Survivor: Thailand

Survivor: Thailand was the fifth season of the United States reality show Survivor. It was filmed in the summer of 2002 and was shown on TV from September 19 – December 19, 2002 on CBS. It was set on the island of Ko Tarutao in Thailand. There were fourteen episodes, one being shown each week. The season started with two tribes; an orange tribe, Chuay Gahn (Thai:  "to help one another") and a purple tribe, Sook Jai ( "happy heart" ). Later, they merged (combined) into one tribe, which the players named "Chuay Jai", made by mixing the names Chuay Gahn and Sook Jai. On December 19, 2002, Brian Heidik won against Clay Jordan by a vote of 4-3 to become the sole survivor.

The season had many new gameplay twists. The first happened on Day 1, when the two oldest players, Jake Billingsley and Jan Gentry, were given the power to pick their own tribes. This was the first time in Survivor history that the two starting teams were not chosen by the producers. The second was an offer of mutiny on Day 14, which means that the twelve players that were left could join the opposite tribe if they wanted to. No one took the offer. (The twist was used again during Survivor: Cook Islands, with two players switching tribes.)

The biggest twist of the season was the fake merge. When only ten players were left, the usual time for a merge, the two tribes moved onto one beach, with a feast waiting for them. The two tribes thought they were merging, and Shii Ann Huang tried to align herself with members of the other tribe. At the next challenge they went to, however, the two tribes were told that they were living on one beach, but were not merged yet. That day, Shii Ann's tribe lost immunity, and she was voted off.

Host Jeff Probst said that he didn't like this season, and called it his least favorite. He said the season was mean-spirited and had a lot of hostility and ugliness, even calling Brian, Clay, Helen, and Jan "the least likable final four ever."

Shii Ann was the only player this season to return in Survivor: All-Stars, where she placed 6th.

Players

Player Starting tribe Merged tribe Finish Total VotesJohn Raymond40, Slidell, LAChuay Gahn1st Voted OutDay 36Tanya Vance27, Kingsport, TNChuay Gahn2nd Voted OutDay 65Jed Hildebrand25, Dallas, TXSook Jai3rd Voted OutDay 95Ghandia Johnson33, Denver, COChuay Gahn 4th Voted OutDay 125Stephanie Dill29, Fayetteville, ARSook Jai5th Voted OutDay 155Robb Zbacnik23, Scottsdale, AZSook Jai6th Voted OutDay 185Shii Ann Huang28, New York City, NYSook Jai7th Voted OutDay 2110Erin Collins26, Austin, TXSook Jai8th Voted Out1st Jury MemberDay 243Ken Stafford30, Brooklyn, NYSook JaiChuay Jai9th Voted Out2nd Jury MemberDay 276Penny Ramsey27, Plano, TXSook Jai10th Voted Out3rd Jury MemberDay 305Jake Billingsley60, McKinney, TXSook Jai11th Voted Out4th Jury MemberDay 337Ted Rogers, Jr.37, Durham, NCChuay Gahn12th Voted Out5th Jury MemberDay 367Helen Glover47, Middletown, RIChuay Gahn13th Voted Out6th Jury MemberDay 375Jan Gentry53, Tampa, FLChuay Gahn14th Voted Out7th Jury MemberDay 385Clay Jordan46, Monroe, LAChuay GahnRunner-Up3Brian Heidik34, Quartz Hill, CAChuay GahnSole Survivor0

The Total Votes is the number of votes a player got during Tribal Councils where the player is able to be voted out of the game. It does not count the votes they got during the final Tribal Council.

The game
Episode nameDate shown on TVChallengesEliminated VoteFinish Reward Immunity"The Importance of Being Eldest"September 19, 2002NoneSook Jaistyle="background:#FF4F00"|John 6-1-11st Voted OutDay 3"The Great Divide"September 26, 2002Sook JaiSook JaiTanya5-22nd Voted OutDay 6"Family Values"October 3, 2002Chuay GahnChuay GahnJed5-33rd Voted OutDay 9"Gender Bender"October 10, 2002Sook JaiSook JaiGhandia4-24th Voted OutDay 12"The Ocean's Surprise"October 17, 2002SurvivorAuctionChuay GahnStephanie5-25th Voted OutDay 15"The Power of One"October 24, 2002Sook JaiChuay GahnRobb5-16th Voted OutDay 18"Assumptions"October 31, 2002NoneChuay GahnShii Ann4-17th Voted OutDay 21"Sleeping with the Enemy"November 7, 2002NoneChuay GahnErin3-18th Voted OutDay 24"Desperate Measures"November 14, 2002BrianClayKen5-39th Voted OutDay 27"While the Cats are Away"November 21, 2002Brian
[Clay]HelenPenny4-2-110th Voted OutDay 30"The First 30 Days"November 28, 2002Recap Episode"A Big Surprise... and Another"December 5, 2002HelenTedJake5-111th Voted OutDay 33"The Tides are Turning"December 12, 2002Ted
[Helen]BrianTed4-112th Voted OutDay 36"Slip Through Your Fingers"December 19, 2002NoneBrianHelen3-113th Voted OutDay 37BrianJan1-014th Voted OutDay 38"The Reunion"December 19, 2002Jury VoteClay4-3Runner-UpBrianSole Survivor
If more than one tribe or player wins reward or immunity, they are listed in order of finish, or alphabetically if it was teamwork, or where one player won and invited others, the players they invited are in brackets.

 For the first time, the players would be bidding for items as tribes. Sook Jai and Chuay Gahn each got $1000 in American money.

 In a twist, the Survivors' family members competed in an insect food eating challenge to see their loved one. Helen's husband Jim actually won the challenge and he spent 24 hours at the Chuay Jai camp with her.

 In another twist, the players and their loved ones competed for immunity. Ted and his younger brother Aljuan won thus earning Ted immunity.

Voting history
Starting tribesMerged tribeEpisode #:12345678910111213ReunionEliminated:John6/8 votesTanya5/7 votesstyle="background:#660099; color:white">Jed5/8 votesGhandia4/6 votesstyle="background:#660099; color:white">Stephanie5/7 votesstyle="background:#660099; color:white">Robb5/6 votesstyle="background:#660099; color:white">4/5 votesstyle="background:#660099; color:white">Erin3/4 votesKen5/8 votesPenny4/7 votesJake5/6 votesTed4/5 votesHelen3/4 votesJan1 voteClay3/7 votesBrian4/7 votesVoterVoteBrianJohnTanyaGhandiaKenPennyJakeTedHelenJanJury VoteClayJohnTanyaGhandiaKenJakeJakeTedHelenJanJohnTanyaClayKenPennyJakeTedHelenBrianHelenClayTanyaGhandiaKenPennyJakeTedJanBrianTedJohnTanyaGhandiaKenPennyJakeJanBrianJakeJedStephanieRobbShii AnnErinTedJanJanBrianPennyJedStephanieRobbShii AnnErinTedJakeClayKenJedStephanieRobbShii AnnErinTedClayErinJedStephanieRobbShii AnnKenClayShii AnnJedStephanieRobbPennystyle="background:#660099" text-align:left; color:white">RobbShii AnnStephanieShii AnnShii AnnGhandiaJohnHelenClayJedShii AnnTanyaJohnHelenJohnGhandia

References

Other websites
Official CBS Survivor Thailand Website

Category:2002 American television seasons
*05