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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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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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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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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According to travel writer Naomi Lindt,  Koh Samui ranked number 3 in the New York Times 2011 list of must places to visit

A toned-down version of Phuket, heavy on wellness and food.

As Thailand’s third-largest island, Koh Samui isn’t exactly off the radar. But the 95-square-mile tropical gem in the southern Gulf of Thailand, whose white sand beaches, abundant coral reefs and seas of palm trees were once a backpackers’ secret, has emerged as the stylish luxury alternative to crowded Phuket. Last month’s much-anticipated opening of the W Retreat Koh Samui on a private beach along the island’s northern shore was the chic hotel brand’s premiere in Southeast Asia. July saw the arrival of the 78 pool-villas at the Banyan Tree Samui and its bay-facing spa, which includes the island’s first hydrotherapy facility. It is burnishing Koh Samui’s reputation as one of Thailand’s top wellness destinations, along with the yoga and detox center at the Moroccan-inspired boutique resort Absolute Sanctuary, which turns three in April.

Local restaurants have kept pace, luring international chefs who are transforming Koh Samui into an eating destination as well. Newcomers include H-Bistro at the Hansar Samui resort, where the French-Mediterranean and Thai menu was conceived by a former private chef to the Jordanian royal family, and Orgasmic by Chef Wally, which serves innovative cocktails and dishes like cocoa butter Hokkaido scallops and freshly caught white snapper with pecan-celery mash. The local scene goes into full swing at the weekly Sunday Sessions under the soaring thatched roofs at loungey Beach Republic, whose brunch, seafood barbecue and sunset D.J.’s are quickly becoming famous.

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If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.

You’ve done Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and a few other places in between.  You’ve eaten at Anna’s, CatCanDoo, Starfish and Coffee, Khun Nai Dern Sai, the Karma Sutra, and – heaven help you – the delightful Cabbages and Condoms.  You’ve lapped up the curries, the fragrant rice, the spicy calamari, but now you are home, and you want to eat like that again!

So here’s a basic Thai Green Curry recipe that might just get you searching for more Thai culinary delights with which to regale your friends and family.

As always, it’s important to use fresh ingredients.  Don’t use huge pieces of chicken, as this will increase the cooking time: you want this one to cook fairly quickly.  This particular Thai curry should combine all four flavours of sweet and sour, salt and spice.  As they say in many places these days: Enjoy!

THAI GREEN CURRY

This recipe will take about 30 minutes to prepare, and 20 minutes to cook on the top of your oven.  You’ll need a food processor to make the paste and a deepish skillet or wok for stir-frying it all.

Ingredients for 2 or 3 people:

For the paste you will need:
4 small green Thai chillies
¼ cup of shallots or diced red onion
1 stalk of lemongrass (discard any tough outer leaves), sliced very thinly OR
3 tbs pre-bought frozen lemongrass
4 cloves of garlic, skinned and minced or chopped very finely
1 walnut-sized chunk of ginger, grated
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground white pepper
1 cup fresh coriander, chopped
3 tbs Thai fish sauce, OR light soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
2 tbs lime juice

The other bits:
2 tbs good stir-fry cooking oil
Enough boneless chicken (thigh or breast) cut into pieces, for 2-3 people
4 kaffir lime leaves (or grated zest of a small lime)
1 can of coconut milk, or similar quantity made from dried coconut milk powder
following the instructions

You can also add some vegetables to this curry to round out the nutrition it provides: any 2 of the following -
1 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, de-seeded and cut into pieces
1 zucchini, sliced lengthways then cut into pieces
A big handful of thin green beans, topped, tailed and cut into 1” strips.

Method:
1.    First of all make the paste by putting all the ingredients into a food processor and whizzing for a few seconds.  If it seems a little thick, to help blend it all add a few drops of the coconut milk.
2.    If you are using the lime leaves, remove them from their stem and cut them into thin strips and set aside.
3.    Heat the stir-fry oil in the wok or skillet over a medium heat.
4.    Add the green curry paste and stir fry for about a minute.
5.    Add ¾ of the coconut milk.  The rest will be used when serving.
6.    Now add the chicken pieces and stir well.
7.    Allow the sauce to come to the boil, then reduce the heat to allow it to simmer gently.
8.    Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.  Check that the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
9.    Add any vegetables that you want to incorporate, and the lime leaf strips.  Stir in.
10.    Simmer for further 2 minutes. Check that the vegetables are slightly softened – but not too much: they should still retain their shape and colour and be firm to the bite.
11.    Taste it!  Add a touch more brown sugar to sweeten: add a little more lime juice if it is too salty.  And if it is too spicy, add more coconut milk.

Serve with: Jasmine rice.

Topping: handful of fresh basil on top of the rice, drizzled with a little of the leftover coconut milk.

Go to www.samuiislandvillas.com for more…….

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Travel is only glamorous in retrospect.

Now!  Let’s all prove him wrong! Welcome to Samui Island Villas blog.

Travel is enlightening, mind-expanding, astonishing – and one of the very few pleasures of life most of us can now enjoy, whatever our means, in any month of the year.   Because travel can be from your hometown, your home county, your home country; it can be a few miles down the road, or halfway across the globe …  but let’s not sit still for the rest of our lives, in front of that flickering electronic box or the computer, let’s get out there and see it all for ourselves.

Welcome to Samui Island Villas blog!   And we wish you all a very happy, healthy and safe 2011 on your travels.

For Thais, the western New Year’s Day is celebrated and is a public holiday.   The New Year that Thailand has just welcomed is in fact year 2554: there is a 543-year difference between the Gregorian and the Buddhist calendar.

But one of the biggest New Year celebrations in Thailand is the Chinese New Year: approximately six million Thais have a Chinese heritage.  In 2011 it begins on 3rd February and brings in the Year of the Rabbit, the fourth animal in the Chinese zodiac.  The festivities are loud and colourful – a must-see if you are here then.  “Wan Trut Chin” is Thai for the Chinese New Year.  The festivities will last for several days and include food offerings to gods and ancestors, and lots of noisy firecrackers and drumming parades and processions in the streets.

Bangkok’s Chinatown on Yaowarat Road will be the venue for one of the largest of the Thai celebrations, but ask about them wherever you stay in Thailand.   For example, in Nakhon Sawan Province, where the festival has taken place since ancient times, the festivities are renowned, with many hugely colourful and noisy events, such as the dragon, goddess and angel processions, and large colourful bamboo, paper and silk lions and dragons parading through the streets.

The tradition is thought to have begun when a beast called the Nian – sometimes depicted as a rather muscular lion / ox hybrid – used to visit a certain village on New Year’s Day to eat up anything edible and unguarded – especially children!  The villagers put food offerings outside their houses in the hope that it would be satisfied and go away.   Once, it was seen that the beast was afraid of a little child wearing red, so to add to their defences, red lanterns and scrolls were hung at their windows and doors, and as it was also sensitive to loud noises, firecrackers were let off and drums were banged loudly to frighten the Nian away.   It was so scared that it was not seen in the village again … but it is still said to be living somewhere …

There are many other old traditions concerning the Chinese New Year –

The entire house should be cleaned before New Year’s Day, but on New Year’s Eve, put all the brooms and brushes away, as you might be sweeping away your good fortune.   And at midnight, leave all the doors and windows of your house open to allow the old year to leave.   And of course, never, never borrow or lend anything on New Year’s Day!

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