Local Thai Protest against International Airport on Koh Phangan Island
Since at least 3 years there has been going the rumor around on Koh Phangan Island from time to time that the local authorities of the district office in Suratthani are planning to build an International Airport here on the paradise island of Koh Phangan!
Yes … you heard perfectly right and the airport gossip seems to become more and more a reality! Recently our reporters found some protest signs from the local Thai community along the west coast between Wok Tum and Srithanu village. Unfortunately the 3 signs are only written in the Thai language but Koh Phangan Island News has decided to publish the English translation 🙂
One sign says “Rau Mai Au Sa-Naam Bin Thi Nii” and it just means “We don’t want an airport here!” The other protest sign tells you “Thi Choo Ruea – Mai Chai Thi Choo Ruea Bin” and means “This is a port for boats and not for airplanes!”
Well … it looks like that also the local Thai community from Koh Phangan is not very happy about the airport gossip. And who wonders – especially since there are already two airports in the Suratthani Province. One on the neighbor island of Koh Samui and another one on the mainland in Phun Pin just next to Suratthani. So …. the question is => Do we really need another airport here on Koh Phangan Paradise Island ???
At the moment Phangan Island News is still waiting for some documents with more detailed information about the airport project. So … More coming soon … 🙂
So the question is:
What can the local people do to stop the Airport from being built. I think most people don’t want it.
I know many of the Farangs that come to the island regularly and there are many of them, don’t want to see an airport built. It is already very distressing to see the amount of new bungalows going up. If the bungalows were needed maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, but the fact is most of the more expensive bungalows can barely fill up during full moon. I had a friend find a place to stay in Had Rin one day before full moon. That would have been unheard of last year.
Is Thailand headed for another financial disaster or will it just be the poor folks who take the governments advise that the south should be full of Club Med style resorts.
Panviman is lovely, but I stayed on Thong Nai Pan for 3 months during high season and I don’t think it was every half full. The new resort on Noi had rented out their brand new Air-con bungalows to a group of Germans that were staying for about a month at 500 baht a night. Great Deal, but they had to do it that way to fill the place up.
Well I have to say I would’nt like to see an airport on Koh Phangan. However, if one were to be built, I for one would use it.. Hmmm. So if you build it they will come. The land has been surveyed for the airport so it’s a matter of time. I think we need to get over it, mean while Beckman will have some fun raising these issues on his web site.
I stayed at a high end resort “Grand Sea” and it did fill up for the full moon. In fact it was the only time it filled up. It would be great if the Island could stay as it was 10 years ago, but that’s not going to happen. The Island has to much accomodation and that’s great if your trying to get good deal.
The biggest problem on the Island is the taxi’s that continue to rip off tourists. Thaongsala could be a happening place, but people are affaid to come into town at night and be at the mercie of the bastard taxi drivers..
Glyn from Canada….
Alas… I too would use it, but what concerns me is the negative impact it would have. I have many friends who depend on those daily runs to Samui for thier income. I’ve heard talk about trying to make Phangan a more eco-tourist island, but really haven’t seen any evidence of that being the case. Anyone know about that?
I also heard many Farangs say that they will stop coming if things keep going the way it has been. Is there a way to get those voices heard to the officials of the Island, so maybe they can start thinking more about the long time future.
Is there anyone on the island in a official role taking into account the amount of fresh water that is needed for all the new building? How many of you the first time you can to Phangan got inticed about going to a water fall on the Island to find there was no water. Of course the Kon Thai knew there was no water, but he makes his living off of taking people on trips to sights around the island.
I am one farang that as off this year will be abandoning the island for greener(or less populated) isles…not far away,but i’m dammed if i’m going to mention it here!!
Ive been going to phangan for about 9 years,and evry time i go back my heart is rent a little more…i wont even mention what happens when i go to Phi Phi!!
Until last year Haad Yoa was a retreet from some of the insantiy…but last year i wittnesed 2 fist fights in bars,and on the beach in 5 days!!
Never would have happened in the old days…you know 2-3 years ago!!
So i Phangan,i leave you a piece of my heart( a large piece at that)..but my Baht are off elsewhere sadly.
I find it strange anybody would be leaving for greener pastures or a less populated Island. Most of the complaints I hear from locals on Koh Phangan is that the Island is quiter now than it was in 99 and 00. I find the Island is fantastic between the full moons and busy at full moon time.. You can also get better bargins now than before.. I like the fact the island has ATM’s now.
I guess the more that leave the better it will be for those that choose to stay.. So it’s not so sad, thanks for not returning..
I think that you are either misinformed or just plain blind!!….i happen to have several thai friends that run bungalows on the island,on both sides of the island,and sure,they arnt booking out as much as in the past,but this is because of the HUGE influx of new bungalows.
If youve been there more than once you cant help but notice this just by a visit to Haad Yao or Haad Rin.
Hell my mate in Haad Rin had 3 rooms spare the day b4 the Fmp 2 months ago…never would have happened years ago.Just stand on the beach and look up the hill and count..try it m8,its not hard to get the idea.
And to say that its quiter now than in 99/00…well mate thats just plain ignorant.
As ive been going there since 94 i think i can quantify this comment !
As for your “So it’s not so sad, thanks for not returning” comment..i shouldnt even warrant that with a reply,but the aussie in me wont let that pass without reply…so,”Gibble,Gibble,Gibble,Gibble,Twangggggg!”
On that note i will leave you happily with your ATM’S,gr8 bargains…oh yeh,not to forget your shrinking crowds!!…hahahahahah!!…Mercutio.
P.S-oh and dont forget your little bungalow counting homework my friend,and write back and tell us all how its getting quiter and quiter!!..lol.
Wow really hit a nerve! You need to chill out mate. Iv’e been going to Samui and Phangan since 88 so I know a bit about the situation. The Island has many more bungalows and I suspect the tourists are spread out and the available baht is more diluted than before..
You don’t seem to know what your complaining about, you want full bungalows and a quite Island! Your very confused and are contradicting yourself.
One one less whinning Aussie we will not miss on Koh Phangan! So take your billy bong and if you could take a few of your wanker mates with you, that would be just fine… If you had noted where you were going then others could avoid it. Oh yeah, sorry about the rugby. Thanks again for not returning.
socceroos-3)….england-1)
2 world cups
oh and when are you boys gonna come back and get those ashes??…lol
Sorry to but in lads…just didnt want the pom getting too cocky!!
F***kin class reply matey!!!
I’ve been in and out of kpg since 99. lived there for 18 months, and this sites comments are well negative, so nice one for those comments
HILLBILLY’S
Airport om kph phangan.. no no and no.
Its enough with the one on samui. Isnt some of the charm of coming to the island, that you have to actually do a tiny bit of travelling to get there?
I agree with you Glyn, I wish the island could be the way it was some years ago.
And the taxi drivers….man… I had a friend who took a taxi from thongsala one night, and he didnt have enough money on him. the taxi driver wanted more. So my friend said he could get some more money from his bungalow. The taxi driver went totally mad, and started screaming he was gonna kill him…
It doesnt feel as safe anymore, as it did.
But I still LOVE the place:)
Keep coming back
Do we really want Phangan to become another Samui, for a start it’s only half the size where the hell is the runway going to go, How many more Islands are going to be ruined for the sake of a few more dollars, I’d hate to be sitting here in ten years time saying i remember when Ko Phangan was paradise. Over development just isn’t the way forward for Thailand, being beautifully simple is the reason we all come. Wake up and smell the coconut trees!!
hey brothers and sisters…..I went to Phangan….haadrin,13 years ago, the first time…..dam was cool , lovely , it was the paradise….
I went again anad agian evry year after ,,,,,it took 3 years to DISTROY AND SPOILET ALL THAT .
ALL THIS MAKE ME SO SICK,,,,SO IF THEY WANT ALSO AN AEROPORT….LET IT BEE, MAIBY I M PESSIMIST BUT IN ANY CASE ….MY MAGICAL ISLAND IS PRATICALLY AN OPEN PSICHIATRIC HOSPITAL…..AND SO I GOING TO LOOK FOR ( IF DOES STILL EXIST ) MY NEW ISLAND…BESIDE I WISH TO SEND A HAADRIN KISS TO A BROTHER ,,,THAT JUST LOST HIS LIFE KILL BY 4 JABBA THAT SOME ASS HOLE PUT IN POWDER IN HIS GINTONIK,,,,,SO AIRPORT OR NOT,,,,PHANGAN , THE ISLAND OF THE BLACK CLOUDS IT CAN GO TO HELL TOGETHR WITH ALL TH EMOTHER FUKKERS THAT FOR MONEY ,,,HAD SPOILET THE EVERYTHING…….GOA FOLLOW-.—-AT LEAST IS MOTHER INDIA…….TAKE CARE…….PAOLO . THE SWEET GUY THAT 13 YEARS AGO WAS IN LOVE WITH THAILAND ….FOR ALL THOSE SMILE…NOW REPLACE BY US DOLLARS OR EURO.
FINISH.LAST VISIT DECEMBER 2004….SOMETHING TO FORGET…SOMETHING TO REMEMBER AND THE SEVEN ELEVEN IS THE BEST ….ENJOY!!!!!YOUR CRAP!PAOLO