German Tourist Drowns On Koh Pha Ngan

[sriracha john]

German tourist drowns on Thai island

BANGKOK - A 27-year-old German tourist drowned Wednesday after attending the famed full moon party on one of Thailand's most popular holiday islands, police said Wednesday.

Maurice Pascal Kreuzer from Heidenburg was found dead early Wednesday on Rin beach at Phangan island, 645 kilometres (400 miles) south of here, police said.

"He died around dawn after he went swimming while drunk," Lieutenant Colonel Kosol Keankaew of the local marine police said.

The full moon party attracts thousands of revellers every month for a night of drinking and dancing on Phangan island's lush tropical beaches in the Gulf of Thailand.

- AFP

[mrt273nva]

there seems to be alot of death on this island. it is a bit unsettling.

[t.s]

there seems to be alot of death on this island. it is a bit unsettling.

no, there seems to be alot of death in haadrin.

If you don't go over the mountains, the deathrate is considerably lower.

really, when was the last time someone croaked of unusual causes in chaloklam?

[astral]

"He died around dawn after he went swimming while drunk," Lieutenant Colonel Kosol Keankaew of the local marine police said.

I assume he came to that conclusion after a proper autopsy.

400 miles is an awful long way to drift in just a few days.

[Samui Coconut]

"He died around dawn after he went swimming while drunk," Lieutenant Colonel Kosol Keankaew of the local marine police said.

I assume he came to that conclusion after a proper autopsy.

400 miles is an awful long way to drift in just a few days.

Are you on drugs or what ?

[astral]

No.

I just misread the report. I assumed it was local, not from Bangkok.

[PhanganIsland]

There should be a warning sign at the beach ... a lot people die there ... or get them self killed

I don't understand anyway how somebody can be so stupid to go swimming at the Fullmoon Party Beach, besides that the water is just a big toilet, it's also dangerous because of incoming / leaving speedboats.

... but at least no knife stabbing this time ...

[SamuiJens]

There should be a warning sign at the beach ... a lot people die there ... or get them self killed

I don't understand anyway how somebody can be so stupid to go swimming at the Fullmoon Party Beach, besides that the water is just a big toilet, it's also dangerous because of incoming / leaving speedboats.

... but at least no knife stabbing this time ...

You think a sign would have stopped him or others? I personaly dougt it!

[Hex]

I don't understand anyway how somebody can be so stupid to go swimming at the Fullmoon Party Beach

A bucket of Vodka + Red Bull might have something to do with it...

[khall64au]

Whatever the cause of this man's tragic death - there seems to be an inexcusable and apathetic attitude by local authorities at this monthly "money-spinner" of an event. Famous the world over, the reputation of this Full Moon Party contributes significantly to a healthy economy on Koh Phangan (and surrounding islands).

WHY is there no active security, life-guards or medics on site to assist the inevitable monthly emergencies when so many thousands of people are in attendance? A hospital tent would not go astray.

It's SHAMEFUL and stinks of utter NEGLECT and duty of care!!

[Noodles]

Whatever the cause of this man's tragic death - there seems to be an inexcusable and apathetic attitude by local authorities at this monthly "money-spinner" of an event. Famous the world over, the reputation of this Full Moon Party contributes significantly to a healthy economy on Koh Phangan (and surrounding islands).

WHY is there no active security, life-guards or medics on site to assist the inevitable monthly emergencies when so many thousands of people are in attendance? A hospital tent would not go astray.

It's SHAMEFUL and stinks of utter NEGLECT and duty of care!!

Because it's all about the $$.

I remember afew years back here on samui there was a jet ski accident on chewang beach where one jet ski hit another side on. The canadian man who was hit side on took the full impact on his leg.

The jet ski lads rushed out, to recover the jet ski, leaving the man to swim ashore. With blood gushing from a huge wound on his leg he was taken to hospital where he had long screws put into his leg to keep the bones together.

Their thought was for the jet ski and not human life. I have seen this so much in my time here, which I am still trying to understand.

[khall64au]

Whatever the cause of this man's tragic death - there seems to be an inexcusable and apathetic attitude by local authorities at this monthly "money-spinner" of an event. Famous the world over, the reputation of this Full Moon Party contributes significantly to a healthy economy on Koh Phangan (and surrounding islands).

WHY is there no active security, life-guards or medics on site to assist the inevitable monthly emergencies when so many thousands of people are in attendance? A hospital tent would not go astray.

It's SHAMEFUL and stinks of utter NEGLECT and duty of care!!

Because it's all about the $$.

I remember afew years back here on samui there was a jet ski accident on chewang beach where one jet ski hit another side on. The canadian man who was hit side on took the full impact on his leg.

The jet ski lads rushed out, to recover the jet ski, leaving the man to swim ashore. With blood gushing from a huge wound on his leg he was taken to hospital where he had long screws put into his leg to keep the bones together.

Their thought was for the jet ski and not human life. I have seen this so much in my time here, which I am still trying to understand.

I agree in some aspects that it IS all about the $$$$$ - but the local medics/ hospitals are missing out on a potential gold mine here - ABOVE providing the duty of care element!!!!! ie.most tourists have medical insurance attached to travel insurance policies.

<deleted> ? If it's all about $$$$$$ TAKE CARE OF THE TOURISTS - DON'T LET THEM DIE 'COS THEY HAVE INSURANCE!!!!!

[sbk]

This guy didn't die because he didn't have insurance. He died because he was drunk and had poor judgment. Khall, have you ever been to a full moon party? Do you have any comprehension of the thousands of people there, all drunk and exercising poor judgment? How many lifeguards would it take if a small party is 7-8000 people, all hammered all night long? A big party is well over 15,000.

[ClaudeFeller]

Still the same question:

Who gets the profit from FMP? The private businesses

Who gets the tax from the bigger business on FMP? Surathani

Why should there be any volunteer/local take care thousands of partytiming farangs? No reasons

About the jet-ski accident: There is no kind of responsible local government/police on Samui.

Solution for this mess:

Wait for city-rights!

Cheers from Nathon, Claude

[khall64au]

This guy didn't die because he didn't have insurance. He died because he was drunk and had poor judgment. Khall, have you ever been to a full moon party? Do you have any comprehension of the thousands of people there, all drunk and exercising poor judgment? How many lifeguards would it take if a small party is 7-8000 people, all hammered all night long? A big party is well over 15,000.

NOPE!!!! I don't wanna attend.... I have my good friend who is a Volunteer Medic - she comes all the way from Phuket to help save people's lives EVERY MONTH & she fills me in on the terrible LACK of help that is NOT AVAILABLE on Koh Phangan EVERY MONTH and all the TERRIBLE EMERGENCIES and DEATHS that occur on Koh Phangan EVERY MONTH!

She tells me how month after month - NOBODY cares that so many farang people die - every month - at the FULL MOON PARTY!

[sbk]

Still the same question:

Who gets the profit from FMP? The private businesses

Who gets the tax from the bigger business on FMP? Surathani

Why should there be any volunteer/local take care thousands of partytiming farangs? No reasons

About the jet-ski accident: There is no kind of responsible local government/police on Samui.

Solution for this mess:

Wait for city-rights!

Cheers from Nathon, Claude

Well, Claude, and Khall, I had the same idea about the bar owners in Hadrin as every one else. That they were raking it in every month and must be absolutely rolling in dough. Well, my husband knows a guy who had one of the biggest bars on the beach for quite a few years. He gave it up last year as he paid so much in rent every month that, after all his expenses, he barely turned a profit. And I do mean, barely. Not all have this problem, but most do, Hadrin rents are prohibitively high these days.

Even with lifeguards, drunk people will still go swimming and some will drown. Its a fact of life everywhere you have people partying their heads off. It is very difficult to keep an eye on everyone all the time. And, if anyone has ever dealt with drunks (or drugged people) it can be very difficult to stop them from doing what they want, bar physical restraint.

As for Khall's friend, I really am amazed that she claims many people die each month. I'd be interested in proof.

And, Claude, yes, city status (including Koh PHhngan and Koh Tao) would be an excellent idea. Somehow, I doubt the very vested interests on the mainland will allow it to happen anytime soon.

[girlx]

actually there are lifeguards, medics, police, etc. all over the full moon party, but they just can't keep up with the huge crowd, as sbk says.

[mosquitoman]

There are many people who work at the full moon party to look after the party goers including medics, radio hams, lifeguards, navy, volunteers who clean the beach (I have always wondered why volunteers have to clean the beach this should be paid for) and of course the police.

I have several friends who work at the Amphur and on FMP they have to work at the full moon party to help manage the crowds.

However I do think more could be done, the FMP is a money spinner for Haad Rin, the traders themselves may not be making that much money, but the landlords are commanding sky high rents, perhaps they should contribute more, because with out the FMP they would not have these rents.

It is also worth noting that there are a significant number of party goers who go completely over the top and behave in the most irresponsible, primative and reckless fashion and pay the price, sometimes the ultimate price, and leave it to the over stretched rescue services to pick up the pieces.

Personal responsability has to come into the equation.

MM

Edited May 9, 2007 by mosquitoman