Koh Samui, 35km Northeast of Surat Thani, is known for clear sea waters and beautiful beaches, being capable for your dream holiday destinations. However, as the second-largest island after Phuket, Samui also became one of the preferred locations for expats living in Thailand, as Koh Samui has almost everything you need for a long-term stay.
Thus, as long-term living is different from short-term travel, there are a lot of things to consider. This article will guide you with a little advice to think about relocating to Koh Samui and how to live there happily.
What you didn’t know (but you need to know) about Koh Samui (and their surroundings).
Koh Samui has appeared on Chinese maps as Pulo Cornam since 1687. In geographical term, Koh Samui is the centre of the islands of Surat Thani, including Koh Pha-ngan, Koh Tao, and Koh Nang Yuan to the north, Koh Som, and Koh Matlang to the northeast, Koh Taen, and Koh Matsum to the south, and Mu Koh Ang Thong to the west.
Koh Samui has an area of 228.7 square kilometers with the widest point of 25 kilometers. Tropical Jungle covers most of Koh Samui, including Khao Pom, the largest mountain peaking at 635m. Tropical Jungles also makes Koh Samui hot and humid round the year with average temperature of 28 °C and rainfall of 1,960mm per year.
Koh Samui is an amphoe or district of Surat Thani, divided into seven tambons (sub-districts) and 39 mubans (villages). With a population of 70,059 (surveyed in 2019), Koh Samui is under governance of the city municipality or thesaban nakhon. Although tourism became a major economic activity, Koh Samui local industries of coconuts and rubber are still one of the main revenue sources for the locals.
The living area of Koh Samui is various lowland and coastal areas, including Nathon which houses many government offices, two major piers, and ports for fisheries, Chaweng and Bophut area is known for commercial and tourist activities. These areas are connected by a 55km ‘Ring Road’ around the island. Koh Samui itselfs connects to the mainland via ferry services and international airport.
Why is Samui one of the best choices for Expats living in Thailand?
Sea, sand, and Beaches
The attraction of Koh Samui is mostly for its seas and beaches. However, many places in Thailand also have attractive seaside such as Pattaya, Phuket, or other Andaman Provinces. However, a key advantage of Koh Samui is its compactness of the island, friendliness of native Samuis, and it’s cheaper to live a good life here in comparison with another island in the west.
Lots of things-to-do
Even if you are a digital nomad needing an office to work from faraway, a family man finding new environments for their kids, or a retiree who looks for a retirement safe haven. Koh Samui is not limited only to tropical beaches and water sports. There is also co-working space, outdoor adventure, temples and churches, music and cultural activities, or visiting neighbor islands. There are endless choices of events for you.
Wide-range of Accommodation and Amenities
Known for five-stars luxury villas, Koh Samui is known for the best accommodation available on the planet. Though Koh Samui is not limited to hotels and resorts, they have various forms of long-term accommodation from budget bungalows to precious beachfront penthouse condominiums suitable for your habitat.
Rather from basic needs such as tap water, electricity, schools and hospital, there is everything you need for your well-being lifestyle at Koh Samui. From the local market to the supermarket filled with organic and imported goods, shopping malls with brand-name stores, or big-box stores with furniture and electric appliances. Koh Samui is also available with dining places, nightclubs, pubs, bookstores, cinemas, spas, fitness centers, and access to high-speed internet and digital TV, the same as any major city in Thailand.
Plentiful of Expat Communities
Koh Samui is currently ‘a home’ for many expats from around the world, they are happy to help you integrate into communities, or make yourself feel like staying in your motherland. Many expats in Koh Samui are linked via Social Media like Facebook or meeting in networking events which make it easier for you to create new relationships. There are also clubs available such as Sisters on Samui or Rotary Club of Samui and Phangan.
Where should I stay in Koh Samui?
Living area of Koh Samui can divided into five major districts:
Bophut
a home of charming Fisherman Village, the major area of Bophut is fairly quiet but still has dining and nightlife options available.
Choeng Mon
a location with a great view of Choeng Mon bay, there are a bunch of affordable condominiums exclusively for expats communities.
Chaweng
Main vibrant area of the island with a biggest beach, suitable for expats who prefer something for their night out.
Lamai
a Second-largest resort area of the island with lots of things but not crowded as Chaweng, for people who need a balanced way to live.
Maenam
a backwater village which is cheaper in comparison and lesser tourist traffic, a good place for introverts who want to enjoy themselves with the scenery before the sun goes down.
What do you need to prepare before moving to Samui?
If you decide that Samui will be your next place of living, there is something you need to prepare for moving to Samui which including
Visa
Any foreign nationals who prefered to stay in Thailand for more than 90-days need a Business Visa or Non-Immigrant Visa for your stay. Using a tourist visa for more than 90-days stays is against the Immigration Law and may result in deportation.
For more information about visas, please contact your nearest Thai embassy or consulate or visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa website.
Careers
Along with a visa, working in Thailand requires a work permit, which company will assist you to gain paperwork both for a work permit and Business Visa. You can also set up a new company that can have one work permit, it requires some legal work and will cost you around 50,000 – 60,000 baht to set up, and a further 20,000 for the initial work permit.
Local bank account is also important, you need to show that you are on a long-stay visa to open the account. Most banks are available in Samui with english-speaking staff and there are ATM machines throughout the island.
Learning Thais
As a major tourist destination, most locals are english-speaking. Thus, it is better for Farang to know some basic Thai which helps your daily life easier and makes you integrated into communities as a local Samui.
Some language schools offer education visas, which allow its students to stay in the country for a year at a time without having to do border runs. Be sure to pick a reputable school that is registered with the Thai Ministry of Education, and be sure to attend class as Thai is greatly different from European Languages.
Accommodations
Renting is as easy as other major cities in Thailand. However, there are certain restrictions regarding foreigners buying properties in Thailand, including the restriction in ownership of the land and requirement of Thai partnership in a company to own a property. Thus, foreign nationals can buy condominiums with their own rights.
Transportation and Drivings
Even though there is some public transportation available such as Song Thaews, owning some mode of transportation such as mopeds or cars is better in provinces, including Koh Samui which some areas are only accessible via unpaved roads. These vehicles are both available for sale and for rent.
To obtain a Thai Driver License, go to the Department of Transport in Nathon with your copies of passport and long-stay visa, medical certificate, a letter from immigration with your permanent address or your work permit. It is better to bring your driver license to skip out on some tests. Driving without a license results in fines according to traffic laws.
Daily needs
Koh Samui is not suffering from a shortage as other islands. There are a number of local markets, supermarkets, and convenience stores for grocery shopping. Major online shopping platforms such as Lazada, Shopee, and JD Central are also available. There is also a vast range of cuisine from cheap local foods, international chain fast foods, through fine dining restaurants.
Crimes
There is a little violent crime in Koh Samui. In general, Koh Samui is a very safe place to live with some petty crime as anywhere in the world. In case of something wrong happening, there are police and tourist police stations around the island where most of them speak good English. Also available is emergency line number 191 for police and 199 for fire department.
Healthcare and School
Koh Samui has a government Hospital on the outskirts of Nathon, four Private Hospitals with specialist clinics and emergency center, an abundance of dentists and optometrists, and lots of pharmacies around the island. Most supermarkets and convenience stores also have pharmacy counters. Most healthcare workers are also english-spoken. Ambulance is available via hotline number 1669.
For families moving to Koh Samui, There are local schools which teach Thai Curriculum dozens of options for International School available ranging from Preschool through Upper Secondary. Most of them are located in populated areas such as Bophut, Chaweng, and Lamai.
PBISS, your options for British International School in Samui
PBISS, a Cambridge-accredited British International School, has served local Samui Communities with a Cambridge-curriculum British Education since 2004. Our students from more than 40 nationalities are provided with well-designed education in combination with our Thai language and culture.
Using Cambridge-curriculum as a basis, we enhanced them with STEM+, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics approach to become the Cambridge x STEM+, an integration into most subjects not limited to pure and applied science but including geography, languages, music, and sports to promote interactive learning and provide initiatives that traditional education methods cannot provide.
PBISS are also known for empowered “inclusive culture” at all levels to make ourselves “A Home away from Home”. We started building the culture from the students by teaching them to respect others, listen to others, and help others. Our students are also supported by our teachers, mentors and staff trained in detecting special needs, which guarantees appropriate levels of personalised support and monitoring of progress for all students.
Located in Chaweng noi, surrounded by a lush tropical green hillside and beaches. Our campus allowed our students to live within nature and an unpolluted environment while complying with the same standard of an urban campus. We have fully-equipped laboratories, a music room, a library, a canteen, sports facilities, and three separate playground areas for different age groups. We also expanded our operation into a British-style boarding school for parents outside of Koh Samui who need the best option of education available.
At PBISS, we ensured that our graduates would be a global citizen who is action-oriented and values and respects diversity, an effective communicator who organises ideas with clarity and precision, an empowered thinker who demonstrates flexibility, creativity and innovation, and a well-rounded individual who embraces new opportunities and challenges.
If you are interested in enrolling your children into our curriculum, or have some question about our teaching or our policies on education. Please visit our campus directly or feel free to contact via our email at info@pbiss.ac.th
