Read in  SAMUI eXpress of May 2007.

Koh Samui Tourism looking up

Posh hotels rising

TOURISM is looking up on Koh Samui as several international hotels are about to break ground on the island.  

  Club Med, a well-known international resort hotel chain, has chosen to build its second hotel in Thailand on Samui. It will be one of nine hotels that the chain plans to put up in six countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Japan and China. 

  The Dubai-based Istithmar Hotels FZE has also announced that it will build a 70-room luxury hotel on Samui, in partnership with leading Thai developer Amburaya Resorts. The facility, under the W Retreat brand and named W Hotel & Residences Koh Samui, is slated to open late next year. 

  Earlier the Malaysian company QI Group announced that it was set to open a high-class resort and spa on the island this August. Its vice president, Dato Vijay Esvaran, said the company, seeing Samui tourism as a bright investment area, had bought an existing hotel facility in 2005 and renovated it at a cost of Bt 300 millon  

  Caroline Pucho, president and managing director of Club Med Asia-Pacific, disclosed that the company has allocated some Bt 30 billion over three years to build nine hotels in six Asian countries since research has shown that travel to Asia-pacific destinations is on the march over the next several years. 

   The Club med project on Koh Samui, which will sit on a  150-rai (60-acre) land, will cost Bt 3.5 billion. Club Med has been operating a resort on phuket for the past 25 years. 

  The W Hotel & Residences Koh Samui is the first southeast Asian property for the W Retreat brand, which is owned by Starwood Hotels. 

  The retreat will feature 70 villas, w’s signature living Room and lounge, one signature restaurant, a pool bar and a signature spa. The development will also include 15 luxury villas on the grounds of the retreat, which will be available for purchase.

   Joe Sita, chief executive of Istithmar Hotels FZE, said, “W Hotel & Residences fits right into our portfolio of luxury hotel brands in key markets around the world”. 

  Sunny  Bajaj, managing director of partner Amburaya resorts, for his part, said,”We wanted to bring in world-class financial and operational expertise into this project and Istithmar Hotels was the obvious choice”.

   At present, W Hotels has 21 properties in major cities around the world. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc, the parent company of W Hotels, entered into a management agreement with Amburaya resorts to manage the new hotel when plans were announced in November 2006. 

  Amburaya currently has properties in Bangkok, Pattaya, Koh Samui and India, and continues to look for opportunities to grow its portfolio within Thailand and the region.

Read in SAMUI EXPRESS  13 july 2007

Beckham buys land in Maenam Forestry  Office Probes 7-Rai Property

      For weeks, local and foreign reporters tried to confirm reports that football icon David Beckham, his wife Victoria, also known as Posh Spice of the now defunct all-girl band Spice Girls, and their two children were on Koh Samui a few weeks ago.

      Indeed the Beckhams were on Samui for a short holiday. Sources from the Forest Prevention and Control Department in Suratthani also revealed that the family planned to build a home on the island.

      The rumors about the visit started when Beckham ‘s security coordinator, who remains unnamed, reportedly received a thank-you letter from the Tourism Association of Koh Samui. The authenticity of the letter, which was later sent to the football star, was confirmed by the association.

      Mr. Sompon Thongphet-khiang, director of the Suratthani forestry office, said they were checking a parcel of land where Beckham may build a house to ensure it wasn’t part of a forest reservation.

      The land, he said, is located on Laem Hoi hill in Ban Tai Moo 5, Maenam.

      The seven-raid property reportedly cost Beckham Bt 200 million.

      But Mr. Sompon said he wasn’t sure if the land could be awarded to Beckham.

      “We will try to determine if this land can be allocated for private use or not,”he said, adding that the football star won’t get any special treatment.

      The Beckham, reliable sources said, stayed on Samui for a week before flying Back to England, where he will stay before moving to the US.

      Beckham, 32, quit Real Madrid this month to join MLS team LA Galaxy in California.-With reports from Kik Sodsai

 MORE STARS TO MAKE SAMUI THEIR HOME

      It seems that not only David Beckham has fallen in love with Koh samui. Manchester City manager Sven Goran Eriksson is reportedly spending $ 425.000 on a luxury villa at the Peregrina Bay housing development.

      Though still in the design phase, Eriksson’ s villa is supposed to have a stunning view of the sea, a heated Jacuzzi, and a pool when it is completed in 2008.

      Eriksson’ s home in Thailand will add to his property portfolio that currently includes a $ 550.000 villa in Portugal, a $ 350.000 beaside house in Italy, and a $ 225.000 home in Sweden.

      Peregrina Bay, meanwhile, plans to launch a second phase of 25 garden condominiums in September.

      The resort estate, situated in Laem Set south of the island, is being developed by Jemro Development Co. Its first phase, with 12 luxury properties, has been sold out, either on long-term lease or freehold basis. Buyers also include Graham Poll, the former English Premier League referee.

      Jeremy Standers, the company’ s director, said the project had gained a lot of recognition in Premier League circles  and the company was currently in talks with several footballers, with purchases expected in the next few months.

Princess graces launch of Samui marina project

A GRAND party and a « first stone » ceremony kicked off the official construction of the highly anticipated Royal Samui Marina, a high-end house project, last May 10.    

  No less than Her Royal Highness Princess Soamsawali graced the event, which was included a gala dinner. Other local dignitaries who graced the occasion, held at the developer’s Maenam office, included Suratthani Gov.Niwat Sawatkaew and Koh Samui Mayor Varakorn Rattanarak.     

 Princess Soamsawali, also presided over the first-stone ceremony, which was followed by a beautiful fireworks display.     

 The Royal Samui Marina, being developed by the Kalkin Development ( Thailand ) Co, Ltd, Maenam office, will be constructed on approximately 20 rai of land located in Baan Tai, just north of Maenam. It will consist of 22 exclusive villas as well as 25 condominiums.

 Each villa sits adjacent to a waterway that has ocean access and each villa will have its own privet boat mooring. The project is expected to be completed in about three years.     

The Royal Samui Marina project will help propel koh Samui as a destination for high-end luxuty living. The lifestyles associated with boating and yatchting will bring a high level of sophistication to the island.

The project will also mean large and ongoing capital income for both the local government and the residents.      Kalkin Development announced a strong support by the Thai government for the project.

The company has also taken steps that no environmental damage would occur to the surroundings or to the local residents.

 For example, they have incorporated a space into the development so as not to displace the local Thai fishermen who currently use the waterway. Also, the entire river will be cleaned and revitalized.

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