Goodbye to August 2020

It's the last day of the month and time to say goodbye to August 2020.

Let's start with the weather. It's been an average August. We have a small rainy season during August and this year didn't disappoint. Especially during the middle of the month we had a few wet days. Plenty of showers came along. On the other hand, we also had a few sunny days. Due to the high humidity, they could be hard to deal with. Towards the end of the month it has been sunnier and warmer again.

The month pass by without too many events, due to Covid. Not much to no travelling is happening. Hence, I was very happy to go over to Koh Phangang on Saturday, for a 'box jelly fish protection' presentation at Haad Salad's newly opened Buddha Cafe/lounge.

Also on Koh Phangan the economical damage that Covid is doing can be easily spotted. Firstly, just like on Koh Samui, many empty shops up for rent or sale. Secondly, reduced number to no tourists. Only or mainly long term expats are on the island, besides the local and 'imported' Thais. Most companies, shops, resorts etc are suffering and are having hard times to survive.

Sad to see and witness.

Goodbye to August 2020

An AED machine (Automated external defibrillator) standing outside the Bophud clinic. There was another unit hanging on the wall within 5-6 meters. It's not until fairly recently that the use of AED's by laymen is allowed by law in Thailand. Just 3 years ago or so. Nowadays you can see AED units hanging on walls or standing around in displays at various locations. The Bangkok Airways departure terminal has one for instance. If you're interested in learning more about CPR and AED units, I offer EFR (Emergency First Response) courses. Please get in touch and ask for more detailed information.

Am looking forward to September and let's cross our fingers that some positive events will come along and/or happen.

Whilst you are here, do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and enjoy the beaches around the island or in front of your hotel or resort and get some well deserved rest and a break. That is, once the travel restrictions have been lifted.

There are plenty Thais and foreigners, Westerners or farangs who have a hard time dealing with no income and bills to pay. Unfortunately I'm no exception to this rule. If you like this blog, this is a good time to help out and make a donation. If you can, it's much appreciated! There's a donation button on top of this page or ask me for other options.

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand weekly weather update; 24^th August – 30^th August 2020

Good morning on this lovely Sunday morning and here we go with the Koh Samui, Thailand weekly weather update; 24th August – 30th August 2020.

It's a sunny Sunday morning and since February it's the first time I'm not on Koh Samui. Last night I did a box jelly fish presentation on Koh Phangan. Today it's back to Koh Samui again. In an hour or so the ferry back should leave.

Obviously I got my long slow distance run in this morning. 21.8km on Koh Phangan. Very hilly but nice and relaxed. Just over 2 hours of running.

It's partially cloudy at 9.30am but the sun is out and it looks like a hot one is in the making today. Current temperature is 31C but it feels a lot warmer.

Koh Samui, Thailand weekly weather update; 24^th August – 30^th August 2020

One of the best sunsets this year took place last Wednesday. The sky turned a magical orange. This picture is taken by Heike Frutig on Koh Phangan.

Last week the max temperature reached 35C yesterday and a few days 34C. It was hot at times. We had a few times some rain showers during the evening or night. This lead to a minimum temperature of 23C last week. A really nice last week og August to end this month.

On the way to Koh Phangan with the Seatran Discovery. The pier is located at Bang Rak.

The Covid situation in Thailand is very stable. There seemed to have been 2 infections last week, the first infections in over 90 days. However, the international borders seem to remain closed for the remainder of this year. Tourism is getting the final nail in the coffin it seems. Too many business, shops, restaurants, hotels, bars and you name it, will not be able to survive that long wait. Especially not smaller businesses.

There's talk of a Phuket travel bubble and retiree winter stay of 270 days. However, you need a 2 week quarantine in your hotel. I don't see that happen for a pretty normal, standard tourist who only has 3 or 4 weeks holiday per year. It looks at the moment as if the Thai authorities are aiming high end and expensive tourism options only.

The last weeks I reported about 7-11 and Family Mart shops being closed on Koh Samui. Selected outlets are also closed during the night time and only open during the day time and early evening hours. Some outlets don't open their advertising front of house lights either. A strange sight indeed.

Koh Samui, Thailand weekly weather update; 24^th August – 30^th August 2020

Haad Salad on Koh Phangan. Just like Koh Samui, nobody on the beach or in town. Beautiful but no tourists. Hotels are closed or only partially open. Sad to see how so many people are losing everything they build up over many years.

The forecast for next week is looking good. Light cloud cover and an occasional shower. Stay safe folks and hope we can meet again in person soon.

Whilst you are here, do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and enjoy the beaches around the island or in front of your hotel or resort and get some well deserved rest and a break. That is, once the travel restrictions have been lifted.

There are plenty Thais and foreigners, Westerners or farangs who have a hard time dealing with no income and bills to pay. Unfortunately I'm no exception to this rule. If you like this blog, this is a good time to help out and make a donation. If you can, it's much appreciated! There's a donation button on top of this page or ask me for other options.

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand weekly weather update; 17^th August – 23^rd August 2020

Back again with another Koh Samui, Thailand weekly weather update; 17th August – 23rd August 2020. Sunday morning, early rise! My long run started at 5am this morning. 18.4km with a 5'25 pace. Nice and satisfying. My fourth week into a 12 week training program done. Can't wait to start racing again. My last race was on 26th January at Rajjaphraba Dam. One of two races I was able to participate in this year. Really looking forward to 18th October for a 15km trail run in Nathon. On 15th November there's the Monkey trail on Koh Samui. I will be running a 26km race. Come 20th December there will be a 5km race in Nathon. Hopefully one or two more races will materialize on the island before the end of the year!

After a couple of rainy days, it's time to get ready for a hot one today. At 8.30am it's already 29C. However it feels like 34C!

Last week it was a lot wetter then I expected. Plenty of night time rain and a couple of day time showers were part of last weeks inventory. On the other hand, there were also a few humid and warm afternoons. The maximum temperature reached 34C a few times, but was mostly around 33C. The minimum temperature dropped to 22C in the beginning of last week, but was mostly steady at 23-24C.

Covid19 keeps ruling over Koh Samui though. Not with infections. Not at all. However, the borders are to be kept shut indefinitely. On the other hand, there's talk of allowing citizens of five countries to visit Koh Samui.  However, arrive in Thailand with Thai airways. Have a Covid test at Suvarnabhumi. Immediately connect to Koh Samui and have another test. Go in a hotel quarantine for 2 weeks, After 1 week you're allowed to leave the room. After two weeks you're allowed to leave the hotel, with a special traceable wristband.

That just doesn't sound too appealing to me. Maybe for people who can't enter Thailand, due to their visa situation, it may be a way to stay with their beloved ones. Providing, they are allowed to stay in country.

Domestic travel is still heavily promoted. The first weekend in September is bound to be busy, with the Friday and Monday being days off.

Koh Samui, Thailand weekly weather update; 17^th August – 23^rd August 2020

The Namuang waterfall 1 is looking good. It's part of our milder rainy season right now. Consequently, the water is cascading nicely down and the basin is filled. Plenty of kids and folk relaxing and swimming at or in the basin. Unfortunately our favorite is closed at the waterfall.

Next week's weather prediction is looking good once more. Hardly any rain predicted at all. Not too much clouds either. Towards the end of the week, the wind may increase a bit. Let's see and wait if it all works out.

Hang in there, it's tough. I don't think we hit rock bottom on Samui yet. However, there have to be better times at the horizon somewhere, sometime!

Whilst you are here, do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and enjoy the beaches around the island or in front of your hotel or resort and get some well deserved rest and a break. That is, once the travel restrictions have been lifted.

There are plenty Thais and foreigners, Westerners or farangs who have a hard time dealing with no income and bills to pay. Unfortunately I'm no exception to this rule. If you like this blog, this is a good time to help out and make a donation. If you can, it's much appreciated! There's a donation button on top of this page or ask me for other options.

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand weekly weather update; 10^th August – 16^th August 2020

It's the end of a week and here we are with the Koh Samui, Thailand weekly weather update; 10th August – 16th August 2020.

Firstly, my running is done. I did a simulated 5km race. This is part of a 12 week long half marathon training schedule. This is the end of week 3. My speed is not as good as a few months ago, but I'm nonetheless happy of where I'm at for this time around. The pace I ran is 4'21 this morning.

This is part of my preparation for a 15km trial run come 18th October. Still a long way off.

Secondly, the weather is nice and agreeable. Cloudy and not too hot. Current temperature at 10.30am is 31C

Thirdly, let's have a look at last week. In general it was mostly cloudy, with plenty of cool showers. I like this weather! There were also a few sunnier moments. All in all a good week, weather wise. The maximum temperature reached 34C last Friday. For the rest of the week it was mainly around 32-33C.  During Monday to Tuesday we reached the lowest temperature last week; 22C. The rest of the week it was around 23-24C.

Pretty good an nice for an August week.

Covid19 update. It's grueling to see how the tourist industry suffers. In all of Thailand and specifically here on Koh Samui. Simply because I see and feel it every day. The ban on international arrivals has been indifinately extended. On the other hand, there are talks of opening up Koh Samui to international arrivals but with a required 14 day quarantine. Don;t see that really working though.

The economical situation is worsening in all of Thailand. Millions of people are out of work and have no means of income. Yes, Thailand is doing a great job apparently keeping the covid pandemic under control. However, at what price? Businesses need to close, Suicide rates are increasing. People are getting desperate.

Koh Samui, Thailand weekly weather update; 10th August – 16th August 2020

At the Guan Yu shrine in Hua Thanon. Always a nice stop when visiting this southern part of the island. All restaurants were open again, but not too many people around. Just a handful of Thai tourists, The same at each of our stops when we went around the around on a family day out yesterday.

The forecast for next week is looking good. Hardly any clouds, wind or rain predicted for next week. Get ready for a lot warmer weather! 

Stay safe where ever you are and let's hope this pandemic is about to shut down!

Whilst you are here, do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and enjoy the beaches around the island or in front of your hotel or resort and get some well deserved rest and a break. That is, once the travel restrictions have been lifted.

There are plenty Thais and foreigners, Westerners or farangs who have a hard time dealing with no income and bills to pay. Unfortunately I'm no exception to this rule. If you like this blog, this is a good time to help out and make a donation. If you can, it's much appreciated! There's a donation button on top of this page or ask me for other options.

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand weekly weather update; 3^rd August – 9^th August 2020

Here we are with the new Koh Samui, Thailand weekly weather update; 3rd August – 9th August 2020. You guessed right, it's Sunday morning.

My long run is done. 18km this morning. Slowly increasing my weekly mileage again.

It's cloudy this morning, although the sun tries very hard to break through. Current temperature at 9am is 31C.

Last week saw plenty of days with overcast and regular showers. Yesterday morning and early afternoon it was very though. During the late afternoon, it all cooled down again with a nice shower.

The maximum temperatures last week reached 32C during most days. However, Monday and yesterday we say a 33C temperature. On the other hand, the minimum dipped down to 21C. Almost freezing! 😎

All in all, a fairly typical August week. Maybe a bit more cloudy weather than average. I enjoyed it though, since it wasn't too hot and the occasional rain cooled things down a bit.

Koh Samui and the province of Surat Thani are now 120 days without new Covid19 cases! That's a great achievement. However, almost on a daily base people are still leaving Koh Samui to go home. They pack their pick up trucks and go to places on the mainland, where they don't need to pay rent and food is cheaper.

There are plenty of cheap living or rental places empty an up for rent.

Koh Samui, Thailand weekly weather update; 3^rd August – 9^th August 2020

North Chaweng; within two weeks of the 7-11 closing here, the Family Mart also closed down. Now only a Mini Big C is left in this hotel rich area. Very unusual views on Koh Samui. It does show however, what impact Covid19 has on the island.

Next week will most likely see a similar week as last week. Plenty of cloud coverage and towards the middle and end of next week, also plenty of showers. Mostly tropical showers though. There will also be a nice breeze. Perfect weather in my book, as a runner. Cool and a little bit wet.

Whilst you are here, do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and enjoy the beaches around the island or in front of your hotel or resort and get some well deserved rest and a break. That is, once the travel restrictions have been lifted.

There are plenty Thais and foreigners, Westerners or farangs who have a hard time dealing with no income and bills to pay. Unfortunately I'm no exception to this rule. If you like this blog, this is a good time to help out and make a donation. If you can, it's much appreciated! There's a donation button on top of this page or ask me for other options.

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand weekly weather update; 27^th July – 2^nd August 2020

The end of another week and here's the Koh Samui, Thailand weekly weather update; 27th July – 2nd August 2020.

My long run is in the can. 16.5km in 1 hour and 30 minutes. This coincides with my first full week of training for the Samui trail come 18th October. A 12 week training program.

It's cloudy this morning and we have a current temperature of 29C at 9.30am. A fairly strong wind is blowing. However, not as strong as last night when supposedly a small storm raged over Koh Samui. The result can be seen below, a Raja car ferry sunk.

The maximum temperature last week reached 34C in the beginning of the week. The minimum temperature reached 23C towards the end of the week. There were also quite a few showers. Nonetheless, we also had plenty of partially cloudy days and moments. Once the sun came out, it was hot and humid!

A very typical week for this time of the year though.

Covid19 keeps chipping away as well on the island. I see more and more shops being closed.

Koh Samui, Thailand weekly weather update; 27^th July – 2^nd August 2020

Seven people are missing after a cargo ferry travelling from Koh Samui capsized on Saturday night. 

The ferry, operated by the Raja Ferry Co, got into difficulty at around 10pm as it headed to Donsak pier. The ferry was carrying a 10 wheel trailer, 3 garbage trucks and two pick up trucks. It wasn’t immediately clear exactly how many people were on board. Thairath on Sunday said a total of 9 people had been rescued while 7 others were still missing. Officials said a full investigation will be launched into the incident but it is likely the ferry got into difficulty in strong waves. Supposedly this happened near Koh Si Koh Ha, 5km from Nathon pier, opposite Baan Taling Ngam.

Today and tomorrow there's strong wind and the occasional shower. Throughout the week the wind will lose strength. However, Wednesday and Thursday might see quite a bit of rain.

Whilst you are here, do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and enjoy the beaches around the island or in front of your hotel or resort and get some well deserved rest and a break. That is, once the travel restrictions have been lifted.

As already mentioned in my Facebook page, there are many initiatives around the island for helping Thai and Burmese people with food and other donations.
There are however also plenty of foreigners, Westerners or farangs who have a hard time dealing with no income and bills to pay. If you like this blog, this is a good time to help out and make a donation. If you can, much appreciated! There's a donation button on top of this page.

Camille

Welcome to August 2020

First day of a new month and it's warm welcome to August 2020. This month still deals with a bit of a rainy season for or around Koh Samui. Nonetheless, we also have plenty of sunny days during this month. Beware, we have a rocky start scheduled for this month. Plenty of strong wind and a few showers until mid next week!

No big events are schedule during this month. It's still all under Covid19 pandemic rules. The Thai borders are still closed. No tourists are arriving and it's felt pretty hard around Koh Samui. No wonder considering that Koh Samui is pretty much depending on tourism. Domestic tourism is the 'new normal' now and is heavily promoted. This goes hand in hand with tremendous discounts on hotel fees and also air travel prices.

Welcome to August 2020

Sweets or ขนม (Khanom) at Laem Din market in Chaweng. It's business as usual at this and many other markets around Samui. It's fairly busy each day, considering the Covid19 circumstances.

Where ever you are, stay safe and we're looking forward to be able to welcome you again as soon as possible.

Whilst you are here, do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and enjoy the beaches around the island or in front of your hotel or resort and get some well deserved rest and a break. That is, once the travel restrictions have been lifted.

As already mentioned in my Facebook page, there are many initiatives around the island for helping Thai and Burmese people with food and other donations.
There are however also plenty of foreigners, Westerners or farangs who have a hard time dealing with no income and bills to pay. If you like this blog, this is a good time to help out and make a donation. If you can, much appreciated! There's a donation button on top of this page.

Camille