This Samui Artist Is Redefining Island Culture

This Samui Artist Is Redefining Island Culture

If you’ve ever felt the particular hush that falls at dusk on Koh Samui—when the coconut trees cast long, conspiratorial shadows over Chaweng Beach and the air smells of salt, jasmine, and grilling fish—you’ll understand why artists are drawn here. The island has always been a canvas for dreamers: fishermen painting boats in riotous colors, monks tending murals at Wat Plai Laem (search for it on Google Maps by typing: Wat Plai Laem), and travelers, like myself, sketching impressions in coffee-stained journals. Yet, every so often, an islander comes along who doesn’t just reflect Samui’s spirit but refracts it—revealing something new.

Let me introduce you to Suchada “Dao” Prasertsri, a native Samui painter whose work—and life—are quietly upending what it means to be an island artist. Her story, and the changing culture around her, are worth a lingering look.

A Studio Under the Palms

Dao’s home and studio perch on a gentle slope above Lamai Beach—search for it on Google Maps by typing: Lamai Beach. From her window, you can see the sea turn from lapis to jade, depending on the moods of the sun and the monsoon. The approach is a narrow lane lined with frangipani, and her gate—unlocked, always—bears a hand-lettered sign: “Come in, see art, take tea.” This is the real Koh Samui hospitality: open doors, open hearts, and an invitation to linger.

Inside, Dao’s studio is a clutter of half-finished canvases, coconut husks (she makes her own paintbrushes), and the faint, comforting aroma of pandan leaf tea. Her subjects are unmistakably Samui—buffalo beneath storm clouds, market women in wide-brimmed hats, the muscular sweep of a longtail boat crossing Bophut Beach (search for it on Google Maps by typing: Bophut Beach). Yet, look closer, and you’ll notice something else: a sly, modern wit. She paints monks scrolling on smartphones, tattooed grandmothers weaving baskets, and the soft, electric glow of a 7-Eleven sign peeking through banana leaves.

Dao laughs when I ask about these contemporary touches. “We’re not a postcard,” she says. “Samui changes, so my art does too.”

Old Spirits, New Stories

To understand Dao’s influence, it helps to know a little about Samui’s artistic heritage. For generations, local art was mostly devotional—murals in temples such as Wat Khunaram (search for it on Google Maps by typing: Wat Khunaram), or intricate carvings in family shrines. The island’s relative isolation meant styles changed slowly, if at all. But tourism brought new eyes and new ideas, and a generation of Samui-born artists like Dao began weaving global influences into their work.

Take, for instance, her reinterpretation of the famous Hin Ta and Hin Yai rocks (search for it on Google Maps by typing: Hin Ta and Hin Yai Rocks). Rather than painting the stones themselves, Dao depicts the crowds gathered to gawk—selfie sticks aloft, ice-cream in hand, the rocks relegated to the background. The effect is slyly subversive, an affectionate ribbing of both locals and visitors. “Tourism is part of our story now,” Dao shrugs, “so why not paint it?”

Tips for the Artful Traveler

If you’re keen to discover Samui’s creative side, a few gentle suggestions:

• Start at the Samui Cultural Center and Fine Art of Southeast Asia. This under-sung spot in the island’s heart houses everything from ancient Buddha statues to contemporary installations. You can search for it on Google Maps by typing: Samui Cultural Center and Fine Art of Southeast Asia.
• Visit artisan markets. The Fisherman’s Village Walking Street (search for it on Google Maps by typing: Fisherman’s Village Walking Street) in Bophut transforms every Friday evening into a kaleidoscope of crafts, food, and impromptu performances.
• Take a workshop. Dao herself occasionally runs painting classes at her studio (ask around at local cafés in Lamai; the expat-run “No Stress” café is a good start—search for it on Google Maps by typing: No Stress Lamai Beach), and other artists offer batik, carving, and even coconut-leaf weaving.
• Look beyond the obvious. Some of Samui’s best art is ephemeral: a sand mandala erased by the tide, an impromptu dance at a beach bar, the graffiti blooming behind the Tesco Lotus in Chaweng (search for it on Google Maps by typing: Tesco Lotus Chaweng).

A Living Island, Always in Flux

What Dao teaches—through both her art and her unhurried, mischievous presence—is that Koh Samui is more than beaches and bungalows. It’s a place where old and new intermingle in surprising ways. The island’s culture, like Dao’s paintings, is neither fixed nor finished. It’s a living conversation, full of humor, contradiction, and the stubborn beauty of a place that refuses to be just a “tropical paradise.”

So, the next time you find yourself on Samui, look a little closer. Linger in a local gallery, chat with a painter over tea, or simply watch as the sun sets behind a row of fishermen’s huts. The island’s true art is everywhere—sometimes in plain sight, sometimes waiting for you to notice the unexpected.

And if you see a coconut-brush-wielding artist grinning from a paint-spattered porch above Lamai, don’t be shy. She’s probably waiting to share a story or two.

Further Reading and Exploration

• Wat Plai Laem: search for it on Google Maps by typing: Wat Plai Laem
• Lamai Beach: search for it on Google Maps by typing: Lamai Beach
• Bophut Beach: search for it on Google Maps by typing: Bophut Beach
• Wat Khunaram: search for it on Google Maps by typing: Wat Khunaram
• Hin Ta and Hin Yai Rocks: search for it on Google Maps by typing: Hin Ta and Hin Yai Rocks
• Samui Cultural Center and Fine Art of Southeast Asia: search for it on Google Maps by typing: Samui Cultural Center and Fine Art of Southeast Asia
• Fisherman’s Village Walking Street: search for it on Google Maps by typing: Fisherman’s Village Walking Street
• No Stress Lamai Beach: search for it on Google Maps by typing: No Stress Lamai Beach
• Tesco Lotus Chaweng: search for it on Google Maps by typing: Tesco Lotus Chaweng

May your own Samui adventure be as colorful—and surprising—as one of Dao’s canvases.