http://thailandculturecustomguide.org/thailand-etiquette/everyday_etiquette.html

This is a great article: do read it.

And after you have, do not despair! Foreign visitors (farangs) to Koh Samui will not be expected to know all the intricacies of Thai etiquette, or the proper and right way of doing quite ordinary everyday things. Thai culture offers guidance on how to conduct yourself in a wide range of situations, how to dress and how to converse. Of course these ‘ways to live’ have been handed down from generation to generation, and for the young Thais who are brought up with parents and extended families, especially away from the big cities, these customs are second nature, and probably need no formal teaching.

For example it is not expected that during a conversation there will be loud voices or much gesticulation – which many European visitors may find rather restrictive and alien! Younger people should not hold a conversation over the head of an older person. Your body language and the questions you may wish to ask while speaking to a Thai are very important – no folded arms, no personal questions, no rude language.

There are three things held in the greatest respect by Thais: 1. their Nation 2. their religion and 3. the Thai Monarchy. All must be given the greatest respect and should not be spoken about in a critical or patronising way.

There are of course exceptions to all rules, and you may well see someone clanging his spoon and fork together at the dining table, or speaking over the head of a more senior person. In Bangkok people may have chosen to ignore some of their ingrained codes of conduct but if you venture into the countryside, this will not be the case.

So the main things to remember while you are on Koh Samui are:

• Politeness to everyone is essential
• Do not lose your temper
• Do not shout
• Older people are to be respected
• The head of a person is sacred: not to be touched!
• The foot is not: do not point your foot at anyone, or touch anyone with your foot: it is an insult
• Do not be overly amorous in public
• Keep the bikini and the Speedos for the beach – cover up and dress appropriately elsewhere.

The Thais are amongst the most hospitable and friendly people on the planet, and if you are lucky enough to be invited into a Thai’s home on Koh Samui –

• Arrive on time – too early or too late is a no-no
• Take your hosts a small gift – it will be very appreciated (some cakes or biscuits, perhaps a small bottle of wine)
• Remember to remove your shoes at the door
• Try not to sit with one leg over the other, or both legs totally stretched out. Victorian prim and proper does it.
• Don’t stay too long!

Above all, enjoy your stay in one of our stunning Koh Samui Villas, and should you ever feel you have stepped over the line of Thai good etiquette, just say sorry and move on. As well as being friendly and happy, the Thais are very forgiving of these little farang mistakes.

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Oh boy, is there! Here are a few to add to your list of What To Do With The Kids …

At Chaweng Beach there’s the Aquapark for anyone over 5 years of age, where there are giant inflatables to leap onto, and off. This is a designated area cordoned off from the main ocean and all visitors are provided with life vests. Cost is 500 baht per person for a day, and 350 for a half day. By all accounts an exhausting activity!

Coco Splash Waterpark is at Lamai Beach. This waterpark has 7 slides, 4 pools, a Jacuzzi, waterpolo and pool-side activities too such as table tennis. Children under 90cms tall get free entry, children 90-130cms are 350 baht and over 130cms 450 baht. A 4-person family pass costs 1500 baht. There is a restaurant, and the adults can also enjoy a massage.

Samui Frisbee Golf at Maenam is a new venture for all ages that is proving very popular. The course has 9 holes, is very shady, and has separate tee areas for beginners and advanced players. The owner, Nigel, explains all the rules and techniques – and he also runs a pizza restaurant on the side! Costs are 50 baht for children, 100 baht for adults.

Treasure Island Mini Golf is near the Big Buddha at Bophut. This course has 18 holes and is a great way to spend an afternoon. Price: 400 baht for adults, 200 for children under 12.

An elephant trek through some of the backwater jungle areas of the island can be a good family outing, and can be organised through one of the many nature tour groups on the island. Cost will be approximately 700 baht for an adult, 500 for child between 4 and 10 years old for a 30-minute trip is. Or 1200 and 800 for an hour.

Older kids might enjoy the adventure of the Treetop Tour Cable Ride, inland from Maenan close to Magic Garden on one of Samui’s highest mountains. Zip through the treetops, 780 metres of cable, safe, fun and exciting….

Some of the most popular for children are -

Samui Aquarium and Tiger Zoo, close to the Samui Orchid Resort in the south of the island, where there are plenty of live shows and you can have your photograph taken with a big cat.

Koh Samui Butterfly Garden, close to Buddha’s Footprint in the south of the island, where there are also moths, and insects, and beehives.

The Crocodile Farm, near the airport, is also very popular, especially with boys for some reason! Entrance costs 100 baht for an adult, and 75 for children. There are also snakes, monkeys, caimans, alligators and lizards.

Many Koh Samui villas have been specifically designed for families with younger children in mind. Some villas have connecting doors between the master and adjacent bedroom, others have colourful adventure bedrooms designed and equipped with children in mind. Some have a shallow area in the pool for the younger ones and there are usually plenty of televisions and child-friendly DVDs once they are exhausted by all the outdoor activities!

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And while enjoying all that, how about helping to support local Koh Samui communities with their green projects?

Then you mustn’t miss The Samui Latin and Jazz Week from 29 September – 06 October 2013!!

All profits from this week of great sounds will go to the Green Island Foundation to help support sustainable community-run projects around the island.

Presented by the Koh Samui Municipality, and organised under the auspices of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, this is a serious coming together of great vocalists and musicians from around the world.

40 great Thai and international artistes will be performing at various locations for eight great nights, from 29 September until 06 October. So if you love jazz, Latino music, scintillating songs and great percussion sounds – just drop in!

Here are some of the musicians who will be performing – Deborah Brown (vocalist) from the States, Saskia Laroo (“Lady Miles Davies”) on trumpet and Peter Beets (pianist) from the Netherlands. Plus Judith Nijland (the Netherlands), saxophonist Rolf Delfos (Netherlands), Nadia Basurto vocalist, and Miquel Rodriques on guitar from Spain, Fabio Deldongo, singer and pianist, from France.

The programme starts on Sunday 29 September at Fair House Villas & Spa, Maenam

8pm preview concert with Deborah Brown;
9pm, Dina Medina & Cabo Cuba Jazz.

Then Monday 30 September at Rocky’s Boutique Resort, Lamai –
8pm Trio Peter Beets ‘Tribute to Peterson’;
9pm Judith Nijland & The Beets Brothers.

Tuesday 01 October – The Drink Gallery, Chaweng –
8-10pm Saskia Laroo with her quartet ‘Jazzkia’.

Wednesday 02 October – The Passage Samui, Laem Yai –
8-10pm Miguel Rodriguez and Nadia Basurto.

Thursday 03 October – Centara Grand Beach Resort, Chaweng –
8-10pm Salsa Night with Nando Vanin.

You can book online at www.samuilatinandjazzweek.com;
by emailing info@samuilatinandjazzweek.com
or in person at each venue.
All concerts have an entrance fee of 500 THB per ticket.

There will be great food available at the venues for these evenings.

Then on Friday 04 October and Saturday 05 October there are two evenings of free concerts at the beachfront main stage of the Amari Palm Reef at Chaweng. These evenings start at 6.00pm and go on until midnight.

Artistes will be numerous, and will include – Nils Fischer, percussion; Rolf Delfos, saxophone; Koran Daniels, saxophone; Kho Mr Saxman, saxophone; Cabo Cuba Jazz quartet; Amik Guerra, trumpet; Fabio Deldongo, vocalist and keyboard and Buntita Prachamorn, vocalist.

The last evening is Sunday 06 October, which starts at 6pm at the Secret Garden, Bang Rak. This Sunday ‘After Party’ session is with Fabio Deldongo, vocalist and keyboard.

Book that Ko Samui villa, your flights – and those jazz week tickets now!

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SilkAir will offer three flights a week from Singapore to Koh Samui under a code share with Bangkok Airways. The regional wing of Singapore Airlines will begin offering three flights a week from the city-state to Koh Samui on Sept 27, using Airbus A319s that feature both business and economy class cabins.

Already serving Phuket and Chiang Mai from its Changi airport hub, SilkAir is moving to tap new traffic opportunities on Thailand’s second-largest island, which is especially popular among Westerners. SilkAir will cooperate with Bangkok Airways, the privately owned airline that dominates traffic Koh Samui’s air traffic, by establishing a code-share partnership on SilkAir-operated flights. The arrangement will include Bangkok Airways’ existing daily flights between Koh Samui and Singapore.

Bangkok Airways also code shares on SilkAir’s Singapore-Chiang Mai and Singapore-Phuket routes. As well, SilkAir will code share on Bangkok Airways’ Bangkok-Koh Samui, Koh Samui-Phuket and Chiang Mai-Koh Samui corridors.

Peter Wiesner, Bangkok Airways’ senior vice-president for network management, said the arrangement for the Singapore-Koh Samui route would allow it to drive more traffic. “We plan to capture traffic from Singapore as well as through traffic from long-haul routes connecting from major aviation hubs such as Singapore’s Changi airport.,” he said.

SilkAir is Bangkok Airways’ latest code-share partner after Thai Airways International, EVA Air, Etihad, Air Berlin, Air France and KLM.

(Source Bangkok Post)

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Well done, Charlie!  Wish I could be like that.  Despite travelling back to the UK, and to other countries, several times during the course of a normal year, I never pack my case the same way twice, and I never seem to get it right!

Some trips I come back home having taken out of the case just about a third of what I took: I didn’t after all need the hair dryer, the straighteners, the factor 50 sunscreen, the extra special hair conditioner, the three pashminas, the cocktail dress, the new strappy sandals, the cargo shorts, or – surprise surprise!! – the four different kinds of phone charger / plug adaptor, my Swiss Army penknife (assuming it was in my case and NOT my hand luggage and therefore made it to our destination), or even my GPS …

Some holidays I am immediately off on a search for a long, short sleeved and baggy tee-shirt, because absolutely no one is wearing a slinky see-through and very short cover-up on the beach …   Or factor 50, because this year I packed factor 30 thinking that would do for everyone, but boy, is the sun strong, and the kids are fair skinned …  Or a good pair of walking sandals, because suddenly Himself wants to walk everywhere to find his morning espresso and high-heeled strappy sandals just don’t do hills with cobblestones …

So, here are some questions for you – to which I would appreciate answers!

1.    Should suitcases be shared – or does everyone get their own?
2.    Is it good to start the packing process early?  Should you lay everything out on a spare bed – assuming you have one – about a week in advance of the final, final closure of the zip and padlock?
3.    Or should it all be done in one fell swoop: an hour of constant buzz and flurry ‘twixt wardrobe and dressing table and suitcase?
4.    Do you roll or fold?
5.    Do you take your favourite piece of jewellery, even when you don’t know if where you are staying has a personal safe?  Do you take any jewellery?
6.    Do you take your laptop, and all the paraphernalia that that entails?
7.    Ditto mobile phones?  Do you all take them?  Or just the man-of-the-house?
8.    Do you pack more than one book …  in case the one you’ve just started turns out to be great and gets finished within two days?
9.    Do you take your iPod, plug yourself in, and remain aloof and distant and therefore miss out on the conversations going on around you, plus (thank goodness) the constant blare of the kids’ music?
10.    Just how many toys, books and gadgets do you allow each of your kids to bring?  Do they make the choices?  Or do you, knowing as you do just which ones are more likely to survive the two weeks of Ko Samui’s beaches, pools, restaurants and taxis rides?

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I’m glad that the chair’s in the shade!   But how about a hat too, and you still need sun cream even in the shade, and even on Ko Samui.   Did you know that 1% of our wrinkles are due to ageing: 99% are from how we live our life – and that includes too much sun.  Our skin is damaged by both UVA and UVB rays: both can cause skin damage and that means at the very least, wrinkles and dryness.    UVB is the main culprit for sunburn, but UVA does its stuff quietly: this is the one that does the most damage to your skin.

Do you know what the SPF number on your sunscreen actually means?   The higher the number, the more protection and the longer you can stay in the sun.  You must know your skin type, and how long it takes until you burn.  Once you know that, then your ’burn time’ x the SPF No of your cream = the maximum time you can stay in the sun safely.

If you have a fair skin, then you need higher protection than someone with a dark complexion.   Now you can find sunscreens up to SPF 70, but that doesn’t give you carte blanche (no joke intended) to slap it on and bake for hours.  As with most things, little and often is better than one huge dollop.

We’ve thought for years that a good tan looks wonderfully healthy and attractive, but now that we know just what the sun can do to our skins, thank goodness the times they are a-changing, and the look now is tending towards the pale and cool.   Which doesn’t help those of us with built-in freckles, age spots and other blemishes!   Not all of us have a beautiful smooth alabaster complexion, and, frankly, not all of us would be totally happy with that, especially after a couple of weeks on Ko Samui: a little smattering of freckles on honey-coloured skin is still a good way to say ‘Hey!  I had a great holiday!’

Here’s a few of the well-known Do’s and Don’ts, just as a reminder: we want your Ko Samui holiday to be one of the best you’ve ever had, and if your skin hurts, you have a headache or a fever, then you are not going to be able to enjoy yourself to the utmost:

•    Don’t sunbathe in full sun between 11 am and 3 pm
•    Don’t ignore the sunscreen if you are swimming in the sea or your private pool, or are spending the day on a boat.   You will need it more as the sun will be reflecting off the sea, and there may be a strong breeze to increase the drying effect
•    Don’t try to speed up your tanning by using anything other than a proper sunscreen
•    Don’t drink strong alcohol – this will dehydrate you.  But some say that a beer’s OK!  Save it for those sundowners in your Ko Samui villa sala …
•    Don’t forget to reapply your sunscreen every 2 hours
•    Don’t forget your sunglasses to protect your eyes
•    Don’t forget that your lips will burn faster than the rest of you.
•    Apply your sunscreen 20 minutes before going outside
•    Do make sure you use the right SPF factor sunscreen for your skin type
•    Do use proper sunscreens that you’ve used before – not one you’ve made, put together in your kitchen earlier …
•    Drink plenty of water: both sun and wind will dehydrate you
•    Make sure the kids are well covered up with sun protection tee-shirts, hats and proper children’s sunscreen.

If this if your first holiday in the sun this year, then take it easy too: just a couple of hours out there for the first few days should break you and your skin in to the idea of a daily dose of those rays.  Children should be out there for less time.

If you do get a sunburn –

•    Don’t sunbathe any more that day!  Your mild sunburn may turn to 2nd degree burns, and require medical attention
•    Have a cool shower or bath
•    Gently rub in some aloe vera cream or gel, or the juice from a fresh leaf.   It might be an idea to get some aloe vera gel or cream before you go on holiday, just in case
•    Moisturise with a good moisturiser, like a cocoa butter cream
•    If necessary, take some pain relief.

If you don’t have any cooling aloe vera, then here are some household remedies you might want to try to cool your skin if there is nothing else to hand:

•    mash up some tomatoes, add them to crushed ice, place on the burnt skin
•    slices of cucumber or apple will have a similar cooling effect
•    ditto plain yoghurt, vinegar, tomato ketchup.

If the symptoms are far more severe and include fever, headache, and confusion, then the sufferer may have sunstroke.   This happens when the body has become overheated, and cannot reduce its temperature quickly enough by sweating.  You must lower the person’s body heat immediately by giving cold water to drink, and a cool soak in the bath.  Don’t wrap the person in cold, wet towels or other cloths as this traps the heat in.  If you are at all worried, then please seek medical help.

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When you’re on holiday you may not want to spend each and every day lazing round the pool reading, or paddling with the children on the beach: you might want to get out and about for a day or two, see a few different towns, temples, sights – and let’s not forget the shops.

You can walk, hire a car or bike, catch a taxi, bus, train, plane or ferry.  Ko Samui may be a small island, but it has good communication and transport facilities, even if some of the roads might be a bit rough, especially after the rains!

Walking is probably my favourite way of seeing around the island: you are not cut off by glass windows; you can stop when you want to; you will know exactly (one hopes!) where you are going; and you can time your outward journey so that your homebound one gets you back in good time for a shower before the all-important sundowners and supper.

It does get hot though!  So make sure you have a map, take water, sunscreen, a hat, and wear good walking shoes.  Take a mobile phone with you, and contact numbers just in case of an emergency.   If you’d rather not do it alone, then this website gives good advice, and contact information so that you can join them on their various hikes into the hills:   http://walksamui.blogspot.com/2011/01/walk-and-live-in-koh-samui.html .

Car and bike hire – hiring a vehicle or a bike is easy, but you should be warned that the roads can be rough, there may be a slow-moving construction traffic, and the driving of others can be inconsistent and not of a standard with which you are probably familiar.  Plus there are some quirks to the Thai Highway Code which need mentioning.   Usually, if you are driving on a road, you are the one with the right of way.  But in Thailand this is not the case: you must give way to oncoming traffic that moves over into your lane, and also to traffic coming from behind which is moving faster than you.  This is why you will see many people moving over as far to the left as possible to allow others to pass, often making use of the hard shoulder to let this happen.    If you approach close to a slower moving vehicle, then it is polite to give a short hoot of your horn to allow them to know you are there, and wishing to pass.

You will also need to keep your eyes in front of you, to your left and your right side, and behind you at all times!   Not only will you need to watch out for other vehicles, but for debris in the road, animals and children – and you will also need to keep a very respectful and courteous head on your shoulders.

If you intend to hire a moped, bicycle or motorbike, then you must wear a helmet.  Not wearing one and being caught by the police will get you an immediate fine.  Not only that, but wearing one might just save your life should you be unlucky and have an accident.

Still want to hire a car or a moped?  If you book your villa through Samui Island Villas, they can organise car hire for you. You will need your passport, a credit card, an International Driving Licence or your own home country licence.

Do not be tempted to hire a car from a hire company that says you do not need to have a driving licence, as you will not be covered by insurance if you have an accident and if you are pulled over by the police you will be fined at the very least.   If you are staying for longer than three months, then you will need to get a Thai driver’s licence otherwise, again, you will not be covered by insurance.

Given up on that idea?  Why not hire a taxi, and let someone else be all-seeing and ever-careful, while you enjoy the views.   You can hire a taxi from the roadside, or outside the bigger shops.   Be ready to bargain if  you wish to hire a car for a full day.

Ferry, bus, coach, mini-bus -  here’s a good site that will give you their timetables – www.samuiwestcoast.de/samui/samui_transport.htm

Or why not consider using the songthaews, Samui’s public transport system which consists of converted pick-ups with bench seats.  These circle the island on fixed routes all day.  Fares are cheap and are paid at the end of your journey.  If you want to catch one, you just wave it down as there are no set stopping places.   And when you want to get off, ring the bell or bang on the roof!   During the evenings these songthaews often turn into private taxis and you will have to negotiate your price before getting in.

The cabs with meters are yellow, and have a TAXI METER sign on the top.  These are usually air conditioned.  Prices might be high, as most drivers don’t seem to be all that interested in turning on their meters: but if you’re happy with that, try to get some idea of what the journey’s going to cost you before getting in.

You can also get a motorbike taxi, which are very cheap, but you may have some safety concerns about these.  Make sure the driver has a helmet for you, and you may want to line it with a cloth of your own before actually putting it on.

Flying – you possibly flew in from Bangkok International Airport, so you will know that you can fly out again, should you wish to visit Bangkok itself for a few days, or go on to Chiang Mai …  At the moment you can fly between Bangkok and Ko Samui on Thai Airways and Bangkok Airways.

The post Getting Around Koh Samui appeared first on Samui Island Villas.

Ooooh … spooky!  But how does he cope when all who have visited Koh Samui start cooking Thai-style as soon as they get home?  Thai cuisine is one of the tastiest in the world, and mastering some of the basics will set you up for quick family suppers or sumptuous dinner party fare.

And here’s a very quick and easy one for a summer lunch or supper:

Thai Waterfall Beef Salad
Ingredients for 2 people:
2-3 steaks – sirloin, or fillet – depending on their size and how much meat you want
Salad greens – rocket, lambs ear, cos, romaine, little gem: whatever you like – torn to bite size
Bean sprouts – one packet
1 cup fresh papaya, cut into small cubes
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
A few leaves of basil

The marinade:
2 Tbs oyster sauce
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs lime or lemon juice
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 cup fresh coriander, stalks removed, chopped

Dressing:
2 Tbs fish sauce (can be omitted if you can’t find it in your supermarket / Asian store.  It adds some saltiness to the salad)
3 Tbs lime or lemon juice
1.5 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs ground peanuts
1 Tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tsp brown sugar

1.     Make the marinade first: mix all the ingredients together making sure the sugar is dissolved.  Then put the marinade and the steaks in a new plastic bag or tight seal container, seal, give it a shake, leave in the fridge.
2.     Then make the dressing: as with the marinade, mix all the ingredients together, making sure the sugar is dissolved, leave in a bowl or clean, small salad-dressing bottle.
3.     Get the salad ready.
4.     Grill or griddle the steaks, turning just once.  The steaks should be well sealed to keep their juices in, but still pink in the middle.
5.     When done, slice very thinly.
6.     Place salad on plates with the steak on top.

If you eat this in a Thai restaurant, the salad will already be dressed.  I prefer to leave it for people to add themselves.

And why is it called Waterfall Beef Salad?  Because of the noise of the meat juices hitting the hot grill.  Of course, if you do the grilling inside your oven, you may just have to imagine that!

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So…to Ko or (not) to Koh? That is the question!  Both small words, but you will probably see them many, many times during your visit to Ko Samui, and some explanation is perhaps timely.

The Thai language is a part of the Tai group of the Tai-Kadai language family. This family of languages seems to have no definite ties to any other group. Some Thai words are borrowed from Sanskrit, Pali (both from India) and Old Khmer (Cambodia).

It is a tonal and analytic language, meaning that how you pronounce a word gives it its meaning (same as the Chinese language) and the analytic description means that most of the language is composed of single morpheme words (this means that the word cannot be divided up any further, and in itself it has meaning).

I knew you’d ask … but as a very quick and brief example, think of the English word dog. Single concept (furry animal), no prefix or suffix. Now think of something like untouchable.  Here we have a word made up of three bits: un – touch – able. Only the bit in the middle has stand-alone meaning; the other two are a prefix and a suffix. If you need more explanation, read some of Stephen Pinker’s excellent books on linguistics.

Today, Standard Thai is spoken by over 20 million people, but there are also over ten other related Tai languages spoken in the country.

And there are several separate ways to speak the language, depending on what you are talking about or to whom you are speaking, from the informal ‘street’ or ‘common Thai’ used between relatives and friends; to ‘elegant’ or ‘formal’ – the official and written style; the ‘rhetorical’ which is used for public speaking; ‘religious’ when addressing monks or discussing Buddhism and lastly, ‘Royal Thai’ when speaking to or about the royal family.

Most Thai people will be able to speak and understand all of these, but the first two will be used for most conversations. The last three are also taught in schools.

Back to our Ko / Koh …Why we have two versions of this word in Latin script is debatable.  At a guess, it may well have started when people transcribing the Thai language wrote it down as they heard it: some possibly thought that the ‘h’ on the end extended the sound of the ‘o’.  It’s a bit like what happened when the first Europeans visited India, and we got Bombay – now Mumbai, and Calcutta – now Kolkata … so how come they got Delhi right then?!

But both Ko and Koh mean the same thing: ‘island’, There are over 1,430 islands making up the country of Thailand, so you will indeed see the Thai script or the words Ko or Koh a lot!

While you are on Ko Samui why not visit its sister islands – Ko Tao, and Ko Phangan (and you may also see Koh Pha Ngan).  These three islands form part of the Surat Thani province of Thailand.

Ko Tao is a small island (approx 21 sq kms) about two and a half hours from Ko Samui.  It is also known as Turtle Island.   Originally named because of its shape, it was however a favourite spot for the Hawksbill and Green turtles to lay their eggs. It remained largely uninhabited and undeveloped for the last few hundred years, but in the late 20th century became a very popular tourist and scuba diving centre.  Development soon encroached on the turtles’ favourite spots, of course, but new programmes are in place to encourage these magnificent creatures to keep coming back.

Ko Phangan is a much larger island to the north of Ko Samui, and covers around 168 sq kms. Home of the famous full moon parties, it is also worthy of a visit because it is a very friendly and family-oriented tourist destination, with some fabulous white sandy beaches to enjoy.

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Landlubber or yachtsperson? No matter which, because if you are with us at this minute you won’t be able to escape the fun and thrills of the annual Regatta. It started today, 30th May and ends on 4th June, and it’s taking place right now, off the Chaweng Beach!

Described by some as ‘One of Asia’s top Lifestyle and Sport Events’, all the top yachts, crew and media will be in attendance, and there will be a lot of wonderful ocean racing to see, some terrific photo opportunities, and plenty on land to keep you all amused.

2011 is the competition’s 10th year, during which time it has grown and grown, and now many of the island’s top hotels, restaurants and resorts all vie to take part in organising special evenings and entertainment for the spectators and participants.  This year the landlubbery events include a golf tournament, a watch exhibition, a car show and two huge dinner events – Premiership Soccer Legends, and a Fashion Evening – as well as hoards of other attractions all around Ko Samui.

If you get bored just watching the possibly somewhat distant competitors from the golden sands of Chaweng, you could always get on one of the select spectator boats that will be cruising the seas for a closer view.   You can choose from a ‘chasing speed boat’ or the Regatta Spectator Boat.  Essential to book, of course, and the place to get your boat is Bangrak pier, at 9 am every race day.  Tickets cost 1,500 TB which includes a lunch and soft drink.  Or you can email apikard@gmail.com or phone to reserve on 086 503 9558.

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Are you suggesting that coconuts migrate?

Well, silly Monty Python, of course they do. Using the oceans to spread their huge coconut seeds (each fully grown one weighs approximately 4.4 kgs / 3.2lbs) the coconut palm has populated vast areas of the topics.  Some seeds have even been found off the Norwegian coast.

The palm – cocos nucifera – needs high temperatures (above 12 degrees every day of the year), lots of sunshine, regular rainfall and humidity in order to survive, and nothing growing above it – that’s why we don’t see it in Europe as a growing species, and why it first flourished along empty coastlines. It loves sandy soils, and can obviously tolerate high salinity. It can grow as high as 30 metres and produces between 30 and 75 fruits a year, and when very carefully cultivated, sometimes more.

Defying gravity at times, it seems to be able to continue growing even when leaning at 45 degrees or more, despite relying on a fibrous root system, with no big tap root or root hairs.

And of course, as soon as man realised how beneficial this plant is he intervened to give it a helping hand in establishing itself, and seafarers of long ago would transport the nuts for cultivation. Over 80 countries now grow coconut palms, not only for their beauty and decorative value but because almost every part of the tree and its seeds can be used.  Its various names in local languages hint at this: kalpa vriksha (Sanskrit) means ‘the tree which gives the necessities of life’; pokok seribu guna (Malay) ‘the tree of a thousand uses’; and in the Philippines it is ‘the tree of life’.

Coconut timber and the huge leaves from the palm can be used for building and furniture making. The timber is water resistant, and produces good, straight timber.
Coconut water – the sweet juice from the nut – is a refreshing drink, and is growing in popularity as an isotonic sport drink because of the natural ingredients, including protein, anti-oxidants, minerals and vitamins.
Coconut flesh – the white flesh or meat from the nut can be used fresh or dried, made into flour or chips, and is widely used in both savoury and sweet dishes.
Copra – is the dried meat of the seed, and from this comes coconut oil and coconut meal.
Coir – the fibre from the coconut husk, has a myriad of uses: ropes, brushes, sacks, mats and stuffing for various household furniture and furnishings.
Coconut milk and cream – produced by infusing the coconut flesh (either fresh or dried) in hot water or milk.
Coconut toddy, nectar, palm wine, palm sugar – all drinks, fresh or fermented, produced from the palm flower sap.
Coconut vinegar – produced from the coconut water.
Heart of palm – a rare delicacy, as using the young buds kills the parent palm.
Coconut sprout – from newly germinated seeds, which produce an edible substance of a fluffy consistency, a bit like marshmallows.
Coconut root – can be used to produce a mouthwash, medicine for dysentery and diarrhoea, and a dye. You can also use a frayed piece as a toothbrush!

What a plant!

Thailand is the 6th largest producer of coconuts in the world.  In 2009 it produced 1.7million tonnes.
In some places in Thailand, coconuts are harvested by trained monkeys (pig-tailed macaques) called ling gaeng.  The monkeys climb the trees, pick the coconuts and throw them down to their handler.  These monkeys are trained in special schools, and the best will take part in competitions each year to find the quickest harvester.

Coconuts can be harvested every 40 – 90 days, depending on how good their growing soil is and how quickly that particular tree is producing fruit, so with luck, when you visit Koh Samui, several farmers will be gathering in their produce. It’s great fun watching the men run up the trees and cut down the seeds – just be careful to stand well back! And if you’re lucky and find a farmer who uses the monkeys, you will have a great photo opportunity.

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Thai Airways (THAI) celebrated its 50th birthday in 2010, and on 1st April this year it finalised 40 years of a service to Sydney, Australia, its first international destination inaugurated in 1971. The airline now operates 18 flights a week between Bangkok and Sydney, and 14 to Melbourne. There are also daily flights to Brisbane and Perth.

Not bad for an airline that started life in 1960 as a joint venture between Thai Airways Company and the Scandinavian Airlines System, or SAS. By 1977, after 17 years of partnership, the Thai government bought up the remaining SAS holding, and THAI became fully owned by the Thai people. By 1987 expatriate staff based in Thailand numbered less than 1%, and Thai nationals had long assumed full managerial and operational responsibility.

Starting locally within Asia, nine destinations were opened during its first year of operation in the Asia region, followed in 1971 by flights to Australia, then to Europe in 1972, and in 1980 to North America.

From its major airport of Suvarnabhumi in Bangkok, opened in September 2006, THAI now flies passengers to 11 local Thai destinations including Koh Samui, and a total of 71 in 35 other countries around the globe, using a fleet of 90 craft. Split virtually equally, THAI operates both Airbus and Boeing planes: Airbus 300, 330 and 340; Boeing 737, 747 and 777. THAI was the first Asia-Pacific airline to fly into London Heathrow.  Only until recently has THAI had any financial problems, posting a profit for many consecutive years, but recently global events may have put a temporary dint in that happy situation.

THAI has been voted for years as one of the best luxury airlines in the world, offering amazingly friendly service, and restaurant-class cuisine, wines and champagnes. Its mission statement, sabai, meaning healthy mind and body, is one that all THAI staff take very seriously indeed.

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Our wedding was many years ago. The celebration continues to this day

You will want to remember your wedding day in the years to come too, so it’s got to be with the right people – and in the right place. And where is the ultimate destination for the best-day-of-your-life? We would recommend the venue of the beautiful island of Koh Samui.

The golden beaches and stunning sunsets, the colourful flowers and wonderful temperature – all brought together at the right time by lovely people working hard to make your very, very special day one you will never forget.

The wedding planners associated with Samui Island Villas can help you decide whether you have a sumptuous ceremony in the ultimate of luxury, or a more casual celebration on the beach.  You can choose from several religious services, or, if you prefer, have a non-religious civil celebration. Your planners will lead you through all the various options and decisions you have to make, and they will organise a complete package for you, from the venue and service, to the music, flowers, cars and cuisine, leaving you and your loved ones totally stress-free, with all the time in the world to enjoy every single moment of your day.

Booking your wedding planner, the location, the honeymoon villa plus villas for your main wedding party and other guests, could not be easier: once you’ve seen something you like: just email us contact@samuiislandvillas.com

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The only good is knowledge; and the only evil is ignorance.

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The world makes up for all its follies and injustices by being damnably sentimental.

When you think about it, we are indeed a sentimental lot. All those films we weep over, the books we read, blinking rapidly, the music we listen and sing along to (badly). Not to mention the thousands – millions! – of photographs we take each year – and store away carefully… or not. They tell us where we’ve been, what we were doing, who we were with, and some of them might even tell us when it all happened.

Think about your collection of photos: are they paper-based, stored carefully in albums, captioned? Possibly not, these days!   So are they digital, on DVDs, labelled?  Are they on your computer?  Still on the camera’s memory stick? Tut tut … get them off there!  Spend a wet weekend happily browsing through them, organising them into folders, then getting them onto DVDs and/or an external hard drive. And print a few out – pin them to your notice board, frame a few of the good ones, and look at them.   This, encapsulated, is your life …

That sentimental side of us humans just loves looking back on what we did, where we went and who was with us.   We can see how things looked in the past, and laugh at how fashion changes, those hideous hair styles, children’s growth spurts and – ahhhh – our much loved but long gone pets.

Don’t be afraid to get your camera out when walking or driving around Koh Samui, but be respectful and ask first before clicking at people regardless, especially in temples or other religious areas. On the mainland there may be some rural people who believe that having their photograph taken will ‘capture’ their soul, and they will walk away from you and your camera. Be sensitive.  And many bars in Ko Samui, especially those with ‘entertainment’, will not allow photos to be taken. But don’t be put off: your camera should be with you all the time, ready for that perfect sunset (which Koh Samui seems to get every single night of the year), that colourful fishing boat, that beautiful temple, those gorgeous orchids …

Create some memories of your time on Koh Samui: don’t even think about your future grandchildren, 20 or so years from now, sorting through the neatly labelled DVDs, with puzzled, wrinkled nose and curled lip, saying ‘What the heck are these, grandpa?’ – pack your camera, some spare memory sticks – and get clicking. You have many happily sentimental wet weekends ahead of you …

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There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion.

What I may think is an absolutely glorious beach, may not of course appeal to everyone. And when you’re talking about beaches, what is and isn’t acceptable will differ widely. Some may like the fact that there’s no Costa Coffee for miles, that there are no ‘facilities’ other than the ocean, and they are the only people on that particular beach.

Others may find the lack of crowds worrying, the getting there too rough, the climb down to that idyllic cove not worth the attempt, especially as everything needed for a simple ‘day on the beach’ had to be toted down by everyone – and will all have to be carried back up again.  And the car! Parked some hundreds of metres back and up is now left to stew in the heat … What if someone hurts their toe in the sea? What if we run out of water? What if it rains? What if the car won’t start once we find it again?

What if … what if … But we’re talking KOH SAMUI here, and I’d be happy to bet that most people long to be sitting, snorkelling, sleeping or sunbathing on that tropical paradise beach of white sand, safe aqua sea, beautiful sun and a modicum of solitude. Throw in some shady palm trees, little islands in the distance to break up the shimmering horizon, and a not too distant café or resort – and you’ve probably got most people’s idea of heaven.

The islands and beaches that make up Thailand (all 1,430 of them) have an awful lot going for them.  Many have glorious white or golden sands fringed by palm trees, beautiful clear and safe waters in which colourful fish play and nibble, are secluded and private, coffee and lunch are just a little walk away – and most are undisturbed by serried rows of sun beds and hundreds of sunseekers.  Other beaches, particularly those attached to the larger resorts, will offer water sports too should you decide to become more active and relinquish that un-put-down-able book.

Last year Kho Phi Phi, Koh Phangan, Patong beach on Phuket, and the Pranburi beaches on the mainland have all been quoted by Forbes.com and the Travel Channel as some of the best beaches in the world.

But here’s a secret: one of the best beaches in Thailand is on Koh Samui – and you could be staying there! It’s Maenam Beach.

Maenam – still thought of by some as a ‘backpacker beach’ – enjoys privacy, safe waters and golden sands. It is pretty and tranquil, still uncrowded, with restaurants dotted inland that will suit every pocket.

Voted a few years back by Australian journalist John Borthwick as 9th in his list of Asia’s Best Beaches, Maenam is a rarity in these crowded times: a quiet haven of beauty. Check out our villas on Maenam beach – you won’t be disappointed.

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Happiness is not achieved by the conscious pursuite of happiness: it is generally the by-product of other activities.

Have you tried football-golf yet?
Surprisingly, this is a combination of football and golf, and its great fun for all the family. Kick your way round a shady 18-hole course, with huge holes, down which you have to pot your football! The course is just 7 minutes from Chaweng Beach near the Imperial Boathouse Hotel in Choeng Mon. No equipment or experience required: just come along with your feet!  (089 771 7498)

Island hopping
With +/- 1,430 islands making up Thailand, you are never going to run out of places to visit for beaches and water activities.  Many of the islands are uninhabited and great places to see the local flora and faua. To get to any of them you’ll need a boat of course but that’s not difficult, and for a great day out why not a day trip to one of them? Two kilometers from the southern end of Koh Samui are the Taen and Matsum islands, where you can explore the caves (mind the bats and the guano!) take a nature trek, do some fishing, diving and snorkelling. Or just lie there on a secluded beach and sunbathe …

Don’t like to be so isolated? How about Koh Phangan, just north of Koh Samui? Just 2/3rds the size of KS, and not so developed, and despite being home to the increasingly popular Full Moon parties once a month and some building in the last couple of years, Phangan island still has beautiful coral beaches.

Thai cooking courses
Always popular, with both men and women, these classes help you understand and create some culinary masterpieces – which can then be eaten! Some you just sit and watch, others insist you take part. One school on the island is SITCAA (Samui Institute of Culinary Arts) and is located in south Chaweng (077 413 172). It runs two courses a day of 3 hours each, using fresh produce and their own Thai curry pastes. It has a shop and a restaurant (The Dining Room). Toy Suwan at the Blue Banana (Big Buddha Beach, 077 245 080) has lunchtine and evening classes and also a small shop.

Love fishing -
- but don’t like bobbing about on the sea? There is some good fresh-water fishing available at Top Cats’ two man-made lakes where they claim to have over 4,000 fish and 20 different species. All equipment and bait will be provided and there is also a sports bar, restaurant and a large swimming pool. They are situated on Route 4170, Ban Taling Ngam.  (077 415 387)

Kiteboarding
is on offer at the Samui Orchid Resort in Laem Set. Offering the latest equipment and a wide range of courses for everyone to get involved. It’s a lovely shallow bay where the activity takes place, so safe for beginners. Reportedly the best time to go is when the north-easterlies blow at 8-20 knots – and that’s from November to March.
(077 424 017-501)

Visit a gym
And feel really pleased with yourself! You will need to become a member for a day at one of the two gyms attached to resorts in Chaweng, but it will definitely be worth it. Both are fully air conditioned and have a good range of equipment. One is the Centara Samui Beach Resort (077 230 500) and at the other end of the beach, the Chaweng Regent (077 422 389-90). You also get to use their pools, steam room and the sauna.

Tennis
You can hire the court at the Imperial Hotel in Chaweng Noi, on the Lamai road.
(077 422 020.)

Mountain Biking
Red Bicycle offers guided tours around the island on their bikes, plus independent rentals and sales.  All equipment such as kneepads and helmets are provided on their tours and experienced guides, all of whom are trained in first aid, lead the tours.  You will also be insured while out with Red Bicycle.  They are situated on Route 4169, Lamai Beach: follow the 5 Islands Restaurant signs. (843 052 170)

Elephant Trekking
Fancy a mini trek with a difference … on the back of an elephant?  You can ride for an hour or 30 minutes to a local waterfall for a swim or a rest, then back to the resort. Not ideal for very young visitors, but for those of 10 and above, a meeting with elephants is something you really must do while in Thailand. Take your trek from the Namuang Waterfall, where the elephant camp can be found at the Namuang Safari Park. (077 424 098 or 077 424 663)

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Every man is the builder of a temple called his body.

That quote is obviously from pre-PC days! But whether man or woman, are you thinking of improving on the original version of your body? Or perhaps you ‘want to go private’ for some medical treatment or surgery, but just cannot afford it at home.   Do you want laser eye surgery? Dental implants? Some form of body sculpting? Stomach banding? Do you need some form of specialised surgery, such as gender reassignment, that would not be considered on your health service or insurance?

Have you considered coming to Thailand?

Thailand is a leading destination for medical tourism with approximately 400 hospitals throughout the country offering procedures. Not only does Thailand have the largest private hospital in Asia, but one of its centres was the first to receive the ISO 9001 certification in Asia, and currently 14 hospitals are listed as accredited (for various programmes) with the JCI. (Joint Commission International: which sets standards to improve patient care.)

You can learn about the JCI at www.jointcommissioninternational.org/about-jci/ and if you go to ‘Find Accredited Organization’ at the top of the page, you can search Thailand for a list of hospitals. It will show in which programme they are accredited, and you may wish to contact the hospital to check that their accreditation covers things that you want it to cover.

Procedures vary in cost from a tenth of the US rate, to at tops about 80%, and of course final rates may well depend on your own personal health history, once your chosen physician has taken all the details he/she needs.

Of course, by having to travel to your hospital destination you have to take into account your fares and some recuperation stay after you come out of hospital, but even so, you may be pleasantly surprised by how much you will actually save by travelling to Thailand for your treatment – and having a short holiday afterwards!

www.health-tourism.com/thailand-hospitals/ gives you information on all the hospitals in Thailand which cater for medical tourists, what procedures they offer, and whether they are JCI or ISO accredited.

The Bangkok Hospital Samui on the island has ISO certification, and if this hospital is your treatment choice finalist, and you want some pampering and relaxation after your procedure, check out our Koh Samui Villas.  We will help you recover by making your stay totally stress-free and relaxed.

BUT – be sure to -
• CHECK each hospital’s accreditations carefully before making a decision
• CHECK that the hospital and its consultants are fully cognisant of what you want to happen while you are there
• INFORM your own GP or consultant what you are considering doing well before you actually book anything: he/she may be able to help you.

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A little madness in the Spring is wholesome even for the King.

It’s still rather chilly out there, and the pretty snow has all gone, so now’s the time to get those holiday brochures out and start planning. Let’s find some sun and fun!

March is one of the best months to visit Koh Samui – just a little rain and the temperatures up to the low 30s. In April – the official start of the ‘hot season’ – the temperatures climb a little, and there are perhaps one or two days more rain than in March, but all in all still the same glorious sun and welcome heat.

So what’s on in March and April?

Saturday March 19th is the next Full Moon Party – an all night event on Haad Rin Beach on Koh Phangan. It happens on the night of every full moon, and if you’re going to be on Koh Samui for long enough, you should think about going to one of these. Drinking and dancing the night away to music by local and international DJs from around the world: for the party people, this is where the action is. Be aware that thousands attend, so if you’re missing the noise and the crowds from home, you’ll love it.

To get to Koh Phangan you have to catch a boat, and it’s about a 45 minute ride. Special services are set up on full moon nights to cater for all who want to attend, but be prepared for a bit of a wait – it gets hectic!

The Songkran Water Festival runs from 13th-15th April, when lots of water is thrown around at anybody and anything that moves. This will certainly help to cool you down should you feel the need. And don’t forget those beauty contests that take place around this time – not to be missed!

The next Full Moon Party is on Monday April 18th.

Other activities to consider are:

Shopping – the list of items on sale is endless, but you can pick up some gorgeous beachwear, plus locally made home items in silk, jewellery in silver, gold and set with precious stones, and countless other handicrafts such as lacquerware, antiques and objets d’art, especially in Chaweng, Nathon and Lamai. And if you can wait for a few days, why not get something handmade by a tailor?

The Na Tian Butterfly Garden can be found in the south of the island. As well as butterflies, there is a beautiful garden to wander around, a bee house where you can watch these busy creatures at work, and an insect museum.

There is an Aquarium at Laem Set Bay, housing many tropical fish and marine plants.

The Ban Lamai Cultural Hall is really a small museum, with local ancient objects on display, including hunting weapons, earthenware and household utensils.

The Namtok Na Mueang Waterfall is a two level fall made by the water coming off the highlands.  The lower one has a drop of approximately 20 metres. To reach the higher fall, please note that the road is pretty steep.  You can also take elephant treks here.

And if you have some energy left, how about some nightlife!  This never seems to stop, especially in the busier tourist centres such as Chaweng and Lamai. There are beach bars and discos, western-style pubs with satellite TV, rock ‘n‘ roll bars, dinners and cabaret, and more classic, quieter restaurants to choose from all over the island. Many of the bars and discos stay open well beyond midnight, and some until sun-up, and these don’t get underway until very late in the evening.

This is also the time of year to think about LOVE …If you’re planning your future wedding or honeymoon, take a look at www.samuiislandvillas.com you might get a few ideas.

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How to say a few words and avoid some cultural faux pas.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Your holiday on Koh Samui island will be so much more rewarding and fun (sanuk) if you can say a few words to the Thai people you meet, so how about learning a few words of their language?   Many Thais speak English, but don’t let that stop you!

There are differences in how to speak Thai if you are a man or a woman, but these words and phrases given below will be understood whether said by either, and you will not cause offence if you use the wrong gender version.

Sawadee  – Hello and Goodbye
At the same time (instead of a hand shake) place your palms together in front of your chest, fingers pointed upward, and bow your head a little.  This is called a Wai.  Usually, the younger or lower status person initiates the Wai.  It is quite usual to address Thai people by their first name, preceded by Khun (Mr / Mrs).

Phoot Thai mai dai
I can’t speak Thai

Hong lnam yoo tee nai?
Where is the rest room?

Khorb koon mark
Thank you very much

Mai pen rai
You’re welcome / never mind

Chai
Yes

Mai-chai
No, / no it’s not / no I don’t

Khor toat
Sorry / excuse me

Tai ruup dai mai?
May I take a photo?

Sabai dee mai?
How are you?
Sabai dee
I am fine

Pom chue …
My name is …

Yoo tee nai?
Where is …?  While pointing to your map …

Gee baht?
How much?

A-roi
Delicious

Mai a-roi
Not delicious

Dai nit noi
A little

Gep taang
The bill, please

Bai nai?  -  where are you going?  Often shouted as a greeting by tuk tuk drivers!  So if you’d rather walk, you can reply – Mai ow khrab!

The Thais are a very conservative yet relaxed and light-hearted people: they love to please, to keep things calm, to enjoy the moment – and to have fun.   Their strong sense of how they are seen by others means that any confrontation or embarrassment, either of or by themselves or others, should be avoided.  To save face, your own or someone else’s, is paramount.   This is probably the source of that famous and beautiful Thai smile: it is surely the best way to see you through difficult situations.

The Thais may well see many visitors as over-worrying and over-pernickety: it is not in their nature to be this way.  They do not worry about having to wait or queue, and as a whole are not concerned about what life will be like in the future: they live for the day.  Things will only get better!  We could learn a little here …

Meeting Thais for the first time socially may be a bit like undergoing an inquisition!  Social rank and your status in society are very important, and you may be asked any number of questions so that your new friend can judge where you stand …  Phu Yai (the big people) and Phu Noi (the little people) are the two main ‘classifications’; e.g. teacher and student; adult and child; older sibling and younger sibling; Thai and non-Thai.  As a visitor to Thailand, you may be given the honorary Phu Yai role, based on the Thai’s assuming you have wealth because you are there, and education and status in your own country because of what he understands about your country.   What a compliment!

A few don’ts:

Beach:
Do not remove any part of your swimwear for sunbathing.  Nudity is not allowed in public.

Eyes, Mouth, Hands, Feet and Shoes:
Don’t stare, and avoid long eye contact.  This is not considered polite.  Very brief eye-to-eye contact is the norm for Thais when having a conversation.
Avoid raising your voice and losing your temper – this will be considered a great loss of face on your part, and you may be ignored completely.  Show patience and acceptance of what is being done for you.

Do not point or gesticulate madly; do not drop or throw things.  All these are considered very inelegant (unless you are on the beach)!  Best to be subtle, quiet and indirect …

In many parts of Asia the feet are considered the most unclean or impure part of the body. To sit in a way that points the sole of your foot at someone is considered disrespectful and an insult.   If you accidently step on someone ‘khor toat’ is recommended.  Try to avoid stepping over anyone: wait for him or her to move out of your way.  And do not step over food!

Do not wear your shoes in someone’s house: leave them outside.  This is true also for temples and other religious buildings, and sometimes small hotels, guesthouses and even shops.   Look for the clues: a pile of removed shoes left outside.

Royalty:
The Thais love and respect their King and his family.  Do not insult or make jokes about them.

Sacred places and things:
Do not touch things you see in temples or other religious places, or in an individual’s personal spirit house or altar.  Lengthy rituals may need to be undertaken if you inadvertently contaminate these things.
Women must not touch Buddhist monks, or hand things to him themselves, or be alone in their presence.

All monks, whatever their age, are highly respected.

It is sacrilegious to use an image of Buddha as purely decorative, so icons used around the home other than in personal altars are frowned upon.  But a small Buddha hanging round the neck is OK: it may protect you and bring you good luck.

Time:
Seems to have a different meaning in Thailand!  Do not fret if the service in your restaurant is slow … enjoy the leisure time.  If someone is late for a meeting, ignore it.  Welcome them when they arrive … and carry on.

But mainly, do not worry!  You are here on Koh Samui to enjoy yourself and if you make a mistake, by mistake, just apologise and smile.  The Thais will forgive you.

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