, simply smile back at the person giving the wai and give a nod of the head. That acknowledgement alone will suffice and if you do return a wai to a Thai person they’ll appreciate the effort if it’s heartfelt and sincere, even if it’s not done absolutely correctly.
Johnny Paterson
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EPIC CURE
How Samui played an important part in one man’s fight against cancer.
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artin Silverman is now 56 years old. In 2008, he was diagnosed with prostrate cancer. But today he’s youthful, fit and glowing with health and purpose. He made the decision to reject conventional treatments and completely abandon his previous life, career, habits, diet and outlook, and he set out to cure himself. The cancer has now disappeared. And he feels that the year he spent on Samui, and what happened in this time, was an integral part of it all. Martin was born in London in 1955, the eldest child of three in a loving family environment. He was a creative and intelligent boy who, upon leaving school, was drawn towards the study of architecture. But the rigour of the subject dismayed him and he switched direction, finding a job working in (at that time) the heart of the world’s fashion industry, in Carnaby Street, at Lord John boutique.
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B Smart B Smart Sys. Co., LTD has been providing top level security solutions, lighting control systems, CCTV systems, access control, fire alarms and WiFi solutions since 1999. B Smart has quickly earned the reputation for being one of the most progressive and innovative system integrators in Thailand. Along with high quality products and a very knowledgeable work force, you can be confident that B Smart Sys. Co., LTD will meet and exceed your expectations.
Hotline: 0 815 631 685 Email: bsmartsys@gmail.com For Taxi: ร้านตั้งอยู่ตรงข้ามโรงแรมนภาใส แม่น้ำ�
Captain Kirk If you desire something truly unique, try this roof-top garden restaurant. Almost hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the busy streets, this is a surprising oasis in the heart of Chaweng Beach. Highly recommended is the mixed seafood plate fresh from the grill, and the Australian beef tenderloin. Desserts are abundant and delightfully prepared. Complement your dinner with a fine selection of wines at reasonable prices.
Tel.: 0 812 705 376 Email: captainkirksamui@hotmail.com For Taxi: ร้านตั้งอยู่ชั้นบนของร้านสปอร์ต สเตเดี้ยม
หาดเฉวง
Villa Bianca RISTORANTE ”EXCLUSIVE” ITALIANO Tastefully designed, and located at the beach, Villa Bianca features lobster specialties, and other superb cuisine prepared by its own Italian Chef. Excellent wines and French champagne complement all dishes. A unique experience that leaves diners wishing to return for more. Villa Bianca is nestled in amongst the converted old Chinese shop-houses overlooking the water in Fisherman’s Village.
Tel.: 0 7724 5041 Email: curraglass@yahoo.com For Taxi: ร้านตั้งอยู่ที่ถนนหาดบ่อผุด
Asia Travel Asia Travel is the most popular travel agency on Koh Samui. Established 15 years ago, they are well known to provide updated travel information reasonably priced for all international and domestic needs. Their second to none consultancy service will help you with all aspects of long or short stay requirements such as visa, work permit or company registration and finances. Asia Travel is well known for their quality services as mentioned in The Lonely Planet.
But going back in time a bit, at the tender age of 17, disaster struck him in the form of testicular cancer. “I woke up one morning with a testicle the size of an orange,” he recalled. “There was no pain but it was extremely distressing and I went to a doctor immediately. He took one look and sent me to hospital. Fortunately the tumour was localised and it was explained to me that one testicle could be simply removed and, after follow-up treatment, things would be very much back to normal. I was 17 and I accepted everything I was told by the experts. I then had 10 days of an intensive cycle of radio-therapy and hormone treatment, I lost all my body hair and a lot of weight, felt dreadfully sick for a long time but then later recovered completely.”
Tel.: 0 7723 6120, 0 7742 1342 Fax: 0 7742 1185 Email: asia_int@samart.co.th For Taxi: ร้านตั้งอยู่ที่ถนนหน้าทอน
Simply the best
Brite Smile The Original BriteSmile Centre from Hollywood’s Professional Teeth Whitening. . One Hour . One Visit . One Dazzling Smile Offering other new services: Painless dentistry, depigmentation with laser and dental implants, as well as a wide range of dental hygiene and care.
Martin quickly adjusted, put it all behind him, and carried on with the rest of his life. His career developed and before too long he was travelling throughout Europe as the head fashion buyer for Chelsea Girl (now River Island); a post he held for seven years. He married and raised a family and did all the usual things that people do. Bangkok Samui Dental Clinic Open daily from 9:oo - 20.00 Tel : 0 7742 9500 www.DentalSamui.com
Tel.: 0 7742 9500 Website: www.DentalSamui.com For Taxi: ร้านตั้งอยู่ในโรงพยาบาลกรุงเทพ
ถนนรอบเกาะ เฉวง
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“Over the years I’d read about and researched all sorts of background information, including alternative and holistic philosophies and approaches.” He set up his own (fashion-related) business. He went to PTA meetings at the school. He was fully involved with his business and his family. And then the day came when he went for a routine physical check-up. A part of this was a blood test for diabetes. And this revealed that, at the age of 52, Martin had developed prostrate cancer. “This time there was no hesitation,” he explained. “I’d had a long time to think about cancer, what it is, what causes it and how it’s treated; once you’ve had it, it’s impossible not to dwell on it. Over the years I’d read about and researched all sorts of background information, including alternative and holistic philosophies and approaches. And right away I knew I wasn’t going through the same aggressive and invasive treatment as before. I’d long-since come to realise that ‘cancer’ isn’t simply a malignant growth in your body. It’s one of the overall results of your mind, body and spirit being out of balance, constant stress causing body chemistry to keep altering, a diet that’s full of harmful chemicals and additives, and toxins in the air and water – even in the highly-toxic metal fillings bedded into teeth. I was determined to address all of these things and restore my natural balances. I didn’t then know quite how I would do this but I was going to try!” On the afternoon of the day he was told about his condition he immediately altered his diet. As he recalled with a shudder, he 104 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
went ‘cold turkey’, or rather ‘cold salad’. He didn’t just go vegetarian, he went to extremes. No fish, no meat, no dairy products, no processed foods – nothing that was even cooked, in fact. No coffee and no sugar of any sort. His dietary-regime was severe. But this was just the beginning. Over the next few months, Martin made more, and equally-radial, decisions. He needed to talk to people; people who were, or had been, in the same situation. But, being in Germany or Israel or America or Thailand, these people weren’t on-hand. And so he sold everything. His house, his business, his car and all of his possessions. He set up a network of e-correspondence and headed-off to visit centres of holistic healing. And then he came to settle on the island of Samui for one year. “I’d stayed on Samui before,” Martin continued. “And I was impressed by the serene energy here. You can also add to that the climate (this new diet makes me susceptible to the cold) and the almost constant sunlight that increases my vitamin D level. And then there’re all the coconuts! The water directly from the shell contains a natural electro-charge. And there’s an excellent holistic spa here, ‘The Spa Resort Samui’ in Lamai, where I could get everything for my raw-vegan diet and all the organic
The Library When the breakfast is not just a breakfast! Breakfast Culture” at The Library, Koh Samui Move away from bed to white mattress on the beach, just a step to the sea. Enjoy the first light of the dawn at Chaweng beach. Gather with friends at a big breakfast culture table with daily baked bakery, chic menus, fresh fruits & juice, hip magazines and the unique atmosphere of East Coast at The Page. “Be prepared for the difference of the breakfast here!”
Tel.: 0 7742 2767-8 E-mail: rsvn@thelibrary.co.th Web: www.thelibrary.co.th For Taxi: โรงแรมตั้งอยู่ข้างๆ บ้านสมุย รีสอร์ท
ZaZEN RESTAURANT If you are looking for something wonderful and different, Zazen restaurant is the place for you to discover. Their master chef emphasises the use of healthy organic ingredients while infusing dining participation. Zazen is truly one of the most romantic and serene beachside dining restaurants on the island. Every night this charming establishment lights up over 100 candles to set the ambiance for you to experience.
Tel.: 0 7742 5085 Email: info@samuizazen.com For Taxi: ร้านตั้งอยู่ในโรงแรมซาเซ็นบูทิครีสอร์ท
แอนด์ สปา บ่อผุด
radiance his is the original health destination on Koh Samui offering only the best Vegetarian, Raw and Healthy Thai Food. Listed as one of the 50 best restaurants in the world. Over 17 years serving the freshest mouthwatering healthy food. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner. Daily @ both locations 7:00 am until 9:30 pm. Radiance is a part of The Spa Resorts.
supplements I needed, including red clover sprouts and broccoli sprouts (there’s a hundred times more nutrition in the sprouting seeds than in the vegetables themselves). And I could have all the treatments that I needed right there.” Martin remained on Samui, maintaining his strict diet, balanced with and supplemented by appropriate exercise. He underwent six weeks of intensive acupuncture to re-establish the balance of his internal organs and also had all the amalgam removed from his teeth. “Three years after the initial diagnosis, the cancer has now disappeared,” he disclosed. “It’s like the Dali Llama said, ‘Man sacrifices his health to make money and then has to spend this money to regain his health.’ In the industrial West, we’ve lost sight of our natural harmony and balance, live with constant trauma and stress and are poisoning the environment and our bodies. Two centuries ago cancer was hardly even seen. And it’s not incurable; I (and like-minded others) have proved that. I’ve been given a great gift by coming to understand all of this. And that’s why, whilst I was on Samui, I wrote a book about it all, ‘The Gift in Me’, which is being published in August this year. I really hope that it provides other sufferers with the same hope and vitality that I’ve been fortunate enough to discover for myself.”
Rob De Wet
_____________________________________________________________ More details of Martin’s remarkable journey can be found on his website, www.thegiftinme.com, along with a personal diary of his thoughts and deeds in the accompanying blog.
Tel. Beach: 0 7742 4666 Tel. Valley: 0 7723 0855 For Taxi: ร้านตั้งอยู่ในโรงแรมเดอะสปา รีสอร์ท
Noori india Discover authentic Indian cuisine at Noori India restaurant. Every conceivable Indian dish is on offer here - and they are all delicious. You can also visit their cooking school to learn the secrets of Indian food for yourself.
Tel.: 0 867 407 873 or 0 7741 3108 For Taxi: ร้านตั้งอยตรงข้ามโรงแรมเฉวงบุรีรีสอร์ท และตั้งอยู่
หน้าโรงแรมเฉวงโคฟรีโซเทล
THE DINING ROOM The Dining Room restaurant is an award winning Thai and international cuisine restaurant overlooking the ocean. Featured on the cover of Dining in Paradise, the restaurant is stunning and picturesque, and a perfect place for a romantic dinner by candlelight. Often described as one of the most beautiful restaurants on the island, The Dining Room offers weekly beachfront barbecues, live entertainment, music, great food and excellent service. Located between Lamai and Hua Thanon. Tel.: 0 7723 3020-4 Email: reservations@rockyresort.com For Taxi: ร้านตั้งอยู่ในโรงแรมร๊อคกี้บูติครีสอร์ท
ใกล้วัดศิลางู ละไม
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VITAL ENERGY
Amala Restaurant, at Prana Resorts & Spa in Bang Rak, takes vegetarian cuisine to a new and exciting level.
‘P
rana’ is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘vital energy’. And in some ways this might make you smile. Because, on the surface, Prana Resorts & Spa Samui is just about the coolest and most laid-back beachside resort that you’ll come across. And one the friendliest, too. As soon as you walk into the small pebble-walled circular courtyard you’ll understand – it’s suddenly peaceful. You’ll see the reception desk within the deep shade of the interior. And the calmness of the staff there’ll be immediately obvious. But it’s not until you wander through into the restaurant and pool area that it hits you: it’s all just so tranquil! When ‘Prana’ appeared here a couple of years ago it made something of an impact. Because, in spite of the world-quality cuisine on Samui and the array of star-spangled chefs, there were hardly any vegetarian restaurants on the island at that time. Certainly, every restaurant had one or two veggie dishes or even a small section in its menu. But Prana’s Amala Restaurant was wholly ‘gourmet vegetarian’ and a cut above the rest. It was fun-food, too. And in a truly lovely location, right on the edge of the beach and overlooking the sweep of the bay towards ‘Big Buddha’ glowing in the distance. But, as people soon found out for themselves, there was more to it than this. At the moment there are 13 luxurious rooms attached, ranging from the elegant ‘Garden Rooms’ to the expansive ‘Prana Suites’ with their private pools. And all of them are just lovely – fitted and decorated to the highest of standards, as might be expected. But the thing that caused a minor stir when the resort opened was that these are all non-smoking rooms. There may well be the odd place here-andthere, around the island, that has the same outlook. But this was no doubt the first major-league boutique resort to be so bold.
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And in a truly lovely location, right on the edge of the beach and overlooking the sweep of the bay towards ‘Big Buddha’ glowing in the distance.
“We’re happy to say that Thailand’s ‘Green Leaf Foundation’ has given us a ‘Gold Award’ for being a Smoke-Free Hotel,” the resort’s vitally-energetic General Manager, Melissa Tan, commented. “To qualify for this distinction, a hotel must have more than 75% smoke-free accommodation and more than 85% of the staff must be non-smokers. So not only is the ambience full of ‘vital energy’ but it’s also fresh and smoke-free, too! Right now we’re in the last phase of a huge expansion program on a large plot of land across the road,” Melissa continued. “There are another 60 rooms being built plus a spa and a restaurant with banqueting facilities. It’s due to be completed in the near future. And it’ll have the same philosophy and outlook as we have here.” Prana is no stranger to awards. In April 2011, ‘Amala’ was included in Thailand Tatler’s ‘Thailand’s Best Restaurants 2011’, a respected guide which features reviews of the nation’s top restaurants. “The cuisine here has always been of prime importance,” observed the resort’s Food and Beverage Manager, Khun Torpong Thinkarn. “To begin with, we had Chef Jonny Goodall who set it all up and established the menu. He was an authority on the vegetarian aspects of Persian, Pakistani and Punjabi cuisines and travelled all over Asia and the Middle
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East before coming to Thailand. He established our organic hydroponic garden, too. The result of this was that the menu had surprising elements of fusion between aspects of all these cuisines and with traditional Thai vegetables, herbs and spices being given a delicious new context. But we’ve been fortunate to have Khun Manee Pu-Sa Art take over. He previously worked at Buddy Oriental Beach Resort and has now created a whole new menu that’s just as exciting and probably even more fun than before.” But you have to consider the dining experience at Amala in its overall context, particularly if you’ve not had the good fortune to have been here before. The surfaces are a pleasing contrast between polished and scrubbed concrete and the precise workmanship of the rich natural woods of the ceiling panels and furniture: it’s ‘minimalist’ without being bare. And then there’s the infinity pool that forms a boundary between the outer lip of the dining area and the sea. Most such pools are simply a trendy and thoughtless add-on. But this one is placed precisely and in such a way that it actually works as it’s meant to – one unbroken layer of water which appears to run from the edge of the restaurant right into the sea and up into the sky. It’s spectacular.
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And then there’s the food. It’s bouncy, it’s light, bright and, yes, it’s fun. There’s a myriad of contrasting tastes and textures, with the dry crunch of batter playing against the moist squish of melted cheese (the cuisine is lacto-ovo) and the aromatic bouquet of saffron sharply offsetting the tang of vinegar. And, at last, a place that doesn’t just mindlessly blanche vegetables (as in hot-but-still-raw); they’re carefully cooked to perfection. But what’s even more pleasing is the overall attention to detail. Everything seems to match; the embossed glass plates (of differing sizes) are simple and elegant, and each of their contents is thoughtfully and decoratively presented. Even something as ordinary as the rice is prepared as a loving spoonful – three big capsicums of different colours stuffed with saffron rice, each charcoal-grilled and aromatically charred. But the final touch is that their ‘lids’ are removed during cooking so that the top layer of rice can be crispy-grilled, too, before being 110 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
re-capped and then served as . . . just big grilled peppers. Vital energy in the kitchen – and certain to raise a smile of pleasure when you first poke at one and realise. Unlike some resorts, you’re more than welcome to wander over during the daytime and bask in, or around, the pool. Perhaps check your e-mail whilst sunning yourself on the loungers. Sample a cocktail (or a mocktail) if you’re so inclined; nothing here is at silly prices. Or saunter down for rejuvenating treatment, or a relaxing massage, at their shady and up-market spa, ‘On The Beach’. Or you could come at the end of the afternoon and simply sit back, relax, and enjoy a spectacular sunset. Happy Hour is from 5:00 to 7:00 pm and
KHAO SOK
The Cliff and River Jungle Resort
Come and Relax with us at The Cliff and River Jungle Resort in magnificent Khao Sok. Enjoy the natural beauty and fresh air at this Scenic Riverside location. Sightseeing Info - Canoeing - International Restaurant Luxury Recreation Facilities - Elephant Trekking
for more information and reservation please call 0 872 718 787, 0 812 721 221, 0 7791 3050 Fax. 0 7791 3099 www.thecliffandriver.com
P. CHAWENG GUEST HOUSE
100 ISLANDS RESORT
Located at the end of Soi Colibri, opposite Centara Grand Beach Resort. Thai owned and managed, offering the beauty of Thai style architecture combined with European comforts.
The first boutique hotel in Suratthani. Reasonably priced with friendly service and a family atmosphere. Relax by the pool or ease your tensions at the luxurious spa.
you’ll get two-for-the-price-of-one. Better still, stay on for dinner. The wine list is impressive, with many bottles priced at under the 1,000 baht mark. And, as you’ve gathered by now, it’s fun. ‘Vital energy’ doesn’t get much more laid-back than this!
Rob De Wet
_________________________________________________________ For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7724 6362.
Recommended by Lonely Planet
Tel.: 0 7723 0684
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L L A E V I S U L C
IN
old advice in la p t s ju r d, curtains o n la , e s u o h ere to help. , th n a is lo e s a u o e b H Whether it ay Land & u s n a a B r, e handily you’re aft Baansuy, sit d se and Surat
Hou greete suay Land & and you’ll be shops, Baan r. Step inside ent he nm ot .” ro ch vi ne ea en no a relaxed s, master of next door to It’s de ht s. tra rig ce l fa al y of dl sit and & House es, “Jack iles and frien with Khun Pi ansuay Land he saying go by warm sm jovially away e case at Ba at g th – and lin ch m s s el er ar fro sp r m ye nt fa r sto re But that’s n them fo e is a diffe in which cu ow er kn th e , ’v es n and (y ey th y ansu l as if nced the l speaks Italia and Surat Ba Khun Patarapo both pronou un Patarapo ’re Kh ey Southern th ly, d e ve gh an th si ou n es of th the Norther y have. Impr th segments th of the two al an Bo bo m . d te si an h po op ective s in the office l as Englis , it’s quite the s in their resp almost alway anish as wel er e Sp ar ad le t en same). In fact more m ke le ar nt m financial Both ge on’t be any ness are the s with loans, Thai dialects. e isn’t, they w al on de if Baansuy busi se nd ou g A H in u. eet yo , survey suay Land & waiting to gr ty valuations areas. Baan sales, proper and fits nd utes away. lls la in se d m y y an su irt an lla th than r advice, vi hilst Surat Ba w So s, gn e. si ur men. Thei lik de ural en they’re yo ions and the th sh – as cu st and architect s, ng ty fa fa et lo – so pr me cash te, so, as hole, it’s ds, curtains, the market ra If you want so siness as a w an bu od th awnings, blin y r go su ey pe re an Th ea u’ . Ba are ch tee, yo e island nsider the lending rates buyers on th ty as a guaran eir when you co for property your new local proper e ople need th ild op m Pe sh bu so . p, t ey nd sto go on ela m ve e k u’ m ic yo so qu t it. t se much a on ge ge ha rc t more a place to rs. And they some cash, pu go. “We’re ! It doesn’t ge ally foreigne to ds ci in g. pe bl tin can loan you Es ul ur ! ns ly yo te co Immedia financial en even hang money fast. tion and free me ta co place and th ul st ns Ju . co e up that. sure to sign so offer a fre es al e pr W no d inclusive than an ctor, arge for this anaging Dire There’s no ch some figures.” owner and M l. by po ra up lk ta ta ed Pa ll ad e’ un is he in and w ecutive, Kh The business m fro Marketing Ex d es ut an in , m iri n as just te Khun Pisit Arn ntly located o very convenie C. And the tw g Bi te si Their office is po op ad ro gthe rin Chaweng, on
T
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Between the two of them, Khun Pisit and Khun Patarapol’s local knowledge is unparalleled and things like the island’s building regulations are second nature to them.
Not only will Baansuay Land & House get a loan to you much faster (and with less paperwork and questions asked) than a local bank, they’re also significantly cheaper than them and other loaners. “Whilst other lending companies set their interest rates so high that it becomes a win-lose situation. We keep ours as low as possible to make it win-win. We’re not loan sharks.” To add to this friendly and relaxed service, they’re also lenient with payment dates – in spite of what they could get away with by standard Thai law. “Whether it be for a three-month, six-month or one-year loan contract, we do not penalise people straight away. We like to keep a relationship with the client.” And now let’s move on to the property side of the business. “Whether you’re looking for a plot of land on Samui on which to build, a finished luxury villa, commercial real-estate, or simply a small house in which to enjoy the island, Baansuay Land & House will have just the thing that you’re looking for.” Between the two of them, Khun Pisit and Khun Patarapol’s local knowledge is unparalleled and things like the island’s building regulations are second nature to them. They sort out, and pay, all the fiddly details like tax, admin costs and building licences for you so you don’t get any nasty surprises down the line. And if you’re buying land to build on from scratch, then they provide all the architects and designers to streamline the building process for you. Additionally, if you’re looking to rent out a property and need help finding or managing tenants, they act as a broker and letting agency. Although other real-estate companies on Samui advertise the properties they’re selling as their own, they’re often just a middleman – and add on a healthy commission. At Baansuay, however, they actually own the properties, so there are no added or hidden costs. Currently, they’ve got more than ten properties in-hand and more than a hundred million baht invested. So now let’s talk prices. They specialise in grade-A second-hand
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property, which they buy and sell at a low rate. They manage this by buying the property from people like, for instance, someone who needs to leave the island quickly, or who has a new property already and needs to sell-up the old one as soon as possible. This is a mutually convenient agreement whereby the seller is able to sell fast and the buyer gets the most for their money. And lest we forget where this all started – with the curtains, awnings and upholstery side of the business. Surat Baansuy has been around for over 20 years now and is well established on the island. The company has an excellent reputation for quality products and fabrics and also for great service and after-sales. Surat Baansuy crafts everything from curtains to four-poster bed drapes, as well as blinds and awnings in all shapes and sizes. The words ‘baan suy’ in Thai, translate as ‘beautiful home’. And if Baansuay Land & House and Surat Baansuy have got anything to do with it, that’s exactly what you’ll get.
Christina Wylie
___________________________________________ For further information, telephone 0 7742 6967 or visit their websites: www.baansuaylandandhouse.com and www.suratbaansuy.com.
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G N I D L I U B T
he last decade has seen an eruption of construction around the island. New resorts have appeared, whole swathes of the ring-road have sprouted blocks of offices and shops, and more and more private houses and villas have been built. But one of the downsides has been that everyone and his brother have wanted to jump on the building-boom bandwagon. And, unfortunately, mixed-in amongst the genuinelyskilled and qualified professionals, there have been more than a few opportunist fly-by-night operators – as some folks have discovered to their cost. It’s not always easy to secure the services of an operator with integrity; there are just so many considerations. Even highly qualified and experienced foreigners setting up in Thailand have the language barrier to contend with and the maze of unfamiliar local and government legalities to navigate. But one of the companies that has risen to establish itself as a name to be trusted is Cheer Force. It’s a local company and family-based here on Samui. And the founder and director of Cheer Force is Khun Jakgree Huinam – familiarly known as Khun Jak. I recently caught up with him and was keen to find out not only how it all began, but also why he thought Cheer Force had become so well thought-of. RDW: In Thailand, everyone seems to be an expert at something. Can you tell me please what in particular qualifies you to be able to build houses? JH: Certainly! Although I have to say right away that this is not what Cheer Force now focuses on, but I’ll go into that later. When I left high school, I gained a degree in Civil Engineering at King 116 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
UP
come e b s a h e c heer For aintenance C y h w s Reason trusted m i. d n a d e i Samu ‘the’ tr n o when he realised my y n a p com qualifications, he wanted
Mongkut University of Technology in Bangkok. I then worked as a civil engineer for the next four years. My company was based in Bangkok but I went all over the country working on various projects, from factories and hotels to marine jetties and residential developments. And being ‘new’, so to speak, my supervisor gave me a lot of different roles. I worked as a site engineer, a data project analyst and a quality control supervisor, as well as being instrumental in the planning stages. It was a good apprenticeship. RDW: How was it that you ended up on Samui? JH: I was born here. My family is here, living in Lipa Noi where they’ve been for generations. After working for a big national company I felt that I was experienced enough to set up on my own, in my ‘home town’ and where there were plenty of opportunities with the rapidly-expanding tourist industry and all the support industries that go with that.
RDW: So your family was able to get you started; they had contacts and links you could use? JH: Not at all. My father’s a coconut farmer who works in the traditional way and sends his produce to market in Bangkok every week. I began from scratch, working by myself and offering my services as a structural analyst for firms of architects who were contracted to design various developments here. It took me six months before the opportunity arose to actually build a house. It was for a client who liked to be ‘hands on’ and involved and
me to oversee everything. And this was when my local contacts with family and friends came into play: I could put together an experienced and trusted team of craftsmen and overseers and supervise everything without worry.
RDW: And so this is what Cheer Force is all about? You craftsman-build houses to individual specifications? JH: Well, actually, no. Not any more. This is how we started back in 2005. But the whole spectrum of this has now become just too unreliable, too unpredictable. It’s all about the labour-force that’s needed to do this. All the initial work of clearing the ground, digging the footings and laying the foundations is labour-intensive and needs dozens of casual labourers, sometimes even hundreds of them. Samui doesn’t have this kind of work-force available and they’re all brought in from outside; often just for one project. Some of the contractors who supply them aren’t local and if things get tough sometimes, they just disappear. That’s the continual problem, and not just with labourers. There’re quite a few foreigners here who are still suffering, six years on, after having been cheated out of their money by what, at the time, seemed to be a large and respectable (Western) company which began a big housing project, only to abandon it and vanish. I won’t ever do that. I can’t. Samui is my home. I can’t do poor or sub-standard work and then just run away.
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“I worked as a site engineer, a data project analyst and a quality control supervisor, as well as being instrumental in the planning stages.”
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RDW: So what does Cheer Force do? What can you offer Samui residents? JH: Construction of accommodation here is increasing by 20% each year and the numbers of foreigners coming to live here is increasing by about 5%. Building more new houses is not the way to go. I’m a Thai person and know the local workers. The sale of land and houses and new development goes up and down. But every house that has ever been built needs maintaining. Simple things like tropical humidity decays woodwork – not to mention insect and termite damage. Storms take off roof tiles and let in water. Swimming pools get slimed and clogged. Houses are often built with incorrect drainage or sewerage, and a new house built next door can alter the run-off of water completely. Cheer Force maintains property. We repair and we improve. We deal only with foreign customers, we understand their needs and concerns, and we help to re-assure people that their property – their retirement home or investment – will be able to survive the test of time. Also, you’ll find that we price our services realistically. Small jobs are no problem and it’ll probably cost you less for us to fix your aircon than if you went to the shop that originally installed it.
Big Buddha Café The signs say ‘Free Sunset at BBC’ and ‘Best Sunset on Samui’. Although no single restaurant has actually had the audacity to charge for viewing one before, there can’t be many places on the island better than BBC Restaurant where you can enjoy a sunset in such comfortable surroundings whilst eating such good food. And if there was such a place that you would ever consider paying to watch a sunset from, it would be there.
The menu’s extensive, to say the least. The fare’s both Thai and International, including favourites from both cuisines. For mains, there’s a large selection of tasty snacks, salads, tried and tested favourites of both Thai and International cuisine and a special Italian food section, including some great pizza and lasagna dishes. And if you’re a fish lover, then you’ll certainly enjoy the salmon steak with basil sauce and side salad.
It’s located right next to the Big Buddha temple complex in Bangrak. The causeway to the temple starts virtually from the restaurant and from parts of the deck you can see the ornate archway itself. And the restaurant’s a prime spot for seeing the landmark statue of Big Buddha itself, floodlit at night, which is just a couple of hundred metres away.
Whatever you order, don’t forget desserts. BBC Restaurant has a select range of them and they’re hard to resist (even if you have just got through a massive main course!). Order the chocolate mousse and it arrives as a mini-mountain topped with whipped cream. Also highly popular is the apple pie (just like mum used to make) with custard or ice-cream.
BBC Restaurant has become an institution in itself and after extensive refurbishment it’s back again. It’s bigger, better and has more choice of seating than before. And it’s one of those very versatile places that offers somewhere perfect to sit for everyone. If you’re on your own with a loved one, you’ll find sitting at one of the beachside tables for two highly romantic. And if you’ve come with your family or a group of friends, you’ll have many options, too, including sitting on the expansive decking at one of the large tables or even in the new upstairs air-conditioned section.
The wine list has been expanded to offer a more broad range of southern hemisphere wines. The owners are a Thai - New Zealand family who enjoy the quality of southern wines and meats, as well as using the best that Thailand has to offer.
Meanwhile, on another upper deck, close to the spreading branches of a tamarind tree, there’s a generous-sized patio; again ideal for groups, and for those magnificent views across the sea. And, incidentally, if you’re getting married, BBC’s also an ideal place to hold your reception, not just for the setting, but also for the excellent catering.
BBC is open every day from 9am to late (generally the kitchen is open until 10pm, with a bar snack-menu available after 10pm until closing). For information and reservations, contact: Telephone: 0 7742 5089 or visit their website: www.bbcrestaurant.com
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RDW: It seems that you’re both realistic and extremely capable. But there’s something I’m curious about. Where did the name ‘Cheer Force’ come from? JH: My wife, Khun Pui, gave birth to our first son just about the time I started my business on Samui. His name is Cheer. There’s also an engineering term known as ‘sheer force’. If you put the two together then the company just had to be named ‘Cheer Force’. Now and then somebody picks up on the clues and understands the play on words!
Rob De Wet
____________________________________________ For further information, telephone 0 818 699 697. 120 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
Arun
1
Location: Bophut Koa Pra Land Size: 1 Rai 1 Ngan 77.3 Sqw Access: Public Title Deeds: Chanote Price: 4,200,000 THB
Ketsarin
Location : Bophut Land Size : 0 Rai 0 Ngan 23.3 Sqw. Access : Public Title Deeds : Chanote Price : 5,800,000 THB
Location : Bophut, Chaweng Land Size : 0 Rai 0 Ngan 165 Sqw Access : Public Title Deeds : Chanote Price : 4,500,000 THB
5
Town House Bandara
Makro
Location : Opt. Makro Chaweng Land Size : 0 Rai 0 Ngan 22.5 Sqw. Access : Public Title Deeds : Chanote Price : 4,000,000 THB
3
Maret
6
Location : Lamai Maret Land Size : 5 Rai 0 Ngan 80 Sqw. Access : Public Title Deeds : Chanote Price : 3,000,000 THB
8
Mr. Jim House
9
Location : Bophut, Chaweng Land Size : 0 Rai 0 Ngan 55 Sqw Access : Public Title Deeds : Chanote Price : 3,900,000 THB
Location : Bophut, Opp Bandara Land Size : 0 Rai 0 Ngan 19 Sqw Access : Public Title Deeds : Chanote Price : 2,000,000 THB
10
Location : Bophut Land Size : 1 Rai 2 Ngan 86 Sqw. Access : Public Title Deeds : Chanote Price : 6,800,000 THB
Baan Talay Kaow
Baan Kaowta
Location : Bophut Land Size : 0 Rai 2 Ngan 19.2 Sqw. Access : Public Title Deeds : Chanote Price : 3,000,000 THB
Location : Bophut-Bangrak Land Size : 0 Rai 2 Ngan 23.3 Sqw. Access : Public Title Deeds : Chanote Price : 11,500,000 THB
7
Montila
2
Location : Bophut-Bangrak Land Size : 0 Rai 2 Ngan 20 Sqw. Access : Public Title Deeds : Chanote Price : 5,500,000 THB
4
House Opp Big C
Baan Jinda
11
Villa Lamai
12
Location : Lamai Land Size : 1 Rai 1 Ngan 14 Sqw. Access : Public Title Deeds : Chanote Price : 8,500,000 THB
Tel: 0 816 911 719, 0 7742 6957, 0 882 962 024 Fax: 0 7742 6967 Email: info@baansuaylandandhouse.com 118/1 Moo 1 Bobkoh Rd. (Opp Big C), Bophut, Koh Samui, Suratthani
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PROPERTY
CLASSIFIEDS Private real estate with incredible 180-Degree views
Chaweng - Shophouse for Sale Shophouse for sale in Soi Colibri, opposite Centara Samui Resort. Ground floor ideal for office space, retail shop or small bar/restaurant. Apartment on 1st floor with 2 ensuite bedrooms and seperate access.
The actual view from this house is the picture above. This 4-bedroom house has been built according to European standards on 972 sqm. It is centrally located near Nathon and only 500 metres from the main road in a small, warm and tidy community. Priced very competitively, this house is ideal for couples or young families ready to live in paradise. Price: 8 Million THB only
Price:
3.9 million Baht
Contact Khun Na: 0892914747 (English and Thai)
Tel: 0 819 709 632 Email: asiatravel_international@yahoo.com
Ban Tai – Luxurious Private Pool Villa
Chaweng - Bar for Rent / Sale
Show home in the BAN TAI RESIDENCES now available for viewing. This is an exclusive sub-division consisting of 2 and 3 bedroom villas. Each private pool villa enjoys: allocated parking, separate chanote title, individual walled garden, private pool with separate Jacuzzi garden, fully imported European Kitchens and Wardrobes, 2 executive bedrooms with separate powder rooms opening to private garden bathrooms, loft space, modern home furnishing packages. Location: Ban Tai, 1st road behind the beach road. Price: 12 million Baht, vendor finance available
Bar for rent in Soi Colibri, opposite Centara Samui Resort. Includes apartment on 1st floor with 2 ensuite bedrooms and seperate access. Price for rent : 29,000 Baht per month 3 months deposit No key money Price for sale: 4.9 million Baht Contact Khun Na: 0892914747 (English and Thai)
Contact: Boom 0 818 944 093 Email: boom@ipmsamui.com Website: www.ipmsamui.com
House for Sale
Shophouse for Rent - Chaweng
Located in the mountains of Bophut, close to ring road, Big-C, Tesco Lotus, peaceful location, seaview living-room, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, terraces, garden, each 680 sq.m land, ready furnished Fixed prices : 5,300,000 Baht
2 unit shophouse for rent in Soi Colibri, opposite Centara Grand. 2 floors (each floor appx. 8 x 14 meters). Ground floor comprises of an unfurnished restaurant. 2nd floor comprises of 2 unfurnished rooms/apartments (no kitchen).
Contact Khun Duen: 080-3275120
Price: 40.000 Baht / month, paid every 6 months in advance. (no deposit or key money).
E-mail : temta_d@yahoo.com
Contact Khun Na: 0892914747 (English and Thai)
Shophouse for Sale - Chaweng
House for Sale - Chaweng
2 unit shophouse for sale in Soi Colibri, opposite Centara Grand. 3 floors (each floor appx. 8 x 14 meters). Ground floor comprises of an unfurnished restaurant. 2nd floor comprises of 2 unfurnished rooms/apartments (no kitchen). 3rd floor comprises of one large luxury apartment with jacuzzi, western kitchen etc. 3rd floor apartment has separate entrance.
House for Sale close to central Chaweng with small private garden. This kid-friendly residential project features a communal swimming pool, concrete road access, security and no through traffic. Located 5 minutes from Chaweng Beach, Bangkok Samui Hospital, Tesco Lotus, Big C, Makro.
Price: 13,900,000 Baht
Land title: Chanote
Contact Khun Na: 0892914747 (English and Thai)
Call Khun Na: 0 892 914 747
Price: 3.200.000 Baht
Chaweng - Shophouse for Sale Shophouse for sale in Soi Colibri, opposite Centara Samui Resort. Ground floor ideal for office space, retail shop or small bar/restaurant. Apartment on 1st floor with 2 ensuite bedrooms and seperate access. Price:
4 million Baht
Contact:
Graeme 0 860 193 166
Profitable Established Business for Sale 18 hole, concrete tracked, mini golf course. Member of the World Mini Golf Federation (one of only 2 in Thailand). 3020 m2 of land including 2 storey house with foreign ownership. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and 2 extra apartments. Sale includes well established, profitable Thai Limited Company. Location: Near Choeng Mon Price: 1,300,000 Euro Contact:
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Jojo, 0 817 879 148 www.minigolfsamui.com
Samujana Villa 17
Chaweng
Combine nature and luxury at this spectacular, contemporary residence built right into the Samui hillside. Situated just ten minutes from the island's airport, Samujana 17 crowns a brand new development on Koh Samui's northwest coast and offers the ultimate in secluded luxury living. The award winning design features flat, planted roofs, open-plan living spaces with natural rock features and tropical landscaping.
bedroom apartments, 51 sqm - 117 sqm. Fully furnished, TV, DVD, fully fitted kitchen, fridge, microwave. Free Wi-Fi Internet, Telephone, CCTV, 24 hour security. Tropical landscaping, 2 Swimming Pools, Sauna/Steam, Fitness. Free shuttle Service. Located in Chaweng (near Tesco Lotus). Rent from 15,000 baht monthly (yearly contract), sale from 2.59 million baht.
Price: US$1,800,000
Contact: Steve: 081 452 5895, Pop: 081 832 5895 Website: www.samui-condo.com, www.dsdsamui.com Email: info@dsdsamui.com
Tel: 0 811 901 540 Email: narisa@punrai.com Website: www.punrai.com
LH0012: Bangmakham 2 Bedroom House Located in the up and coming area of Bang Makham. Two double bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, infinity pool, high specification Kitchen and fittings throughout. Good off street parking and easy access to the beach, less than a kilometre away. Stunning sea & sunset views. Land area 1,120 sqm, Chanote Title. Priced to sell at 15.8m Thai Baht. Tel: Email: Website:
-
Whispering
Palms
Resort
Condominium Apartments for Rent / Sale 1-2
0 811 901 540 narisa@punrai.com www.punrai.com
RH0015: Samujana Villa 19
Bophut - Whispering Palms Private Pool Villa House for rent/sale 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms with shower and bath tub. Living room with furniture, TV, DVD and UBC. Fully fitted kitchen. A/C throughout. ADSL, telephone line. Private swimming pool. 24 hour security & CCTV. Land size 440 sqm, floor size: 240 sqm. Locatied in Bophut (near Sunday Resort). Rent from 50,000 baht per month (yearly contract), sale 9.7 million baht.
Contact: Steve 081 452 5895, Pop 081 832 5895 Website: www.dsdsamui.com Email: info@dsdsamui.com
Chaweng – Holiday Villa Houses for rent/sale
Located in the desirable Choeng Mon area overlooking Chaweng Bay & Koh Matlang is the up market Samujana Estate. Villa 19 has 4 double bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, massive infinity edge swimming pool, great in door outdoor flow for dining and living, fully equipped Media room with Sono’s surround sound system indoors and out. Fully specified Kitchen, Jacuzzi, BBQ area, ample pool deck space and fully furnished. On-site staff, maid quarters. The estate has a doubles Tennis court, full CCTV and manned security patrols and only a stone’s throw to the beach. Just move in! Priced well at USD2.5m.
2 storey villas with 2/3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms with shower and bath tub. Living room with furniture, TV & DVD, fully fitted kitchen. 4 A/C’s. ADSL, CCTV and 24 hour security. Landscaped garden with swimming pool, pavilion and waterfall. Private jacuzzi and whirlpool. Located in Chaweng (near Tesco Lotus). Rent from 25,000 baht per month (yearly contract), sale: 4.5 million baht. Contact: Steve 081 452 5895, Pop 081 832 5895 Website: www.dsdsamui.com Email: info@dsdsamui.com
Tel: 0 811 901 540 Email: narisa@punrai.com Website: www.punrai.com
Samujana Villa 11 A contemporary design home with 3/4 bedrooms, with stunning sea views across Koh Samui's east coast toward Chaweng Bay. Stylish & unique this beautiful villa is a highly specified build, residential project in the desirable Choeng Mon area, just 10 minutes from Chaweng. Sale US$1.5 million, rent from US$250 / night Tel: Email: Website:
0 811 901 540 narisa@punrai.com www.punrai.com
Bophut - Whispering Palms Resort Houses for rent/sale (2 BR) 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms with shower and bath tub. Living room with furniture, TV, DVD and cable. Fully fitted kitchen. 3 A/C's. ADSL, telephone line. Communal swimming pool, sauna and steam room. 24 hour security & CCTV. Located in Bophut (near Sunday Resort). Rent from 20,000 baht per month (yearly contract), sale: 4.2 million baht Contact: Steve 081 452 5895, Pop 081 832 5895 Website: www.dsdsamui.com Email: info@dsdsamui.com
Chaweng - Chaweng Pattana Townhouses for rent/sale
LH0013: Bangmakham 3 Bedroom House Bang Makham, less than a kilometre drive from beach & restaurants. Presentable 3 double bedroom, 2 en-suite bathrooms, 1 separate bathroom, large living, dining & kitchen, maids quarters, ample off street parking. Sea & sunset views. Ample room on 1,560 sqm site for renovations, pool etc to make this a very desirable property. Chanote Title. Priced to sell at 11.7m Thai Baht.
2 storey townhouses with 2 bedrooms and bathrooms. Living room with furniture, TV, DVD and cable. Fully fitted kitchen. 3 A/C’s. ADSL, telephone line. Landscaped garden with communal swimming pool and pavilion. 24 hour security. Located in Chaweng (near Tesco Lotus) Rent from 15,000 baht per month (yearly contract), sale: 2.2 million baht
Tel: 0 811 901 540 Email: narisa@punrai.com Website: www.punrai.com
Contact: Steve 081 452 5895, Pop 081 832 5895 Website: www.dsdsamui.com Email: info@dsdsamui.com
LH0015: Bang Por 1 Bedroom House Bang Por - 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, living & dining room. Great sea view. Land size 140 Tarangwa. Chanote title. Price: 3 Million Baht
Tel: Email: Website:
0 811 901 540 narisa@punrai.com www.punrai.com
Bophut - Whispering Palms Resort Maenam - Baan Suan Neramit House for rent/sale 2 storey house with 3 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms.Living room with furniture, TV, DVD and cable. Fully fitted kitchen. 5 A/C's. ADSL, telephone line. Landscaped garden with private swimming pool and pavilion. 24 hour security. Located in Maenam (opposite Maenam post office). Sale 5 million baht. Contact: Steve 081 452 5895, Pop 081 832 5895 Website: www.dsdsamui.com Email: info@dsdsamui.com
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NOT SO QUICK! T
aking a holiday for a couple of weeks is like a drug. It makes you all contented and relaxed. You wander around sighing happily to yourself. You soak up the sun. You do what you want, when you feel like it. And, somewhere along the way, this blissful feeling begins to feel almost normal. You can just picture yourself living here. Getting up late to a long breakfast on a balcony with a sea view. Strolling down to open your beach bar for lunch …
The ups and downs of starting a business on sunny Samui.
It’s your third time on Samui. You adore the weather, can ride a ‘motorbike’ like a local, speak a bit of Thai, spend all the time comparing prices here to back home and have been idly surfing through the businesses for sale online. Just how hard can it be to run a bar? Or chug about in a boat taking people out fishing? You aren’t aware of it but right at this moment you’re in the same world as Dorothy of The Wizard of Oz fame. It might seem real enough, but there’re no red slippers to click together and this most definitely isn’t Kansas.
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Life here is not as you know it. It’s not even like you think it is. Visiting Samui as a tourist is a whole different world to actually living here – and working here is different again. You can forget everything you currently know about laws, contracts, banking and even the concept of your ‘rights’. You’ll need to learn a whole new approach to life and tread carefully every step of the way. And so, in the hope of steering you towards the light, here are some facts, figures and tips you’ll need to be aware of before you put up that ‘For Sale’ sign outside your house back home In the first instance, Thailand has a list of 39 professions or occupations which are ‘protected’. Meaning that only a Thai national is permitted to do these jobs. One of these is ‘fisherman’, so forget your idea of running a boatload of tourists with rods ’n’ reels. And stick to what you know you can do: it’s complex enough just to set everything up, without having to learn a new trade/business at the same time. Another thing to bear in mind is that a Wall Street Journal survey in 1999 revealed that between 55% and 65% of all American start-up businesses fail within their first three years. And that’s in a country where people know the system and can read and write the language. Which brings me directly to the
126 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
next point: you won’t be able to succeed here without the assistance of a trusted Thai partner or associate. Dealing with government or local officials needs experience and confidence; even finding out how to pay an electricity bill can be an embarrassing education if you’re on your own. And that’s where your extended holidays come in. Get out of dream-mode and talk to people. Ask about their experiences, who their accountant is or who does their building and repair work. Talk about what problems they’ve had. Even get down to basics and ask them about possible flooding or power cuts in the rainy season. And also bear in mind that Samui actually has two annual low-business periods that usually add up to between 4-5 months a year, when there are few visitors. If you’re at all serious, then spend your holiday time here actively building up a picture that you can do more research on when you get back home. Consider the location. A restaurant on a breathtaking beach but with no passing trade will need lots of advertising. As will one that’s competing with a hundred others. Look for something on the fringes of an established area – rents will be lower. Watch out for the ‘key-money’ asked. This is an irritating local tradition; sometimes it includes fittings and fixtures, other times it’s simply a vacuous way to
jack-up the price. Expect to initially pay a lump sum up-front with possibly key-money on top, and then an ongoing monthly rent for a set number of years, usually between three and ten. Make an effort to negotiate for as long a lease as you can even if it costs more; it’ll increase your chances of a re-sale later. Be aware that the monthly rent will inevitably increase if you want to continue at the end of your lease. And then, finally, insist that your lawyer registers the contract with the local Land Office; this makes it harder for the owner to inexplicably change his mind after a year or two has passed when he sees that you’ve made a success of the place. To be able to work in Thailand means that you’ll need a work permit. To qualify for this you’ll need to come here with a specific type of visa; the ordinary tourist visa won’t work. You’ll need a ‘Non Immigrant Category B’ visa (the ‘B’ standing for ‘business’). You’ll then need the professional help mentioned previously in setting up your own company. Under Thai law, foreigners are not allowed to directly own land or own their own businesses. The tried, tested and accepted approach to this is to have Thai nationals own 51% of your company. There are also requirements as to the minimum capitalisation of your company and the number of Thai employees you’re obliged to take on; this is just a simplified outline. It’s a
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Do not take the easy route and put everything in your newly acquired Thai girlfriend’s name.
minefield of legalities and red tape and it all needs to be entrusted to one of the several professional companies whose business it is to do this every day on behalf of people just like you. And, sorry, it has to be said, as this topic has long since become a routine legend in Thailand: do not take the easy route and put everything in your newly acquired Thai girlfriend’s name. Yes, it’s easy it’s quick and it’s cheap. Doing things properly via your own company, a lawyer and an accountant takes time and money. But think very long and hard before allowing your ‘loved one’ to take control of your life-savings, if not your life. This isn’t Kansas anymore! Also be aware that bars, restaurants and guest houses are ‘24-7’ enterprises. Amongst all the other familiar conventions you’ll have to abandon is the concept of the ‘weekend’. Many Thai people don’t have them. In fact, many live, watch TV and sleep on the floor of their shop or business. After a year or two of working in ‘paradise’ you may even find yourself dreaming of a week’s holiday in Blackpool or at the Oktoberfest. The reality is sometimes quite different from the dream, and for some it’s maybe less attractive . . . But for many it’s not. There are hundreds of thriving foreign-owned businesses here now, taking advantage of the international-quality schools, the big supermarkets and the altogether more relaxed lifestyle. It’s not an easy thing to make the break. But it’s certainly worth considering, as long as you take your time about it – and resist the impulse to take the quick and ‘easy’ route.
Rob De Wet 128 l www.samuiholidaymagazine.com
Santiburi Golf
Santiburi Resort
Bo Phut Resort & Spa
FEATURING THE OUTSTANDING 18 HOLE CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF COURSE FOR YOUR PLAYING PLEASURE, THE SANTIBURI GROUP WELCOMES YOU TO EXPERIENCE OUR FINE DINING AND THE HOSPITALITY OF TWO EXCEPTIONAL BEACH RESORT GOLF AND SPA.
Santiburi Resort: 12/12 Moo1, Maenam, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84330 Tel: +66 (0) 7742 5031-5 Fax: +66 (0) 7742 5040
Bo Phut Resort: 12/12 Moo 1, Bo Phut, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84320 Tel: +66 (0) 7724 5777 Fax: +66 (0) 7724 5776
Sales Office: 245/7 Sukhumvit 31, Klongton Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand Tel: +66 (0) 2260 2530-5 Fax: +66 (0) 2260 7570 E-mail: info@santiburi-samui-resort.com Website: www.santiburi.com www.samuiholidaymagazine.com l 129