Reader question: Has Koh Samui become terribly expensive?

Think that the whole of Thailand has become a bit more expensive in the past 15 years, including Koh Samui.

Well, the Russians have been there and now the Chinese, so yes, prices are higher than 15 years ago, when it was still mainly European middle-class families and backpackers.

Dear Patrick, you write a clear message with a clear question. Whether people can give you an indication of what a beer, a cappuccino, fried rice with chicken, or a breakfast of eggs, bacon and toast costs. So that you have an idea of ​​what the usual things now cost.
Remarkable, almost painful, to then read all the reactions. I don't know if anyone even bothered to understand your message before throwing another nice peppery response into the air. people do not respond to your question at all in any case. but you, apparently it's a good air?

I'll give you some examples, I can't give you a practical answer because I've been to several places in Thailand and live in Chiang Mai, but I've never been to Koh Samui. I enjoy life, but try to avoid the typical tourist hangouts. Not so much because of the prices, but because of the people, the noise and the talk. I also emphatically avoid the places where Dutch speakers gather. I am leaving the Netherlands, not to hear more of the same elsewhere. I am having a great time with nice Thai. You will read it in your responses to your question.

I'm not naming addresses, but simply a matter of looking around and asking around. I pay 35, 40 or a maximum of 50 baht for a simple but excellent meal in my quiet street at home, as well as at an excellent place on the street, right in the heart of Chiang Mai. People standing in a short queue waiting for a table is a good indication. Choice of 8-16 varied dishes. No standard tourist Pad Thai to be found. at least for me delicious and healthy food.
I know a neat restaurant in CM that Thais say have the best noodle soups in town. Famous Thai ate here, judging by the many signed photos on the wall. Soup for 50 to 90 bath. Diagonally across the street there is a place where they sell a typical breakfast dish, don't know the name, rice with boiled chicken and a typical sauce. Again Thai in CM say that this is top of the town, every morning rows of Thai people on the sidewalk, 40 bath. I pay for a very good cappuccino in a small and cozy place in the city, 6 chairs only, 40 bath. I have a delicious breakfast every day for 20 bath (Joke moo). A bit of standard continental breakfast with a friend, in the middle of the city, 80 bath. Half a liter of Chang in one good pub, busy street, no barladies, but nice girls behind the bar, high scores on websites, 100 bath. And in a great relaxed lounge tent, in a hidden spot, insiders only, I really won't tell anyone else, I pay 80 baht for such a beer. Good steak with fries and lettuce costs 240 bath there. A Thai bite costs 120-140 baht there. And 40 meters past my house I buy a fried really fresh (tambam) fish in a restaurant, because straight from the fish pond, big enough for 2 people, with rice and a generous and delicious sweet and sour sauce with vegetables, about 140 baht.

I gave you a practical indication of prices today, in the country's second largest city. For those who don't follow the crowd and look at what the Thai themselves advise you. Most tourists I sometimes speak to often pay more everywhere, come to other tents.. Also on Samui the prices are undoubtedly different, a matter of looking and asking. Not to where it is cheap, but where Thai who can afford it go themselves. . My experience is, better tent, lower prices. But for me, better tent means, in addition to quality, few superficial tourists, few eternally complaining expats. Samui is an island (bring everything in) and very touristy, which of course increases the basic prices.

By the way, why don't you get stuck in a memory from 15 years ago, but just go somewhere without that old frame of reference?

Enjoy it!