Possible location of new Marina on Koh Samui

Another month has gone by and there seems no end to the political turmoil in Bangkok. Whist the demonstrations are confined to specific areas the world media gives the impression that any visit to Bangkok is fraught with danger. The reality is of course that Bangkok is no more dangerous than it ever was and by comparison with many cities around the world including Europe, a lot safer. As in any city with which you are unfamiliar it is a matter of being aware of your surroundings and using common sense. These reports are part of the reason that tourism is down although the world economic crisis has also had a big hand in this with no easy credit and people hanging on to their cash. Nevertheless for those who still wish to travel beyond there own shores, Thailand is still a very attractive destination and cheap in comparison to many tourist destinations. With hotel bookings down in most sectors there are some good deals available to those willing to look. Talking to some of the hotel managers in the five star range I have been getting a slightly confused story. One hotel is telling me that their bookings are down at the present but they are full from Christmas through to March. Another was telling me that their advance bookings for next year were so low that they have dropped the seasonal rates and now have a single mid range rate for the whole year.

There was a meeting in October at Wat Plai Laem to inform the public about possible plans for a Marina adjacent to Big Buddha. It is still in the consultative stage at the present time but the estimated cost is Baht 644.5 million. The Marina will, if approved, be accessed from the land bridge connecting the main road by BBC Café to Big Buddha. There will be a total of 111 berths of different lengths with fueling facilities. There will also be a Marina Building which will presumably have the Marine Office but other facilities are not mentioned. The meeting was quite well attended with about eighty people, mostly Plai Laem residents and four or five foreign residents. One of the local residents I spoke to at the meeting was in favour of the Marina but would prefer it on the other side of the Koh Fan peninsular – nearer his house!

Thanks to Mark at BBC for the image.

This is one of five locations considered and currently the preferred option. Other locations considered were Bophut, Koh Som, Tong Krut, and Phang Nga.

Someone had a good time eating street food on Koh Samui and you can read their full report here.
Latest news of the wires is that Samui has at last been upgraded in status from a sub district to a town municipality, not City status as many had hoped, but a positive step for Samui. City status was always a forlorn hope as Samui just did not meet all the requirements. However, with a step up the ladder so to speak, Samui reports directly to Bangkok now and not through Surat Thani. For anyone interested in how the Thai regional government evolved and where we are to day follow this link.


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Thailand Politics and the effects on Koh Samui

For those of you who noticed, my apologies for failing to issue a Newsletter for September but this was due to an unexpectedly long overseas business trip and I did not have the time or opportunity to create one.

The political situation in Thailand is still not fully resolved although the now ex-Prime Minister Khun Samak has departed the scene to the delight of many but one wonders if his replacement Khun Somchai Wongsawat will fair any better as he is the brother-in-law of ousted Prime Minister Taksin Shiniwatra. He has quite an impressive background on paper qualifying as a Barrister in 1973 and holding posts as Chief Justice in various provinces and serving for nearly six years as permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Justice. His role under the Samak regime was as Minister of Education. However, even a cursory look at his background seems to suggest that he has been accused, rightly or wrongly, of being involved in a number of questionable areas such as when he was a member of AOT board, he was one of the 36 people implicated in the irregularities relating to the controversial Suvarnabhumi Airport luggage scanner purchase. Also one of the main demands of the opposition PAD is that Taksin Shinawatra is brought back to Thailand to answer charges of corruption and it is difficult to see Khun Somchai doing that although he has stated that is a matter for the Courts. Whilst certain sectors of the population seem to have accepted him there is still opposition to his appointment in some areas. Equally there is a growing antagonism to the PAD who are leading the opposition and their actions are seen by many as the cause of drop in tourism to Thailand over recent months due to the wide spread international reporting of their actions such as blocking airports.

What was good to see here in Koh Samui was that, with Phuket and Krabi airports being blockaded, the intervention of a respected local politician persuaded the PAD supporters, who intended to blockade the airport, that they would be doing themselves and the island more harm than good and the blockade was avoided. Nevertheless the demonstrations in Bangkok being reported in the media world wide, as stated above, and the airport blockades have had a negative effect on tourism with many hotels reporting cancellations as far ahead as Christmas. This is unfortunate as the situation on the ground is really very peaceful and apart from organised protests in the usual places (Nathon sea front and Chaweng Lake) life goes on here undisturbed. The protests may at times be loud but there has been no violence. I can see a lot of good deals becoming available in the hotels over the coming weeks.

The reality is in my opinion that tourism is being affected more by higher airline fares due to the price of oil and the overall world economic situation more than the political issues here as anyone who knows Thailand understands that the demonstrations, that are so widely reported, are very localized and tourists are not usually affected if they stay out of those areas. The airport situation was an exception but even those involved have now realised they did themselves more harm than good.



For those of you who may at times need Consular Advice, “Big Dave” Covey who has for a couple of years been the Honorary British Consular Representative on the island has at last received official accreditation from the Thai Foreign Ministry. Congratulations Dave!

Supermarkets and Accidents on Samui and Phangan

This blog should have been published at the beginning of August but I had to leave on an extended overseas trip and did not get back until early September.

There is an interesting article in this months Newsletter about Koh Phangan, an area I generally stay away from, but which highlights the issue of large international chains and their effect on the local economy. There were many objections to Tesco Lotus coming to Koh Samui and even more when they were followed by Makro and Big C. Yet anyone who goes to these stores will see that they are frequented predominantly by the local Thai population, many of whom own small supermarkets around the island and buy at wholesale prices and continue to make a living because they can. In the years since Lotus Tesco opened I have not been aware of any of the small supermarkets that we used previously closing so the fear was unfounded. Now they have Lotus Tesco on Koh Phangan and the effect appears to be dramatic. Competition has driven prices down and the local supermarkets are having to compete. There will undoubtedly be critics who decry the “commercialisation” of the island but why should the population there be denied better choice and lower prices. Word has it that the stocks sold out so quickly in the first few days that many shelves were soon bare. That is a problem that I am sure Lotus Tesco will get round as it is part of the logistical supply chain problems they experienced here on Koh Samui when they first opened –and still occasionally have here – and it will take time for the supply/demand equation to settle down. In my view the bigger threat to the local supermarket is the increasing spread of 7-11’s and Family Mart stores which are appearing on every corner. Not necessarily cheaper, but being open 24 hours and with a steady inventory, good supply chain, air conditioning etc. are more appealing than some of the older supermarkets. Some have taken up the challenge such as P&P in Bangrak which has identified local foreign demand and offers European foods not easily available elsewhere.

Last month I reported on the accident I had and the importance of having good accident and medical insurance whether as a resident here or as a tourist. I came across this “Blog” which makes the point again.

“Having travel insurance which covers every eventuality when you are abroad is not cheap but it is a prerequisite. I know from personal experience - my son was on his ‘gap’ year, travelling round the world and had got as far as Thailand where he had a horrific accident on the motorbike he had rented. To cut a long story short he was picked up from Koh Samui by a private jet and flown to Bangkok, as there were no hospitals that could deal with the extent of his injuries in the south of the country. He was on the slab for 10 hours - every bone in his head had been broken and there he stayed for at least two weeks - the bill - zero, de nada, rien.
The message for me is clear - this is the case of the well spent pound, dollar or euro - just do it.”

Now the other point that arises from this is that you should check your policy for exclusions. Many may specifically exclude motorbike accidents and certainly in Koh Samui, the frequency of those is alarming. I still wonder at the mindset of the tourists in particular (residents who do this should know better) who ride around without helmets and with young children on board. Traffic here is quite heavy now and the general standard of driving leaves a lot to be desired. It does not matter how good a driver you are, how careful you are, you cannot control the actions of others. Samui has many other pitfalls for the unwary visitor. Sand on the road is the same as ice and can have similar consequences. Palm fronds and coconuts falling from trees, potholes in the road, dogs running wild, all add to the dangers that will be encountered. My advice? Forget the bike. Hire a small Suzuki car and even then make sure your insurance is up to date and adequate.

Don't get too blasé visiting Koh Samui!

Last month I finished with some comments on how blasé we come about living on a tropical island and those comments related at that time about our surroundings and life style. At the beginning of this month I was reminded that one can come a little to blasé about other aspects of life here – simple things like crossing the road! Without going into detail I was hit by a motorbike and spent some time in hospital, X-Rays, MRI, 72 stitches in head and leg, multiple abrasions, hairline fracture of the C3 vertebrae. Luckily nothing life threatening but it could have been a lot worse. I did manage to get out of hospital in time to watch the Rugby at the weekend though! The point of this is not to look for sympathy (little of that I got here from my wife suggesting that after eight years it was time I had a Samui Tattoo to my golfing buddies saying this might help me to keep my head still when I tee off!) but to make the point of how important it is to have Accident Insurance here. I have lived here for eight years now and in that time have had the odd scrape none of which involved overnight stays in hospital and consequently quite affordable. This time however, with follow up out-patient treatment the bill is going to be near to Baht 100,000. Even if you can afford it that is a healthy amount to take out of your bank account and if the damage had been greater that sum could easily have tripled or quadrupled. I had insurance so everything was covered but please take this as a warning that one second you can be happily going about your business and the next lying in the road wondering what happened!

Although the political situation here is still a little unsettled the government has given further assurances that last years proposed changed to the Foreign Business Act will not be implemented. See the articles below. This is a least some positive news in a somewhat turbulent world economic climate. The economic and social problems in Europe at least and the UK in particular are making more and more people consider life overseas and Thailand for many is an attractive prospect. The life style and relative low cost of living being the main factors. Where in Thailand depends on individual preferences. Phuket, Koh Samui, Hua Hin, Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai or some remote village in Issan. There are many choices of location and in each many choices of property from relatively cheap condominiums to high end multi million dollar villas. The market here is still pretty slow, certainly not dead, but not what one would call exciting. Consequently there are quite a number of good deals around if you are thinking of buying and with the emergence of financing and in some cases title insurance these can be vary attractive. For some people concerned about visas, you have a choice of a retirement visa or membership of the Thailand Elite scheme. This is not for everyone as it is not cheap but a Five Year multiple entry visa renewable for life plus other benefits is certainly worth looking at. Contact me for further information if you are interested.

Another snippet of good news is that the Squirrels appear to be back. I have not seen any for at least four years and their demise was blamed on the itinerant work force that caught them to supplement their diet so removing part of the natural food chain which reportedly led to the uncontrolled outbreak of the Coconut Palm Beetle which devastated so many of the Coconut Palms. Just recently I saw two playing in the trees behind my office so hopefully they are here to stay.

Some of the articles reprinted from The Samui Express are from May during which time their web site was down pending the re-launch of their new web site.
________________________________________
“For most of us the purpose of traveling to a developing country is to get the frisson of authenticity that we can’t get at home, and it annoys us no end when locals don’t play their roles correctly. Last week at my friend’s wedding in Koh Samui I had to listen to a long diatribe by a very nice Australian lady involved in the arts who was furious that Westerners were apparently forcing Thai people to live Western life-styles rather than leaving them to enjoy their own culture. In Koh Samui, I guess, there are too many refrigerators and motorcycles and not enough buffalo carts. I was going to argue that the Thai might themselves prefer the modern urban conveniences, and were perhaps indifferent about helping us foreigners achieve our much-desired authenticity, but I didn’t want to be thought a cold-blooded imperialist by the many nice people at the wedding.”
This is from a Financial Blog by Michael Pettis.

It rather puts into perspective the problems of the effect of tourism on indigenous people and the effect this has on their life style. It reflects also the common complaint we hear in Samui that Samui has become too modern and commercialised and it is not what it used to be! I find this something of a cynical approach – keep it as it was, let the local people live without clean water and electricity, telephones, television, the internet etc. so we can come and look at them living in poverty! Things change and it is the very people who spout this nonsense that have instigated the change simply by coming here. It is impossible for cultures to mix without some effect. The evolution of society is natural and it is natural for those that do not have to aspire to a better life. And why not! The evolution of society on Koh Samui may not be perfect but which of us can look back at our homeland and say that is any better. Would Koh Samui now have four modern hospitals without the advent of tourism? And before anyone says that they are mainly for the tourists, I suggest you visit them and see that a very large percentage of visitors are local Thai people. The roads are not great, we know that, but at least there are roads now instead of slogging along jungle paths to get from Chaweng to Lamai. No, Samui is not what it was and in ten years it will not be what it is now. It is only the people who were here years ago and remember it as it was who seem to have this chip on their shoulder. Most new visitors see it as it is now and can still see its charm and beauty. It is impossible to visit somewhere without leaving your footprint in some fashion and you cannot deny the right of the local people to want a better standard of living.

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Koh Samui Rumours and other news

As with last months Newsletter let me deal with the rumours first. This is scuttlebutt of course but interesting if it is true and I have heard this from more than one source. Are we going to get a second airport or not? My impression is that it is highly unlikely, however word on the wire has it that a certain low cost carrier is acquiring land in Don Sak for the purpose of building an airport there and providing a fast ferry service to Koh Samui. As Mr Ripley says “Believe it or not!”

It has taken them some time but the Samak government seem to be making some positive noises to make foreign investment more attractive. They have stated that the amendments to the Foreign Business Act that were proposed by the previous military backed regime will be scrapped. They are also reducing the minimum number of shareholders required in a company from seven to three so only two Thai shareholders will be required and the need to find a number of other shareholders who may or may not be legitimate is removed. There will also be reduced requirements in respect of the registration of the Memorandum of Association which can be done in one day instead of between nine and twenty one days plus the easing of requirements for the passing of special resolutions. More detail on this in the article reprinted below.

In last months Newsletter I discussed the situation with the application for Koh Samui to gain City Status and gave my reasons why I did not think it would happen. It appears I was not far wrong as latest reports state that the Interior Ministry has rejected the proposal. It did not specify the reasons for rejecting the proposal but apparently listed a number of options that might be taken. These have not been reported. More news on this as it becomes available. However, there is growing discontent among the local population that revenues from the islands number one industry, tourism, are not being used to improve the infrastructure in particular the roads. With local elections for the vacant post of Mayor outstanding this may become a focal point.

Every time you turn around there seems to be a new name added to the list of major hotel operators coming to Koh Samui. Conrad, Mandarin Oriental, Park Hyatt, Banyan Tree, Dusit D2, Hard Rock Hotel, Ibis, Outrigger Hotels & Resorts, Intercontinental, Sheraton (as Vana Belle), and then we seem to be running out of real names as we get the likes of U, W, X2 closely followed by IMM. The list goes on with Alila Hansar, Prana Samui, The Sarann, Saree Samui, Sirimaya (an Amari Hotel), and possibly also Club Med! A number of these have not announced the number of rooms they will be adding but of those that have I can see in excess of 1600 new rooms being added to the Koh Samui inventory so I suspect when all the facts are known we are looking at in excess of 2,000 by 2011.

Sometimes we get a little blasé about living on a tropical island surrounded by Coconut Palms and blue waters and which most of the time has an idyllic climate far away from the rain and cold of our European origins. Then something happens to remind us how lucky we are. This happened to me last week as I was driving over a hill in Taling Ngam. As I came over the brow I was confronted by the scene shown in the photograph on the left. The photograph really does not do the panorama justice but that is more to do with my photographic skills more usually employed snapping villas! Even after eight years here, Koh Samui can still surprise me – in the right way!


For the sailors amongst you the Seventh Koh Samui Regatta will be held this month between the 1st and 7th of June.
For the golfers the Bangkok Airways Open 2008 is being held between the 5th and 8th June at Santiburi Golf Club.

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For Festivals around Thailand visit the Tourist Authority of Thailand website.

Latest News from Koh Samui

Let me deal with the Rumours first! Last month I carried two articles from the Samui Express. One stated that the application for Koh Samui to be upgraded to City Status had been sent to the Provincial Government for approval. The second stated that the Governor had sent the application back without approval. Well, the latest rumour is that it has gone back to Provincial level and that “an up grade in status” is expected within two months. Now my understanding of the requirements for City Status (Thesaban Nakhon) is that it must have a population of 50,000 and a density of 3,000 per sq. kilometer. Samui has an area of 247 sq. kilometers which means the density is only 202 per sq. kilometer with the recent increase in registered population to exceed 50,000 so less than 10% of what is required. I suspect this is the reason that the Governor found to send back the application as it is generally agreed that Suratthani Province do not want to lose the income generated by Koh Samui. However, this is Thailand and there is usually a means to an end. Maybe they have found a way to “adjust” the requirements, or make the facts fit the requirements. The other alternative is that they may be going for a “Special Economic Zone” much like Pattaya, although I believe that would require Government Approval. Whatever, something seems to be on the cards and we must wait and see what transpires. Watch this space!

Phuket is also complaining about lack of funds to expand its infrastructure to keep up with development and the present Prime Minister has suggested setting up an executive board to speed up development. The proposed board would end the problem of provincial officials having no authority to make decisions on important matters and depending on directions from Bangkok, said the prime minister. There has been a lot of local opposition to this and one critic stated - "I disagree [with the idea] if it interferes with 19 local administration agencies in the province and if it is set up to serve political purposes," The academic, who is an expert on power decentralisation, also suggested the government conduct a study about turning Phuket into a special administration zone like Bangkok and Pattaya. I wonder where he got that idea from!

Good news for real estate is that the Government has reduced taxes on transfers and the Press Release from the Revenue Department is copied below. The main reductions are for the Transfer Fee which has been reduced from 2% to 0.01% and for Specific Business Tax which has been reduced from 3.3% to 0.1%. Also the first Baht 150,000 of Personal Income Tax is now exempt and with regard to real estate this affects the first Baht 150,000 of the calculated gain on re-sale. This is a slightly complicated area which I will not get into in the Newsletter but nevertheless reduces any potential tax on re-sale.

There is a move (starting in Bangkok apparently) to enforce more rigorously the helmet law for motorcycle riders which would now include the passenger and the helmet has to be of International standards. I think we all know that the law in Thailand in one thing and enforcement another, but for those of you who chose not to wear a helmet (not sensible, but all too frequently seen here) the fine will be Baht 500 EACH if the BIB on the island decide to go along with their Bangkok colleagues. Another law due to be enforced from 1st May is the smoking ban in bars and restaurants. Designated smoking areas are required and if the Bangkok experience is anything to go by this means outside. Fines for non-compliance are Baht 2,000 to the customer and Bang 20,000 for the owner.

For the sailors amongst you the Seventh Koh Samui Regatta will be held next month between the 1st and 7th of June.

If you want to receive the full Ko Samui Properties Newsletter on a monthly basis please email me at hbonning@kosamuiproperties.com

Ko Samui Properties Newsletter April 2008

In the last Newsletter we carried the news that The Governor of the Bank of Thailand announced that day that the Capital Controls implemented under the previous military government would be scrapped from the following Monday. The concern of many people was that by removing this control the Baht would strengthen more and make visiting Thailand and buying real estate here more expensive. Watching the Baht during the day on the Monday and the Tuesday it in fact remained very stable and actually weakened slightly over the two days starting at Baht 31.37/US$, falling to Baht 31.55/$US and by Wednesday had stabilised at Baht 31.47/US$. Similar movements were seen against Sterling and the Euro, so immediate concerns were alleviated. Since then it has stayed pretty much in a narrow range and as of today stands at Baht 31.41.

I have reproduced an article in the full Newsletter in which Mike Holehouse states that in general hotel occupancy was down by about 15% in 2007. For most of us living and working here this is certainly something that we have seen on the streets and whilst all bars and restaurants can have good nights the overall impression is that 2007 was not a good year. Certainly the re-emergence of Phuket as a favoured destination was a factor having recovered from the post Tsunami downturn but there are other factors which come into play, especially for business owners outside of the hotel trade. A hotel guest is to some extent a captive audience and the hotels will do everything they can to keep the guest in the hotel. This is accomplished in a variety of ways – particularly popular with the Asian traveller is the half-board package. Breakfast and dinner is provided in the hotel and often accompanied by some form of entertainment such as traditional Thai Dancing, a Cabaret or even Elvis Presley!! By the time they have finished eating and watched the show, for many it is time for bed. They might go out for a stroll and window shop but further eating and drinking is not high on the agenda. The other main factor being faced by bar and restaurant owners is increased competition. In both sectors numbers have increased dramatically over the last few years and continue to do so. On the one hand that is a good thing because there is now a vastly greater choice on a truly international scale, of differing quality I must add, but everyone is competing against each other for what certainly last year was a reduced number of customers. There are of course many factors in addition such as the strength of the Baht, the cost of airfares and accommodation in comparison to other Thai destinations, infrastructure and so on – none of which are likely to change in the short term. However the report also quoted in the Newsletter that Samui could soon have City Status is very welcome and will allow the retention of funding to address some of these problems. Is this situation going to continue through 2008? I suspect it will and anyone in business here is going to have to make that extra effort to get at least their fair share of customers. I believe this is some of the pain Samui must go through to make it right for the future, but once we get through this Samui will become a destination to be reckoned with.

This does however bring me to another point which sadly we see so often. The perception of life on a tropical island in Thailand is simply idyllic and for most of us that is the truth. However it is not easily achieved unless you have already made your fortune and no longer have to work. Too many people arrive here without being in that position and think that the lifestyle they wish to aspire to can be found running a bar. If they have had experience in the industry before they may well be right and there are number in that category who do pretty well. The ones who do not however are those who believe the only experience they need are the years sitting on the wrong side of the bar. For a start they do not know the true economics of how a bar works and that it is, particularly in a tourist destination like Samui, a seven day a week commitment with constant late nights and the temptation to drink the profits. It starts off well and all their friends come and drink for the first few nights to show support, but then they inevitably wander off to other bars and continue having the fun they had before leaving the new bar owner sitting behind the bar waiting for the passing trade. That is the first problem. Passing trade is just that. Passing. Discouraged and bored, he now employs someone to help run the bar and starts taking off with his friends for the occasional evening out. It is all down hill from thereon and a few weeks later he wonders why profits are down and all of a sudden he is losing money, running out of savings and desperate to sell. Any business is valued on its profits and of course what figures he can show probably now do not even support the money he paid for it. If only that was just an apocryphal story. Sadly it is not and one I have seen more than once in the last year. If you are thinking of buying a bar and do not know what the Heineken Test is – forget it!

Support for the Matt Hampson Trust has been exceptional with the three main events – The Golf Day at Santiburi Golf Club, the Race Night at The Pub and the “Head Shave” and Auction at Coco Blues bringing in a total of £8,700 as of today with more contributions still to be collected – so £9,000 is not out of the question.

Remember - Songkran starts on the 13th April – so be prepared to get WET!!

Latest News from Koh Samui

The Governor of the Bank of Thailand announced today that the Capital Controls implemented under the previous military government will be scrapped from Monday. Although they had been significantly watered down since they were first implemented on 18th December 2006 they still applied to foreign investment in the bond markets and property funds but not direct investment in property and land. In the opinion of the Governor any rapid appreciation in the baht should be short-lived. I anticipate that we will see the margin between the onshore rate and the offshore rate narrow although, as before the reserve rule was implemented, I would still expect to get a better exchange rate onshore.

Support for the Matt Hampson Trust has been exceptional with the three main events – The Golf Day at Santiburi Golf Club, the Race Night at The Pub and the “Head Shave” and Auction at Coco Blues bringing in a total of £8,300 as of today with more contributions still to be collected – so £9,000 is not out of the question.

The Golf Day at Santiburi was well attended with 48 players turning up for a Texas Scramble competition on a beautiful day, quite hot but with the occasional breeze. As Ko Samui Properties were Sponsors of the Winners Trophy, I considered it my duty not to play well enough to win it myself and over did that somewhat by qualifying for the wooden spoon along with my partner for the day Graham! Such is life. The Golf Day raised Baht 24,000 and thanks go to Greg and Alex and Samui Golf for the organisation.

Race Night at The Pub in Fisherman’s Village was enthusiastically attended and apart from a moment when Dave Pritchard became technically challenged (a senior moment there Dave?) and showed the result of the 5th Race before it had been run, went off without a hitch. Nevertheless Dave and his lovely ladies on the Tote succeeded in extracting some Baht 30,000 from the punters and Steve (The Governor) Wilson then very generously contributed a further Baht 20,000 from his takings that night to the fund.

Coco Blues was the venue for two special events. The long awaited head shave of “Super Star” and “Poker Player Extraordinaire” Mr Lawrence Fay which alone had raised Baht 132,000 in sponsorship. Before the professionals got involved we sold 100 Baht snips and one of the first up to have a go was his lovely wife Oi – who was probably glad to see the back of the shaggy monster she had been living with since Christmas. Thanks go to John and Duncan for holding Lawrence to the promise he made in a bar (where else?) on Boxing Day and for strong arming sponsorship money out of half the island.

The last event was the Auction of various items of Memorabilia including signed boxing gloves from Steve Collins, Enzo Macarinelli, Joe Callzaghe and Ricky Hatton. We also had signed rugby shirts from the Ospreys Rugby Club, Leicester Tigers Rugby Club and an England shirt signed by the England Squad. There was a Rugby Ball signed by Martin Johnson together with his left boot also signed which he wore during the 2003 World Cup in which he led England to victory. Moving on from a past history with live stock, our very own professional auctioneer Mr Hywel Williams provided a very smooth patter and lively and humorous 45 minutes as he knocked down each item to collect a total of Baht 245,000. Thanks go to everyone involved in providing the items for sale and for turning up on the night and bidding so enthusiastically.

Roy Jackson, President of Leicester Tigers Rugby Club and Chairman of the Matt Hampson Trust was on vacation on Koh Samui and attended all the events mentioned and was overwhelmed by the support shown by everyone here. He gave further insights into this remarkable young man whose life was so devastatingly changed in a matter of seconds and who at the age of 19 was confined to a wheel chair and life support system for the rest of his life but who has risen above his own predicament to help other people in similar, and in some cases far worse, situations than his. All of us who participated in these events wish Matt the very best.

Matt Hampson Trust Koh Samui - update

With the main fund raising activities taking place next week, this is where we are as of today Wednesday 13th February

The sponsored Head Shave has attracted a great deal of attention and we have so far commitments of Baht 128,000 (ca £2,000).

Memorabilia being auctioned on line as follows:
Subject: Steve Collins (The Celtic Warrior)Boxing Gloves - signed
Bids received as at 20.00 Monday 11th February - Baht 15,000

Subject: Enzo (Big Mac)Macarinelli and Joe Callzaghe pair of boxing gloves - one glove signed by each boxer
Bids received as at Midnight Sunday 10th February - Baht 25,000

Subject: Enzo (Big Mac)Macarinelli boxing Gloves - signed
Bids received as at 23.00 Saturday 9th February - Baht 2,000

Subject: Signed Ospreys Rugby Club Shirt
Bids received as at 22.00 Monday 11th February - Baht 5,000

Subject: Signed Leicester Tigers Rugby Club Shirt (2 maybe 3 available)
Bids received as at 13.00 Monday 11th February - Baht 5,000

Subject: Signed England Rugby Club Shirt
Bids received as at 20.30 Tuesday 12th February - Baht 11,000

Subject: Signed Martin Johnson's Boot as worn in the 2003 World Cup
Bids received as at 12.30 Wednesday 13th February - Baht 5,000

Subject: Rugby Football signed by Martin Johnson
Bids received as at 16.10 Wednesday 13th February - Baht 5,000

That gives a total as of today for Memorabilia of Baht 73,000 (ca £1140)

The Golf Day at Santiburi Golf Course Koh Samui on Tuesday 19th February has 26 entrants so far with more to book in. That alone gives a further Baht 13,000 (ca £203)

In addition further funds will be raised at "The Pub" Fishermans Village, Bophut, Koh Samui on 22nd February courtesy of Steva and Lek and Steve will be serving one of his famous Beef Stew and Dumplings!

The sponsored Head Shave and final Auction bidding will take place at Coco Blues, Chaweng Beach Road, Koh Samui on Saturday 23rd February in the presence of Roy Jackson immediate past President of Leicester Tigers Rugby Club and Chairman of the Matt Hampson Trust. Coco Blues will be contributing a percentage of all takings that evening to the Trust.
For further information please email hbonning@kosamuiproperties.com

Latest News from Koh Samui

As reported last month in February we are supporting the Matt Hampson Trust. For those of us who have been involved in Rugby at various levels over the years and continue to support it even as spectators, this is a very worthwhile charity and any assistance or help will be much appreciated.
Tuesday 19th February 2008
A Golf Tournament in support of The Matt Hampson Trust will be held at The Santiburi Samui Country Club in Maenam.
Format: Texas Scramble
Fee: Baht 3,200 of which Baht 500 will be donated to the Trust.
If we can get 50 players that would be Baht 25,000 for the Trust.

Friday 22nd February 2008
“A Night at the Races” at The Pub, Fisherman’s Village Courtesy of Steve and Lek.
Come and place a bet on these DVD races with proceeds going to the Trust. .A fun night out for everyone with Steve’s special Beef Stew and Dumpliings, overlooking the beach in Bophut!

Saturday 23rd February 2008
Rugby at “Coco Blues” Chaweng Beach Road, Chaweng, Koh Samui.
22.00 – 24.00 Wales v Italy
24.00 – 02.00 Ireland v Scotland
03.00 – 05.00 France v England
Prior to watching the Six Nations games that night we will have the following fund raising events
Auction of
Signed boxing gloves from “The Celtic Warrior” Steve Collins
Signed boxing gloves from Enzo “Big Mac” Macarinelli
Signed Rugby Shirt from Leicester Tigers Rugby Club
Signed Rugby Shirt from the England Rugby Team
Signed Rugby Shirt from Ospreys Rugby Club
A boot from Martin Johnson which he wore in the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
E Mail bids being accepted now!! Contact me at hbonning@kosamuiproperties.com
The Highlight will be the Sponsored “Head Shave” of prominent Koh Samui Developer Lawrence Fay the Managing Director of Sabai Properties. As of this announcement this event alone has attracted sponsorship of nearly Two Thousand Pounds!

Are we any forward following the General Election last December? Not a lot but moving slowly in the right direction. The challenges and disputes over candidates legitimacy, the legitimacy of the PPP itself and vote buying required hearings by the Supreme Court and a number of new elections where candidates had been “red carded”. A coalition has now been formed and Samak Sundaravej was elected as the new Prime Minister subject to Royal approval. The next step will be the formation of a Cabinet which should take place next week. The coalition government now has 316 seats in the 480-member House. That includes seats from the Chart Thai, Matchimathipataya, Puea Pandin, Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana and Pracharaj parties. So now we have to wait for them to get their feet under the table and see what ideas they are going to come up with which effect foreign residents in Thailand. Hopefully we will have a better idea by next month.

From a business perspective things seem somewhat brighter. There does appear to be a real belief that things will now start to get better and that 2008 will be a totally different year to 2007. We have seen an increase in enquiries since the beginning of the year and deal we have been working on for some time now are coming to fruition.

Here is a question for you. Try to answer this before you go and look at an Atlas or Google Earth. If you dug a hole from my office in Chaweng straight through the centre of the Earth – where would you come out and what would be the nearest major City? (With thanks to Dave Pritchard for this little gem. Answer at the end of this Newsletter and anyone who disputes this is welcome to start digging! If you are not on the Newsletter Mailing List, send me an email for the answer hbonning@kosamuiproperties.com )

Some advance notice of a couple of Festivals coming up,
Chinese New Year will be celebrated from 7th to the 9th of February and the Songkran Water Festival will be between 13th and 15th April – although it tends to last a lot longer in some parts of Thailand. More news on that nearer the time.

Matt Hampson Charity Trust - Koh Samui

MATT HAMPSON TRUST – UPDATE 4th February 2008

With just under three weeks to go to the main evening at Coco Blues on 23rd February this is the latest state of play re the Matt Hampson Trust fund raising.

“Lawrence Fay Head Shave”
This has created spectacular interest and so far we have commitments of Baht 126,000 or £1,957 at today’s rate. The “Head Shave” will take place at 20.30 on the Saturday night 23rd February and for Baht 100 you can have a snip yourself!!

Golf at Santiburi
This is scheduled for Tuesday 19th February and will be a Texas Scramble so chose your partner and get registered with Greg and Alex at Samui Golf. Entrance Fee Baht 3,200 of which Baht 500 will go to the Matt Hampson Trust Fund. The Winners Trophy is being sponsored by Ko Samui Properties, Nearest the Pin on Hole 4 by Lynx Developments, Nearest the Pin on Hole 12 by Santiburi Golf Course. Two sponsors still needed for Longest Drive on Holes 9 and 15.

Race Night at the Pub
Steve and Lek will be hosting a “Race Night” on Friday 22nd February at The Pub in Fisherman’s Village. Steve has also promised to provide one of his famous “Stew and Dumplings”. Horse Races, Donkey Races and possibly even Lawn Mower Races. Come and Pick the Winner!!

Auction of Memorabilia.

Boxing Gloves:
I have one pair signed by “The Celtic Warrior” Steve Collins and these are already attracting attention and bids. So far I have had three bids and the latest stands at Baht 8,000.

I have one pair signed by Enzo “Big Mac” Maccarinelli who will meet David Haye in an all-British world cruiserweight title unification fight on the 8th March in London. No bids as yet.

I have an Ospreys Shirt signed by most of the Squad, many of whom played last Saturday in the Welsh Side which beat England at Twickenham for the first time in 20 years.

Arriving with Roy Jackson direct from Leicester Tigers I will have
Two signed Leicester Tigers shirts
One signed England Shirt
One Rugby Boot from Martin Johnson as worn by him in the 2003 RWC Tournament.

Other items of relevant memorabilia yet to be confirmed will also be available.
We will be offering these on Ebay as well but this does not prevent anyone making bids to me direct by email. All bids will be timed so that if equal bids are received the first counts and I will keep bidders fully informed. Final bids will be accepted at Coco Blues prior to the “Hair Shave” on 23rd February.

For further details please contact me at hbonning@kosamuiproperties.com or +66 81 741 6443.