Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 16th December, 2014

Today's weather;

It's cloudy and windy around Koh Samui but dry at the moment this morning. Rain is likely to come down later today. Current temp at 7am is 27C

Back in Panagasma beach near Moalboal in the Philippines after a very successful PADI IE in Dauin yesterday. The weather is a mixed bag here, we have a cloudy and wet sky to the right and a aprtially cloudy and partially sunny sky to the left after some rain last night. Current temp at 8am local time is 27C

Statue at Wat Plai Laem

Yesterday saw a dry and warm day with some rain during the night time. Max temp reached 31.5C

The clear water at Panagsama beach's rocky beach near Moalboal in the Philippines

The forecast is predicting rain and wind for today and the rest of the week with an increase of both over the weekend. It's looking more and more like a wet Christmas this year.

Don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 16th December, 2014

Today's weather;

It's partially cloudy with a bit of sunshine thrown in around Koh Samui. Current temp at 10am is 30.4C

The reason for the late update is that I ran from Dumaguete where our hotel was for two nights to Dauin where the PADI IE is being completed today, a distance of a half marathon. The weather here is similar to Samui skies, partly cloudy with bits of sunshine thrown in. Current temp at 11am local time is 31.7C

View over the local football ground towards Plai Laem temple

Yesterday saw a fairly sunny and warm day around Samui with a max temp of 30.5C

The Dumaguete Bell Tower is the oldest known Belfry in the province of Negros Oriental. It's located next to the St Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral, in downtown Dumaguete

The forecast hard wind and rain for the next two days with lots of rain during the weekend and lot of hard wind and less rain after the weekend. Doesn't look like a white Christmas but possibly a wet variation this year.

Don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 15th December, 2014

Today's weather;

It's a lot nicer again on Koh Samui today after two stormy and wet days, it's cloudy but the sun is peeking through again. Current temp at 7am is 27.2C

This morning I found myself back in Dauin in the Philippines, where a PADI IE is in progress for the Moalboal IDC candidates. Our base is in Dumaguete for two nights after which we will return to Moalboal. Current temp at 8am local time here is 30.9C

Christmas tree at Central festival in Chaweng

Yesterday was another stormy and wet day around Samui but there was 'only' 34mm of rain. Max temp reached 28.4C

Christmas tree in downtown Dumaguete in the Philippines

The forecast is still not looking too good, it should be cloudy but dry for today and tomorrow but come Wednesday it will be windy and wet again in various degrees until after next weekend.

Don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 14th December, 2014

Today's weather;

It's raining this morning around Koh Samui and there are some fairly dark clouds hanging over the island and it might stay wet for the next couple of hours. Current temp at 7am is 25.2C

At Panagsama beach near Moalboal in the Philippines it's also wet, we already had a morning shower but here we have some grey clouds up in the sky. Current temp at 8am local time is 25C

We completed the PADI IDC yesterday and hopefully it will clear up later today since we have to travel to Dumaguete where in nearby Dauin a PADI IE will start for our candidates.

Good luck flowers for sale in Plai Laem, for inside your car or on the bike

Yesterday saw a very wet day with 61 mm of rain and a storm like wind raged over Samui. Max temp reached 29C

View on one side of Panagsama beach near Moalboal in the Philippines

The forecast doesn't look too good right now, The wind and rain may ease down for two days before it hits hard again on Wednesday, all the way through to the weekend and possibly after that. Will this be the first wet Christmas since years on the island? We'll have to wait and see for a few days more before the predictions will be up.

Don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 13th December, 2014

Today's weather;

It's cloudy this morning over Koh Samui and it won't surprise me if there will be some rain later today. Current temp at 7am is 26.6C

At Panagsama Beach near Moalboal in the Philippines, it's not as sunny as previous days, a bit more cloud cover with some blue spots. Current temp at 8am local time is 26C 

Khao Laem Yai viewpoint with Koh Phangan in the background

Yesterday it was warm although some parts of the island may have had a bit of rain. Max temp reached 31.2C

A tricycle, the favorite way to get around at Panagsama beach near Moalboal in the Philippines

The forecast predicts a windy and wet weekend, slowing down a bit on Monday and Tuesday but picking up heavily come Wednesday. Until next weekend it should be cloudy but with a lot less wind and rain.

Don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 12th December, 2014

Today's weather;

It looks another nice day is in the making around Koh Samui, where currently a blue sky is shaping with a few clouds in it. Current temp at 7am is 24.7C

In Moalboal in the Philippines we're on the last day of the current PADI IDC under a blue sky and a current temp at 8am local time of 27C

Three Buddha statues sitting on  forgotten bench at Wat Nara Charoen Suk in Lipa Noi 

Yesterday saw a nice and fairly warm day around Samui with a max temp of 31C

There's a big 'ball' or cloud of sardines moving up and down the Panagsama beach drop off all day long, consisting of ten of thousands of sardines. This picture shows some of them jumping out of the water in the early morning, near Moalboal in the Philippines

The forecast predicts win and rain over the weekend, slowing down a bit after the weekend but seemingly picking up heavily again come Wednesday. 

Don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks!

Camille

Construction of the ring road around Koh Samui 1969-1970

Getting around Koh Samui in the 'early days' was an adventure. Listening to stories of my wife, who is born and raised on Samui, 

Manual labor on the ring road

Visiting other parts of the island involved walking for most of the day and staying overnight with relatives and walking back the next day. 

More manual labor

From the Choengmon area, there was bus/song thaew per day to Nathon, which back in those days and still is the main place for any official and government related business.

This all changed in 1967, Khun Dilok Suthiklom, the 'mayor' of Samui back in those days or 'Phuyai baan of Samui' and he asked for funding to governmental organisation to build of what we nowadays know as the ring road.

Old picture of the ring road

This construction started and in 1969 and 1970 was in full swing, as the black and white pictures show.

The start of building the ring road was manual labor, as can be seen in the pictures above but one of the problems for building the ring road was the hill between Bang Po and Nathon and the rocky sides of the road around Lamai. Heavy construction machinery was needed.

Ring road construction Bang Po in 1982

As could be expected, delays were encountered, due to monsoon and rain, just like construction around the island nowadays. Some things just never change!

In 1973 the ring road was completed by putting the concrete plates in place and just recently, tar was added on top of the concrete plates at most of the ring road.

In the beginning the road was no wider than 2 meters, which has been changed a few years back, when the ring rod was widened. Most of the time only to create parking space for bikes and cars it seems.

Hope you enjoyed this, the old Samui pictures. Most of the pictures and some of the informatiom was found at this link.

Don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 11th December, 2014

Today's weather;

Koh Samui has a nice blue sky this morning with a few clouds in it. Current temp at 7am is 26.7C

At Panagsama beach near Moalboal in the Philippines it's looking very nice again and a warm day seems ahead of us with blue skies all around. Current temp at 8am local time is 26C

Police box or HQ in Plai Laem

Yesterday saw a warm day around Samui with a max temp of 31C

Yesterday's sunset at Panagsama beach near Moalboal in the Philippines

The forecast is not looking too good, enjoy the time before the weekend starts, since at that moment wind and rain are supposed to move in and especially mid week next week it might get even more wet with more strong wind.

Don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

 Camille

Constitution Day in Thailand today, a national holiday

Today is Constitution Day, a national holiday throughout the country and all official (banks etc) and government buildings are closed.

Each year it's held on 10 December and in case 10 December falls on a weekend, the holiday will be observed on the following Monday.

The Democracy Monument in Bangkok

Constitution days commemorates Thailand's adoption of a constitutional monarchy in 1932.

At the start of the 1930s, Thailand (then called Siam) was suffering economically from the effects of the great depression. The king at the time was Rama VII was seen by many to not have enough experience to deal with all the issues that were affecting his country.

This led to a group of intellectuals and senior military personnel forming a group called the people's party who presented the king with the option to stay in power but have his power reduced, creating a constitutional monarchy.

Under the new constitution, the king and monarchy remained in place with the king as head of state, head of the military and defender of all religions.

Since 1932, Thailand has had 18 constitutions or charters, but all have been a variation of a constitutional monarchy. This constant of the monarchy during times of great change reflects the respect and admiration that the Thai people have for their Monarchy.

This pride in the monarchy is a key element of the festivities of Constitution Day. Parades and fireworks are common festivities on this day and images of the Thai kings are displayed across the country. It is a day when the people of Thailand will thank the monarchy for granting them the right to run their country.

Original information of this post can be found at this site.

Don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 10th December, 2014

Today's weather;

A nice blue sky is shaping up over Koh Samui with a few clouds in it. Current temp at 7am is 26.5C

Today is Constitution Day in Thailand, which is an official holiday, with all banks, governments buildings etc being closed.

At Panagsama beach near Moalboal in the Philippines it looks very similar, blue skies with some clouds in it and beautiful dive conditions. In front of my breakfast place there's a massive sardine ball and sometimes a few hundred to a thousand jump out of the water, a beautiful sight. Current temp at 8am local time is 26C

Fishing nets up at Bang Makham

Yesterday saw a fairly nice day with some short but hard rain during the afternoon. Max temp reached 32C

Three older ladies, trying to make some money whilst singing around Panagsama beach near Moalboal in the Philippines

The forecast predicts that it will be ice until the weekend but than rain and wind will pop up and it may be plenty of rain. The monsoon may be back for a few days.

Don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille