All seasons
  1. 1Borneo2000
  2. 2The Australian Outback2001
  3. 3Africa2001
  4. 4Marquesas2002
  5. 5Thailand2002
  6. 6The Amazon2003
  7. 7Pearl Islands2003
  8. 8All-Stars2004
  9. 9Vanuatu2004
  10. 10Palau2005
  11. 11Guatemala2005
  12. 12Panama2006
  13. 13Cook Islands2006
  14. 14Fiji2007
  15. 15China2007
  16. 16Micronesia2008
  17. 17Gabon2008
  18. 18Tocantins2009
  19. 19Samoa2009
  20. 20Heroes vs. Villains2010
  21. 21Nicaragua2010
  22. 22Redemption Island2011
  23. 23South Pacific2011
  24. 24One World2012
  25. 25Philippines2012
  26. 26Caramoan2013
  27. 27Blood vs. Water2013
  28. 28Cagayan2014
  29. 29San Juan del Sur2014
  30. 30Worlds Apart2015
  31. 31Cambodia2015
  32. 32Kaôh Rōng2016
  33. 33Millennials vs. Gen X2016
  34. 34Game Changers2017
  35. 35Heroes v. Healers v. Hustlers2017
  36. 36Ghost Island2018
  37. 37David vs. Goliath2018
  38. 38Edge of Extinction2019
  39. 39Island of the Idols2019
  40. 40Winners at War2020
  41. 41Survivor 412021
  42. 42Survivor 422022
  43. 43Survivor 432022
  44. 44Survivor 442023
  45. 45Survivor 452023
  46. 46Survivor 462024
  47. 47Survivor 472024
  48. 48Survivor 482025
  49. 49Survivor 492025
  50. 50In the Hands of the Fans2026
Thailand key art
Season 5 · 2002

Thailand

Ko Tarutao, Thailand

A cutthroat, slow-burning season in Ko Tarutao, remembered for its prickly cast and a champion who treated the island like a used-car lot.

Brian Heidik

Sole Survivor

Brian Heidik

Won the jury 4-3

Year
2002
Location
Ko Tarutao, Thailand
Format
All-new cast
Days
39 days
Castaways
16
Grand prize
$1,000,000
Jury vote
4-3

Also read at the Final Tribal Council

Clay Jordan

How Brian Heidik won

Brian, a calculating car salesman, mapped the entire endgame from day one and executed it with cold precision, steering a beatable rival to the final two.

The bigger picture

In context

Era

The Old School Era

2000–2010

Timeline

5th of 50

Aired 2002

Filming

Thailand

1st of 1 season filmed here

Starting tribes

The 2 tribes marooned when the game began — and where the names come from.

Chuay Gahnto help one another

Thai for 'to help one another'.

Sook Jaihappy heart

Thai for 'happy heart'.

At the merge · they became Chuay Jai — Merge tribe — a blend of the two starting tribes Chuay Gahn and Sook Jai (loosely 'help' + 'heart').

Go deeper

Explore Season 5

The Cast

The whole tribe in finish order, Sole Survivor to first boot.

16 castaways

Episode Guide

Every episode, with recaps of how the season actually played out.

13 episodes

In the Arena

Every challenge that ran, episode by episode, and who won each one.

22 challenges
Around the fire

Common questions

Who won Survivor Thailand?
Brian Heidik won Survivor: Thailand (Season 5, 2002), taking the jury vote 4-3.
Where was Survivor Season 5 filmed?
Survivor: Thailand was filmed in Ko Tarutao, Thailand.
When did Survivor Season 5 air?
Survivor: Thailand aired in 2002 and ran 39 days.
Who were the finalists in Survivor Thailand?
Brian Heidik won at the Final Tribal Council alongside Clay Jordan.

Around the fire

The tribe's debating Survivor 5 right now

Cast your vote, drop a hot take, and climb your torch — every contribution is tied to your profile at Tribal Council.

Join the debate at Tribal

Season 5 of 50