Just heard the news of a crash in Samui. No fatality reported as of this moment. The plane was trying to land during heavy rain.h

Apparently the pilot has been reported dead.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8182962.stm

Hanuman, in general, how is the weather? I'm going to Samui in just one week (12th-14th), flying from BKK. I don't have tickets yet, but no doubt will fly on BKK Airways. I hate to hear stories such as this one when I'm getting ready to fly! UGH Leaving in two days for BKK, arriving late Fri night.

Carol

Weather on Samui this time of year is changeable. You can have several sunny clear days, followed by some really bad days. Samui is about the best place to be in Thailand in August, but there's no guarantees.

Thanks, Michael. Hope Maeng and I have two good days!
Carol

Carol,

Sorry for the late reply as I was flying myself! Lots of rain yesterday all over the country including Samui. Don't worry be happy!

My umbrella is packed...

1 dead (pilot) and 7 serious injuries. Samui airport due to re-open this afternoon. Check the local online Thailand English newspapers for more details (Nation and Bangkok Post).

Hi Carol,
This blog site will gives you a daily Samui weather update.

http://samui-weather.blogspot.com/

It has been very windy here in Koh Samui with velocities in the 35 kph range. Rain showers for an hour or so in the late afternoons. Unable to go to Koh Tao for scuba for the last 4 days.

you may take a ferry to Koh Samui !!!

Shane, thanks for that blog site. Very helpful.
I'm sure Maeng and I will be just fine... maybe a little bit of rain, but it won't spoil our vacation.
Carol

Just got a nice 'condolence' email from Bangkok Airways, with information on the crash and the re-start of operations. Quite a refreshing change from the usual 'say nothing' approach most Thai companies take to disasters.

i also received that same note from the CEO of the airlines..

Here's the latest info:

Wind shear may have contributed to Samui ATR crash
Wind shear could have been a factor in the crash of a Bangkok Airways
ATR72-500 at Koh Samui's airport.
Thai prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva reportedly told Thai media
yesterday that "sudden wind shear" may have caused the accident. Reports
suggest he learned this from Thailand's transport minister.
On 4 August a Bangkok Airways ATR 72-500, local registration HS-PGL and
local manufacturer's serial number 670, crashed into a disused concrete
control tower at the airport after landing in rain.
The captain died and four others on board had serious injuries and two
had minor injuries, says the airline, adding that there were 68
passengers, two pilots and two cabin crew on board.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news

Just remember, this would be the same transport minister who said the Bangkok airport link would start operations August 12 (next week).

What, Isn't it finished yet?

Nope. Maybe by December, if they can work things out with the railroad union. That's the latest problem - the state railway employees union is threatening to shut down the whole country if the state railway puts the management of the airport link under a private company. They already called a one day strike to prove their power.

Why are they holding back such a vital piece of infrastructure?

Do the taxi drivers union have something to do with it? Surely the railroad union can only see the completion to be a positive as it will result in more employment.

Well, they're not really holding back at this point. The August 12 date never was realistic, the engineers at transport ministry told me that just after the minister announced it, hence the joke about believing anything the transport minister says.

December was always the more realistic start date for limited service, while check-in at the city terminal probably won't be ready until next year. Like most state enterprise unions, the SRT union sees any attempt at privatization, no matter how limited, as a threat to their jobs-for-life for doing nothing way of life. They (perhaps correctly) assume that if any part of the state enterprise is privatized and forced to make money, them some employees might lose their jobs. It's like the recent Ssanyong strike in South Korea, where it seemed that the union would rather put the whole company out of business than allow any of its members to lose their jobs.

So, the union is threatening to block the start of service, when the link is ready, which it's not.