The Importance of Being Eldest

Challenges
Immunity Challenge: Flying Your Flag The Survivors had to race around a small island by paddling a boat. Along the way they would have to visit several stations, where they would have to complete certain tasks or puzzles in order to receive a tribal flag. However, only one person from each tribe would be allowed to compete at each station. First tribe to have successfully completed each puzzle, gather their flags and race back to the floating dock, would win.

Winner: Sook Jai

Day 1
Sixteen new castaways were sent to a local fishing village in Thailand. The contestants were separated into two motor boats, each holding eight people of the same gender. As the boats docked at a beach, the groups convened in front of host Jeff Probst, who welcomed them. After a series of introductions, Jeff called out the oldest contestants from both genders Jake Billingsley and Jan Gentry to choose which beach their tribes will live for the next 39 days, where both beaches have its own advantages and disadvantages, paying homage to Thai culture, where elders were given utmost respect. Jake chose the purple buff (whose tribe will be called Sook Jai), while Jan chose the orange buff (whose tribe will be called Chuay Gahn). Thinking that they will be divided into tribes according to gender, Jeff revealed that the two of them will select their tribemates. A nervous Jan said: "I was scared, and I'm not really a leader, and I was put in the spot light, which kind of frightened me." During the picks, Jan was garbled right from her first pick, where she chose older contestants (with Tanya Vance being the only Chuay Gahn member in her twenties), while Jake confidently chose the younger, more athletic people (with Jake himself being the only older member of their team). After the formation of the tribes, the castaways boarded on tribe-colored boats (each with identical number of supplies) to locate their camps.

While paddling to their camp, Sook Jai found themselves paddling on the wrong side. Upon reaching shore, the over-enthustiastic tribe scattered around the beach, with some looking for other food sources, while others fooled around. Jake noted: "I have a crew that is totally enthusiastic and is ready to go, but they know nothing." When the Chuay Gahn tribe reached their camp, they were delighted to see numerous caves, making shelter a non-issue, especially during Thailand's monsoon season. With this, the orange tribe decided to forage for food sources. By nightfall, their food containers were filled with clams, oysters and crab.

Day 2
At Chuay Gahn, the tribe realized they have to find their water source. Confused of where their water maybe at, the tribe split themselves to look after it, with John, Helen and Tanya venturing the other side of the island, in which became successful. While the other five members were approaching, John tricked them by making them believe that their water source would be the pool of dirty water he found meters from the actual water hole. Not pleased by John's joke, Ghandia vented in a confessional: "It wasn't really a time to joke about that."

At Sook Jai camp, the purple tribe noticed their water souce almost in an instant. But unlike Chuay Ghan, there was no cave to protect them from rainfall. The tribe squabbled over tasks. Jed said: "My tribe's priorities right now are out of whack. Everyone wants shelter. I'll mention food and people will say, 'I want a floor.' We have to split work up." Jed then tried to fish, but eventually failed. Robb on the other hand stared to complain about cutting wood for their shelter for hours. He vented his frustrations on Shii Ann, who walked him over. Shii Ann warned: "He is messing with the wrong girl. You do not mess with the 'Shii-Devil' and not get the horns."