Ko Samui

Ko Samui (or Koh Samui), often locally shortened to Samui (, ), is an island off the east coast of Thailand. Geographically in the Chumphon Archipelago, it is part of Surat Thani Province, though as of 2012, Ko Samui was granted municipal status and thus is now locally self-governing. Ko Samui, with an area of , is Thailand's second largest island after Phuket. In 2018, it was visited by 2.7 million tourists.

History

The island was probably first inhabited in about the 6th century, settled by fishermen from the Malay Peninsula and southern China. It appears on Chinese maps dating back to 1687, under the name ''Pulo Cornam''.

The origin of the name ''samui'' is unknown. It may come from the Sanskrit-Tamil word สมวย, meaning 'sea weather'. Or it may derive from the name of a tree known locally in southern Thailand as (full name ). A third possibility is that it originated from early Hainanese traders to Samui. In Hainanese Chinese, เซ่าบ่วย means 'first island', 'barrier', or 'gate', or literally 'beautiful beach'. As it was their first port of call in Thailand, it became its name and evolved to สมุย. Some people believe that the word "samui" derives from the Malay word ''saboey'', or 'safe haven'. There is no firm corroboration of any of these theories. ''Ko'' เกาะ is the Thai word for "island".

Until the late 20th century, Ko Samui was an isolated self-sufficient community, having little connection with the mainland of Thailand. The island was without roads until the early 1970s and the journey from one side of the island to the other could involve a whole-day trek through the mountainous central jungles.

Ko Samui's economy now is based primarily on a successful tourist industry, as well as exports of coconut and rubber.

Economic growth has brought not only prosperity but also major changes to the island's environment and culture, including "explosive tensions" between rich and poor residents and crime linked to that or otherwise.

Governance

The first local government on Samui island was established in 1956 with the sanitary district Ko Samui, which however only covered the area around the settlement. In 1963 it was enlarged to cover the entirety of Samui and Pha-Nga islands, which at that time were still in the same district. In 1973, the area of the Ko Pha-Ngan District became a separate sanitary district. Since 1981, the sanitary district covers the area of the whole district.

Like all sanitary districts, Ko Samui became a subdistrict municipality (''thesaban tambon'') in 1999.
The subdistrict municipality was upgraded to a town municipality (''thesaban mueang'') in 2008, and to a city municipality in 2012.

The conversion of the municipality into a special administrative area with greater powers of self-governance similar to Pattaya has been discussed since 2008, but as of 2018, no action has been taken.

Geography

Ko Samui is in the Gulf of Thailand, about northeast of Surat Thani town (9°N, 100°E). It is the largest island in the Chumphon Archipelago, measuring about at its widest point. To the north are the populated resort islands of Ko Pha-ngan, Ko Tao, and Ko Nang Yuan. Close to Bangrak in northeast Samui is the small uninhabited island of Ko Som, and to the northeast of Chaweng is the tiny Ko Matlang. To the south are Ko Taen and Ko Matsum, each of which have small tourist facilities. To the far west are 44 other islands which together compose Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park which is accessible by a day-trip boat tour from Ko Samui.

The central part of Ko Samui is mostly tropical jungle with tree coverage and wildlife and its largest mountain, Khao Pom, peaking at . The lowland and coastal areas are connected by a -long road, encircling the island. Other concrete roads branch off to service other areas.

The town of Nathon on the west coast is the closest town to the mainland and is the original capital which still houses many government offices. Two of the island's five main piers make Nathon the main port for all transportation from the mainland and the commercial centre for Samui residents. The transition from dependence on the local coconut industry and the continued growth and development of the tourist industry, as well as the northeastern location of the airport, has led to the increase of commercial activity in Chaweng and Bophut.

Climate

Ko Samui has a tropical monsoon climate according to the Köppen climate classification, based on an analysis of 1971–2010 Thai Meteorological Department data. The climate is warm and humid for most of the year. In comparison to Phuket and most of the rest of southern Thailand, Samui's weather is relatively drier (Samui receives about rain per year, and Phuket gets ). Phuket's wet season is spread over six to eight months. Ko Samui has only two months with more than of rain. The heaviest precipitation typically falls in the time frame from mid October to early December. For the rest of the year, given the tropical climate, rain showers are brief; 20–60 minutes duration is typical.

Administration

Ko Samui is an amphoe (district) of Surat Thani Province, divided into seven sub-districts (''tambons'') and 39 administrative villages (''mubans''). The entire island is one city municipality (''thesaban nakhon''). The district covers the island, as well as the Ang Thong archipelago and some other small islands nearby.

Originally, the district included all of the islands of Surat Thani Province. The islands Ko Pha-ngan and Ko Tao were split off as the minor district (''king amphoe'') Ko Pha-ngan effective 1 October 1970. In 1980, administrative village number seven of Ang Thong Sub-district covering the islands Ko Chueak, Ko Nok Phao, and Ko Rikan was reassigned to Don Sak District, where it now forms village number 11.

Transport

Samui Airport is a private airport built and owned by Bangkok Airways, which is the only airline with services to Ko Samui from mainland Thailand since the airport's construction in 1989. Due to its use of locally produced palm leaves and a natural, open-air cooling system, the terminal complex received an Environment Impact Assessment Award under the guidance of Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth. Ko Samui airport is built in an open style, drawing connections between it and traditional Thai architecture. In 2009, the airport handled 1.3 million passengers and 17,707 aircraft operations.

Flights from Samui to Phuket and other Thai destinations are available, and in 2012, the Thai government announced the possibility of a second Ko Samui airport due to complaints of high airport fees.

Several ferries connect the island with the mainland, including two car/passenger ferries, and connect Don Sak to piers in the west of the island, in Lipa Noi and in Nathon. Public buses to all parts of the mainland operate from a new bus station north of Nathon. Privately operated songthaews circle the ring road like a bus service with fixed fees mostly only in the daytime, and private taxis which charged a fixed, flat fee depending on the destination.

Tourism

Sociologist Erik Cohen noted that modern tourism to Ko Samui began to pick up pace in the late 1970s. The expansion of tourism on the island has resulted in growth of building resorts, bungalows, and luxury private villas on the island. The island's total of 17,479 hotel rooms in 2013 was increased by an additional 459 new rooms in 2015. A gradual shift in demand is seeing more Asian visitors and families, but the top three source markets have been Germany, the UK, and Thailand, which contribute a combined 27 percent share. Bangkok Airways continues to modernize its fleet with new Airbuses, phasing out older ATR 72 propeller planes, which will provide 189,000 additional airline seats for Samui travelers. The airport has already increased the number of daily flights from 36 to 50.

The island received more than 2.5 million foreign visitors in 2017, up from 2.34 million in 2016. According to a luxury hotelier, tourists traveling to Ko Samui spend an average of 7,700 to 8,200 baht per head per day.

, legislators in the Thai parliament have put forward a proposal to build an bridge linking mainland Nakhon Si Thammarat Province with Ko Samui. The MPs claim that the project would spur economic growth in south Thailand. They propose that—if built—it be named "Chan-o-cha" in honour of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Ko Samui's tourist appeal made it a plotline of the 2000 comedy movie ''Meet the Parents'', starring Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro, as well as shooting location for the third season of '' The White Lotus''.

Medical care

Samui has five private hospitals: Samui International Hospital; Wattanapat Hospital Samui; Thai International; Bandon Hospital; and Bangkok Hospital Samui. The government hospital is in Nathon.

Gallery

File:KoSamuiNaThonFromJungle OwlofDoom.jpg, Mountainside view of Nathon
File:Koh Samui Lipa Noi2.jpg, Lipa Noi Beach
File:Bo Phut Beach on the north end of Koh Samui.jpg, Bo Phut Beach
File:Sunrise thailand ko samui.jpg, Sunrise, Ko Samui
File:KoSamuiAirport OwlofDoom.jpg, Samui International Airport
File:ChawengBeach55.jpg, Aerial view of Chaweng
File:Laem Yai Cape.jpg, Laem Yai Cape from Bang Po Beach
File:Chaweng Beach.jpg, Chaweng Beach between Lamai and Chaweng
File:Namuang Waterfall.jpg, Namuang Waterfall
File:Big Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Yai).jpg, Big Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Yai)
File:Big Buddha in Big Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Yai).jpg, Buddha statue, Big Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Yai)
File:Ko Samui island.jpg, Ko Samui island

See also

* List of islands of Thailand
* Tourism Association of Koh Samui

References

Notes

Sources

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External links

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Samui
Ko Samui
Ko Samui
Islands of the Gulf of Thailand