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51-586: 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 (full name ต้นสมุย). A third possibility

102-490: A tropical monsoon climate according to the Köppen climate classification , based on an analysis of 1971–2010 Thai Meteorological Department data. The climate is warm and humid for most of the year. In comparison to Phuket and most of the rest of southern Thailand, Samui's weather is relatively drier (Samui receives about 1,960 mm (77.2 in) rain per year, and Phuket gets 2,220 mm (87 in)). Phuket's wet season

153-584: A distinct rainy season. Also subtropical areas like Florida , South and Southeast Texas, and southern Louisiana in the United States have a rainy season. Monsoon regions include the Indian subcontinent , Southeast Asia (including Indonesia and Philippines ), northern sections of Australia , Polynesia , Central America , western and southern Mexico , the Desert Southwest of

204-650: A term thought to derive from Sanskrit malayakolam or malaikurram . While the Chinese chronicle of the Yuan dynasty mentioned the word Ma-li-yu-er , referring to a nation of the Malay Peninsula that was threatened by the southward expansion of the Sukhothai Kingdom under King Ram Khamhaeng . During the same era, Marco Polo made a reference to Malauir in his travelogue , as a kingdom located in

255-472: A town municipality ( thesaban mueang ), and in 2012, the town was upgraded to a city municipality. The conversion of the municipality into a special administrative area with greater powers of self-governance similar to Pattaya has been discussed since 2008, but as of 2018, no action has been taken. Ko Samui is in the Gulf of Thailand , about 35 km (22 mi) northeast of Surat Thani town (9°N, 100°E). It

306-639: A wet season in the winter months. Similarly, the wet season in the Negev Desert of Israel extends from October through May. At the boundary between the Mediterranean and monsoon climates lies the Sonoran Desert , which receives the two rainy seasons associated with each climate regime. The wet season is known by many different local names throughout the world. For example, in Mexico it

357-407: A wet season month is defined as a month where average precipitation is 60 millimetres (2.4 in) or more. In contrast to areas with savanna climates and monsoon regimes, Mediterranean climates have wet winters and dry summers. Dry and rainy months are characteristic of tropical seasonal forests : in contrast to tropical rainforests , which do not have dry or wet seasons, since their rainfall

408-403: Is a 51 km (32 mi)-long road, encircling the island. Many other concrete roads branch off from this route to service other areas. On the west coast of the island is the original capital, Nathon, which still houses many government offices, as well as two of the island's five major piers. Nathon is the major port for fisheries and for vehicular and goods transportation from the mainland. As

459-410: 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. The first local government on Samui island was established in 1956 with the sanitary district Ko Samui, which however only covered the area around the settlement. In 1963 it was enlarged to cover

510-615: Is equally distributed throughout the year. Some areas with pronounced rainy seasons will see a break in rainfall mid-season, when the Intertropical Convergence Zone or monsoon trough moves to higher latitudes in the middle of the warm season. When the wet season occurs during a warm season, or summer , precipitation falls mainly during the late afternoon and early evening. In the wet season, air quality improves, fresh water quality improves, and vegetation grows substantially, leading to crop yields late in

561-552: Is home to several distinct ecoregions . The Tenasserim–South Thailand semi-evergreen rain forests cover the northern peninsula, including the Tenasserim Hills and the Isthmus of Kra, and extend to the coast on both sides of the isthmus. The Kangar-Pattani floristic boundary crosses the peninsula in southern Thailand and northernmost Malaysia, marking the boundary between the large biogeographic regions of Indochina to

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612-683: Is in Nathon . [REDACTED] Media related to Ko Samui at Wikimedia Commons Malay Peninsula The Malay Peninsula is located in Mainland Southeast Asia . The landmass runs approximately north–south, and at its terminus, it is the southernmost point of the Asian continental mainland. The area contains Peninsular Malaysia , Southern Thailand , and the southernmost tip of Myanmar ( Kawthaung ). The island country of Singapore also has historical and cultural ties with

663-510: Is known as "storm season". Different names are given to the various short "seasons" of the year by the First Nations of Northern Australia : the wet season typically experienced there from December to March is called Gudjewg . The precise meaning of the word is disputed, although it is widely accepted to relate to the severe thunderstorms, flooding, and abundant vegetation growth commonly experienced at this time. In tropical areas, when

714-505: Is one city municipality ( thesaban nakhon ). The district covers the island, as well as the Ang Thong archipelago and some other small islands nearby. Originally, the district included all of the islands of Surat Thani Province. The islands Ko Pha-ngan and Ko Tao were split off as the minor district ( king amphoe ) Ko Pha-ngan effective 1 October 1970. In 1980, administrative village number seven of Ang Thong Sub-district covering

765-756: Is required to maintain their own septic tank systems so there is no need for widespread wastewater treatment. Rainwater collection from roadway run-off along Samui's main ring road has been vastly improved during the main Ring Road revitalization and improvement project begun in 2017 and nearly completed as of 2020. The project has widened the main ring roads all the way around the entire island, upgrading with new steel-reinforced concrete along with asphalt blacktop, new sidewalks, additional street-lights, and run-off water collection. Ko Samui has three main run-off water treatment plants, in Chaweng, Lamai, and Maenam, to handle

816-575: Is separated from the island of Singapore by the Straits of Johor . The Malay term Tanah Melayu is derived from the word Tanah (land) and Melayu ( Malays ), thus it means "the Malay land". The term can be found in various Malay texts, of which the oldest dating back to the early 17th century. It is frequently mentioned in the Hikayat Hang Tuah , a well-known classic tale associated with

867-496: Is spread over six to eight months. Ko Samui has only two months with more than 212 mm (8 in) of rain. The heaviest precipitation typically falls in the time frame from mid October to early December. For the rest of the year, given the tropical climate, rain showers are brief; 20–60 minutes duration is typical. Ko Samui is an amphoe (district) of Surat Thani Province , divided into seven sub-districts ( tambons ) and 39 administrative villages ( mubans ). The entire island

918-475: 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 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 เกาะ

969-453: 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 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) 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

1020-516: Is the most significant island in the Chumphon Archipelago . The island measures some 25 kilometres (16 mi) at its widest point. To the north are the populated resort islands of Ko Pha-ngan, Ko Tao, and Ko Nang Yuan. Close to Bangrak in northeast Samui is the small uninhabited island of Ko Som, and to the northeast of Chaweng is the tiny Ko Matlang. To the south are Ko Taen and Ko Matsum, each of which have small tourist facilities. To

1071-773: The Peninsular Malaysian rain forests ecoregion. The Peninsular Malaysian peat swamp forests include distinctive waterlogged forests in the lowlands on both sides of the peninsula. Extensive mangroves line both coasts. The Myanmar Coast mangroves are on the western shore of the peninsula, and the Indochina mangroves on the eastern shore. Two federal territories are embedded within Selangor , which are Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya . [REDACTED] Media related to Malay Peninsula at Wikimedia Commons Wet season The wet season (sometimes called

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1122-417: The rainy season or monsoon season ) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. Generally, the season lasts at least one month. The term green season is also sometimes used as a euphemism by tourist authorities. Areas with wet seasons are dispersed across portions of the tropics and subtropics . Under the Köppen climate classification , for tropical climates ,

1173-522: The Malay Peninsula, possibly similar to the one mentioned in the Yuan chronicle. The Malay Peninsula was conflated with Persia in old Japan, and was known by the same name. In the early 20th century, the term Tanah Melayu was generally used by the Malays of the peninsula during the rise of Malay nationalism to describe uniting all Malay states on the peninsula under one Malay nation, and this ambition

1224-477: The Thai government announced the possibility of a second Ko Samui airport due to complaints of high airport fees. Several ferries connect the island with the mainland, including two car/passenger ferries, and connect Don Sak to piers in the west of the island, in Lipa Noi and in Nathon . Public buses to all parts of the mainland operate from a new bus station north of Nathon. Privately operated songthaews circle

1275-807: The United States, southern Guyana , and northeast Brazil . Northern Guyana has two wet seasons: one in early spring and the other in early winter. In western Africa, there are two rainy seasons across southern sections, but only one across the north. Within the Mediterranean climate regime, the west coast of the United States, the southwest coast of Australia and South Africa, the Mediterranean coastline of Italy, Spain, Greece, Lebanon, Syria, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, and Turkey, as well as areas further inland in Western Asia which include Jordan, Northern Iraq and most parts of Iran, experience

1326-538: The ancient Indian text, Vayu Purana , may possibly refer to the Malay Peninsula. Another Indian source, an inscription on the south wall of the Brihadeeswarar Temple , recorded the word Malaiur , referring to a kingdom in the Malay Peninsula that had "a strong mountain for its rampart". Ptolemy 's Geographia named a geographical region of the Golden Chersonese as Maleu-kolon ,

1377-403: The beginning of the wet season. The onset of the rainy season signals the departure of the monarch butterfly from Mexico. Tropical species of butterflies show larger dot markings on their wings to fend off possible predators and are more active during the wet season than the dry season . Within the tropics and warmer areas of the subtropics, decreased salinity of near shore wetlands due to

1428-554: The charging of local aquifers during the wet season. Water also softens, as the concentration of dissolved materials reduces during the rainy season. Erosion is also increased during rainy periods. Arroyos that are dry at other times of the year fill with runoff, in some cases with water as deep as 10 feet (3.0 m). Leaching of soils during periods of heavy rainfall depletes nutrients. The higher runoff from land masses affects nearby ocean areas, which are more stratified , or less mixed, due to stronger surface currents forced by

1479-479: The entirety of Samui and Pha-Nga islands, which at that time were still in the same district. In 1973, the area of the Ko Pha-Ngan District became a separate sanitary district. Since 1981, the sanitary district covers the area of the whole district. Like all sanitary districts, Ko Samui became a subdistrict municipality ( thesaban tambon ) in 1999. In 2008, the subdistrict municipality was upgraded to

1530-413: The far west are 44 other islands which together compose Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park which is accessible by a day-trip boat tour from Ko Samui. The central part of Ko Samui is mostly tropical jungle with tree coverage and many beautiful creatures. It also includes its largest mountain, Khao Pom, peaking at 635 m (2,083 ft). The various lowland and coastal areas are connected by one route, which

1581-740: The heavy rainfall runoff. High rainfall can cause widespread flooding, which can lead to landslides and mudflows in mountainous areas. Such floods cause rivers to burst their banks and submerge homes. The Ghaggar-Hakra River , which only flows during India's monsoon season, can flood and severely damage local crops. Floods can be exacerbated by fires that occurred during the previous dry season, which cause soils which are sandy or composed of loam to become hydrophobic, or water repellent. In various ways governments may help people deal with wet season floods. Flood plain mapping identifies which areas are more prone to flooding. Instructions on controlling erosion through outreach are also provided by telephone or

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1632-565: The internet. The wet season is the main period of vegetation growth within the Savanna climate regime. However, this also means that wet season is a time for food shortages before crops reach their full maturity. This causes seasonal weight changes for people in developing countries, with a drop occurring during the wet season until the time of the first harvest, when weights rebound. Malaria incidence increases during periods of high temperature and heavy rainfall. Cows calve, or give birth, at

1683-405: The islands Ko Chueak, Ko Nok Phao, and Ko Rikan was reassigned to Don Sak District , where it now forms village number 11. Samui Airport is a private airport built and owned by Bangkok Airways , which is the only airline with services to Ko Samui from mainland Thailand since the airport's construction in 1989. Due to its use of locally produced palm leaves and a natural, open-air cooling system,

1734-602: The legendary heroes of Malacca Sultanate . Tanah Melayu in the text is consistently employed to refer to the area under Malaccan dominance. In the early 16th century, Tomé Pires , a Portuguese apothecary who stayed in Malacca from 1512 to 1515, uses an almost identical term, Terra de Tana Malaio , with which he referred to the southeastern part of Sumatra, where the deposed sultan of Malacca, Mahmud Shah , established his exiled government. The 17th century's account of Portuguese historian, Emanuel Godinho de Erédia , noted on

1785-421: The monsoon arrives, high daytime high temperatures drop and overnight low temperatures increase, thus reducing diurnal temperature variation . During the wet season, a combination of heavy rainfall and, in some places such as Hong Kong , an onshore wind, improve air quality . In Brazil, the wet season is correlated with weaker trade winds off the ocean. The pH level of water becomes more balanced due to

1836-487: The north and Sundaland and Malesia to the south. The forests north of the boundary are characterized by seasonally-deciduous trees, while the Sundaland forests have more year-round rainfall and the trees are mostly evergreen. Peninsular Malaysia is home to three terrestrial ecoregions. The Peninsular Malaysian montane rain forests ecoregion covers the mountains above 1,000 meters elevation. The lowlands and hills are in

1887-467: The number of daily flights from 36 to 50. The island received more than 2.5 million foreign visitors in 2017, up from 2.34 million in 2016. According to a luxury hotelier, tourists traveling to Ko Samui spend an average of 7,700 to 8,200 baht per head per day. As of 2020, legislators in the Thai parliament have put forward a proposal to build an 18 km (11 mi) bridge linking mainland Nakhon Si Thammarat Province with Ko Samui. The MPs claim that

1938-531: The peninsula – Asian elephant ( Elephas maximus ), gaur ( Bos gaurus ), tiger ( Panthera tigris ), sun bear ( Helarctos malayanus ), Malayan tapir ( Tapirus indicus ), clouded leopard ( Neofelis nebulosa ), and siamang ( Symphalangus syndactylus ). The Sumatran rhinoceros ( Dicerorhinus sumatrensis ) once inhabited the forests, but Malaysia's last rhinoceroses died in 2019, and the species' few remaining members survive only in Sumatra . The peninsula

1989-437: The project would spur economic growth in south Thailand. They propose that—if built—it be named "Chan-o-cha" in honour of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha . Samui has several tourist attraction sites ranging from beaches, waterfalls and is full of history. Some of the top attraction sites in this island include: Ko Samui hosts some 2,700,000 visitors per year. To manage this, every resort, hotel, villa, restaurant, and facility

2040-629: The rainwater collection from the roads; since all sewage is handled by each property's own required septic systems. Other islands such as Koh Tao and Koh Phangan (famous for its full moon parties) have much more serious problems due to lack of good infrastructure and enforcement. Plans to build more water treatment plants on those other island has been stymied by lack of funding, making Koh Samui's better infrastructure much more appealing. Samui has five private hospitals: Samui International Hospital; Wattanapat Hospital Samui; Thai International; Bandon Hospital; and Bangkok Hospital Samui. The government hospital

2091-502: The region of Malaios surrounded by the Andaman Sea in the north, the entire Strait of Malacca in the centre, a part of Sunda Strait in the south, and the western part of South China Sea in the east. Prior to the foundation of Malacca, ancient and medieval references to a Malay peninsula exist in various foreign sources. According to several Indian scholars, the word Malayadvipa ("mountain-insular continent"), mentioned in

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2142-525: The region. The Titiwangsa Mountains are part of the Tenasserim Hills system and form the backbone of the peninsula and the southernmost section of the central cordillera , which runs from Tibet through the Kra Isthmus , the peninsula's narrowest point, into the Malay Peninsula. The Strait of Malacca separates the Malay Peninsula from the Indonesian island of Sumatra , and the south coast

2193-444: The ring road like a bus service with fixed fees mostly only in the daytime, and private taxis which charged a fixed, flat fee depending on the destination. Sociologist Erik Cohen noted that modern tourism to Ko Samui began to pick up pace in the late 1970s. The expansion of tourism on the island has resulted in growth of building resorts, bungalows, and luxury private villas on the island. The island's total of 17,479 hotel rooms in 2013

2244-412: The season. Rivers overflow their banks, and some animals retreat to higher ground. Soil nutrients diminish and erosion increases. The incidence of malaria and dengue increases in areas where the rainy season coincides with high temperatures, particularly in tropical areas. Some animals have adaptation and survival strategies for the wet season. Often, the previous dry season leads to food shortages in

2295-405: The site of the main port and the closest city to the mainland has made Nathon the commercial centre for Samui locals. More recently, the transition from dependence on the local coconut industry along with the continued growth and development of the tourist industry, as well as the northeastern location of the airport, has led to the increase of commercial activity in Chaweng and Bophut. Ko Samui has

2346-401: The terminal complex received an Environment Impact Assessment Award under the guidance of Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth . Ko Samui airport is built in an open style, drawing connections between it and traditional Thai architecture. In 2009, the airport handled 1.3 million passengers and 17,707 aircraft operations. Flights from Samui to Phuket and other Thai destinations are available, and in 2012,

2397-480: The tropics can have two wet seasons, because the monsoon trough, or Intertropical Convergence Zone , can pass over locations in the tropics twice per year. However, since rain forests have rainfall spread evenly through the year, they do not have a wet season. Areas with a savanna climate in Sub-Saharan Africa , such as Ghana , Burkina Faso , Darfur , Eritrea , Ethiopia , and Botswana have

2448-414: The wet season is mainly due to daytime heating, which leads to diurnal thunderstorm activity within a pre-existing moist airmass , so the rain mainly falls in late afternoon and early evening in savanna and monsoon regions. Much of the total rainfall each day occurs in the first minutes of the downpour, before the storms mature into their stratiform stage. Most places have only one wet season, but areas of

2499-474: The wet season, as the crops have yet to mature. Crops which can be successfully planted during the wet or rainy season are cassava , maize , groundnut , millet , rice and yam . The temperate counterpart to the tropical wet season is spring or autumn . In areas where the heavy rainfall is associated with a wind shift, the wet season is known as the monsoon season. Many tropical and subtropical climates experience monsoon rainfall patterns. Rainfall in

2550-509: Was increased by an additional 459 new rooms in 2015. A gradual shift in demand is seeing more Asian visitors and families, but the top three source markets have been Germany, the UK, and Thailand, which contribute a combined 27 percent share. Bangkok Airways continues to modernize its fleet with new Airbuses, phasing out older ATR 72 propeller planes, which will provide 189,000 additional airline seats for Samui travelers. The airport has already increased

2601-558: Was largely realised with the formation of Persekutuan Tanah Melayu ( Malay for " Federation of Malaya ") in 1948. The Malay Peninsula is covered with tropical moist broadleaf forests . Lowland forests are dominated by dipterocarp trees, while montane forests are home to evergreen trees in the beech family ( Fagaceae ), Myrtle family ( Myrtaceae ), laurel family ( Lauraceae ), tropical conifers , and other plant families. The peninsula's forests are home to thousands of species of animals and plants. Several large endangered mammals inhabit

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