Tolin's 2024 World Cruise blog posts, Day 64 Mar 14, 2024, Koh Samui, Thailand, Koh Samui Intro

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Ko Samui is an island off the east coast of Thailand. Geographically in the Chumphon Archipelago, it is part of Surat Thani Province, though as of 2012, Ko Samui was granted municipal status and thus is now locally self-governing. Ko Samui, with an area of 88.3 square miles, is Thailand's second largest island after Phuket (a later port call). In 2018, it was visited by 2.7 million tourists.  The island is about 15 miles long by 14 miles wide.  Local population is about 65,000.

The island was probably first inhabited about 15 centuries ago, settled by fishermen from the Malay Peninsula and southern China. It appears on Chinese maps dating back to 1687, under the name Pulo Cornam.

The origin of the name samui is unknown. It may come from the Sanskrit-Tamil word สมวย, meaning 'sea weather'. Or it may derive from the name of a tree known locally in southern Thailand as ต้นหมุย. A third possibility is that it originated from early Hainanese traders to Samui. In Hainanese Chinese, เซ่าบ่วย means 'first island', 'barrier', or 'gate', or literally 'beautiful beach.' As it was their first port of call in Thailand, it became its name and evolved over time to สมุย. Some people believe that the word "samui" derives from the Malay word saboey, or 'safe haven.' There is no firm corroboration of any of these theories. Ko is the Thai word for "island."

Until the late-20th century, Ko Samui was an isolated self-sufficient community, having little connection with the mainland of Thailand. The island was without roads until the early 1970s, and the 9.3 miles journey from one side of the island to the other could involve a whole-day trek through the mountainous central jungles.

Ko Samui's economy now is based primarily on a successful tourist industry, as well as exports of coconut and rubber.

Economic growth has brought not only prosperity, but also major changes to the island's environment and culture.

More info:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ko_Samui














Big Buddha Temple






Lacquer covered bowls


"Be Humble" followed us to Ko Samui



Chinese & Thai Temples




Wat Plai Laem Temple



Inside of temple








Wat Plai Laem is a wat on the resort island of Ko Samui, Thailand. Like the nearby Wat Phra Yai or "Big Buddha Temple," it is a modern Buddhist temple. The temple's design incorporates elements of Chinese and Thai traditions and was in part designed by distinguished Thai artist Jarit Phumdonming. Its main statue, which is in Chinese style, is not of Gautama Buddha. It is a form of the bodhisattva of compassion and mercy, Avalokiteśvara, called Cundi. This form of the deity is known in Chinese as "Guanyin with eighteen arms."


In addition to the main statue, there is also a white statue of Budai and smaller shrines dedicated to Ganesha, Vishnu, Shiva and Sakka.

Although it is an open-air image, it is located within an elaborate ubosot on a platform-pavilion surrounded by a temple lake.

More info:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wat_Plai_Laem



Wat Plai Laem Buddha Temple





Crematorium

Quick stop at an outdoor cafe for refreshments




Symbolic decor in our bus window

One of two significant island exports

Husking





Shredding


Water buffalo


Tomorrow will be a sea day then three days in Singapore





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