Monthly Archives: November 2009

The Sea’s luxury villas selling at Bt36 million to Bt55 million

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Samui’s reputation as a place for luxury living and as a prime destination for high-end tourists is further enhanced with the recent completion of The Sea Samui, a luxury beachfront residence made up of six boutique villas and 15 condominium units.

Inspired by the idyllic tropical atmosphere of Koh Samui, The Sea is described as a tropical fusion – a merger between Western-style minimalism and Oriental senses to create a magnificent ambiance perfect for island living.

The Sea was designed by Be Gray, a leading design company with many successful projects under its name and was developed using a combination of high quality materials, unique interior design and built by an experienced construction company.

Sinthoranee Property Co. Ltd., the project developer, put in over Bt550 million in the project to ensure a pleasant stay for those who love to rest and relax on the beach, be they locals or foreigners visiting Thailand as a tourist, on business or as a permanent resident.

The Sea is located right on the beach with paved access to the ring road, allowing easy connection to the island’s facilities and giving residents direct access to the beach and the tranquil sea and the town’s wide range of facilities such as five-star hotels and resorts, superstores, international airport and entertainment.

Each unit is equipped with modern amenities, including kitchen appliances and even a washing machine.

The project also has full-time staff to look after the cleaning and maintenance of the housing units and the swimming pool maintenance. Travel booking services are also provided. The Sea can also help rent out units for absentee owners.

The Sea’s luxury boutique villas range in price from Bt36 million to Bt55 million. Its ocean-view condominiums start from Bt13.2 million a unit.

The Sea Samui currently offers many different discounts and promotions, including 6% guaranteed returns as well as a No Common Area Fee for a limited time.

This newly-completed pro-ject is also open for vernight guests as well as freehold ownership for investors. by Samui Express (www.news.samuiexpress.net)

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Oil leak damages beach in Lipa Noi

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Gallons of oil have leaked into the sea off the coast of Lipa Noi but nothing is being done about it, witnesses said.

Photos of the oil spill have been sent by e-mail to Samui Express by concerned residents who claimed it came from an inter-island ferry plying in the area. No ferry company, however, has come forward to own up the spillage. Concerned citizens have asked local authorities to do something to minimize the damage the spill would have on the environment. Residents around Lipa Noi complained that their beach has become dirty and smelly as a result of the spill.

Some witnesses have reported seeing dead fish and other sea creatures floating in the murky water or washed ashore.

“We tried contacting government offices that we think would be concerned about this environmental disaster.  But we haven’t seen any of them send somebody to check it,” one resident said.

Since last year, there have been reports of oil leaks around the area. But the government appeared to have not done anything to address the problem, local residents said.

Since Lipa Noi is not a popular tourist destination, it doesn’t get much attention from the government and civic groups, they said.

Phanu Woramit, chief of the Tourism Authority of Thailand regional office in Suratthani, said he would personally check the supposed oil spill.

This problem, he said, should not be treated lightly as this could cause serious damage to the island’s tourism promotion efforts.

Phanu said he would make representations with concerned offices to see to it that those responsible for this environmental damage should be held accountable. Samui News By Samuiexpress.net

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Train strike adds woes to Phangan tourism

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Scores of package tours to the Nov. 2 Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan have been cancelled due to the continuing train strike in Southern Thailand, dealing a lethal blow to the island’s already struggling tourism industry. Trains to Suratthani have stopped since Oct. 16, leaving tourists from Hat Yai and Bangkok unable to travel to Koh Phangan.

“This is a black mark on the country’s image and could further discourage foreign visitors,” according to Mr. Seni Phuwasethaworn, president of the Koh Samui Tourism Association.

“This will hurt our reputation. This will be another factor ruining the industry,” he said.  Some holiday-makers intending to head to famous resort destinations like Suratthani, Koh Samui and Phuket right after landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport had been remained stranded in the capital, he said.

Charoen Wangananont, managing director of Kangwal Tour, a major domestic tour operator, said many local and foreign tourists had cancelled their travel plans between Bangkok and the South. Many families had given up on taking the children to see Bangkok by train during the school break, including one of Charoen’s relatives.

“Most travelers going to Koh Phangan prefer to take the train more than the bus. As with the airport shut down last year and the continuing political instability in the country, the train strike will have lasting effect on Koh Phangan’s tourism,”  he said.

Phanu Woramit, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Suratthani office, said some Malaysian tourists had been asking for updates on the situation, although not many Singaporean and Malaysian visitors to Koh Phangan and Samui used train services.

The paralysis of long-haul land travel comes at a time when the country is entering the high tourism season.

Songkhla Chamber of Commerce chairman Surachai Jitpukdeebodintra said the disruption hurt both domestic commuters and local vendors, as well as shipments of commodities like oil and cement.

The labor union should call off their walkout as soon as possible and resort to other means to achieve their demands, he said.

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