Samui is gearing up for the high season. A high season that is desperately needed by all, though many fear it will fail to materialise.
The immediate effect of the various security alerts has been an increase in low end tourists in Chaweng, while the upmarket resorts are nearly empty. However, despite hotels being full – mostly with people who’ve diverted from Bali - the bars are empty. All in all the tea leaves do not look promising.
I just wish the Thai government would accept that with all the current uncertainty over security, middle-aged couples, with or without children, are simply not going to get on a plane, let alone go to a place about which a security warning has been issued. The warnings look unnecessary but, to be fair, Western governments had little option but to give them.
The people who will travel, however, are the party people. The very group that are being put off by 2am closing.
Chaweng Beach now has two gogos, with Graham’s new place, Dream Girls, now open and his old one, GB Lounge, reopened after a facelift.
Dream Girls is in a purpose-built building a few yards into Soi Green Mango. It has a glass floor and a carousel, both firsts for Samui.
The glass floor, however, caused enormous problems. Firstly, as the local builder spent much time scratching his head saying “don’t knows much abart ‘at.”
Finally Graham took his Thai partner (female) to Bangkok to show her what it was all about. She was a little concerned that knickerless girls might be a bit too much for Samui. Just how concerned Graham discovered just in the nick of time.
Apparently, the lady instructed the builder to put a film over the expensive floor so that nobody could see through it! Fortunately Graham found out before the second film was put on...so you can now see up, but not down!
When I was there the upstairs was not being used. In any event, girls without underwear is still deemed a taboo in Chaweng.
I was not convinced about the new gogo. To me the lighting was too bright and too static, however Graham assures me there are changes to be made. There was also a shortage of stock on display.
To be fair, though, they had only just reopened the GB lounge, so those girls who had been in Dream Girls for its opening were absent. I was told this was just a temporary situation pending the arrival of new girls.
Even so, I found the GB lounge positively hopping. Rick is the new manager and partner and he was pleased with the refurb. I had to agree that the whole atmosphere was better, with less lighting and plenty of girls on the stage. The prices here are also a touch lower than at Dream Girls, with beers at Bt90, as opposed to Bt95.
Also in Soi Green Mango I was sad to see that Fawlty Towers is no more. An ugly gap in the buildings has now replaced this popular watering hole. A new, better (?) bar will be built soon. Progress I suppose!
On the beach, the Ark Bar remains popular, although the old rickety bar has gone. The new place is geared up for food and sports TV, and has a swimming pool far too close to the bar for those who do not like midnight swims.
I caterpillered in and had a chat with new manager Patrick. He was bullish about the whole operation as 20 new rooms were being built and business was booming. The bar is due to be changed again as the pointed boat bit needs to go. This is a good operation that buzzes for most hours of the day and night.
In Lamai Beach one of the longer serving bar owners is Allan from Carlisle (nearly in Scotland). Allan started off as a partner with Keith in the original Red Fox, before moving to the top of the Night Plaza with his own Red Fox. Now he has the “if only” bar. Well, it’s actually called Red Fox Too, or just the Red Fox, as the other red foxes have been hounded out of town.
Red Fox Too is just off the main drag up a small road opposite the Billabong bar. It is housed in an old timber building with a large tree in the garden and a mosquito breeding pool.
If only the area was tided up a bit; if only the hole in the roof was repaired; if only you could see the sign outside (and if only somebody would remember to turn it on); if only the mosquitoes could be discouraged; if only the loos worked etc. etc. Then Red Fox would be one of the best bars in Lamai.
However, there are many redeeming features: the main one being Sunday lunch. This is when Allan roasts a piece of farm animal and serves it with a multitude of vegetables. This feast is a must for many local expats who fill the place at 4pm for one the highlights of the week.
Apart from the hash, Allan is now getting some early doors trade (aka ‘cocktail hour’ to the cousins, or ‘six o’clock swill’ to the convicts). A place for Lamai residents to put the world to rights before setting out for a night in the bars.
Clearly the Red Fox is about as far removed from a plastic bar as can be. The only plastic is on some of the forks, and yes they are worn out, and yes the plastic is falling off. There is a sign in the bar that reads “Bad jokes told in a strange dialect.” It is not wrong. If only!
Back in Soi Green Mango the Wigan Pier, a bar owned by former rugby league player Chris, has been revamped. Unfortunately, Chris’s ambition to put up a full-size set of rugby posts over the bar has been vetoed by his landlord who fears they might affect planes landing at Samui airport, which is about a kilometre away.
I just hope I’m not in a plane that gets that low over Chaweng, because I fear the runway may be needed far sooner than it will be available.
Is this ban Thai wisdom; or fear of an alien culture?
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H o t a r t i c l e
23rd Feb 2005
Koh Samui and Chaweng Beach in particular are booming despite the techno
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