Full Moon Party: Locals fear uncontrolled "ganja-fest" after MPs propose allowing use to promote tourism

[webfact]

Daily News Thai Caption: What were you thinking?

 

Daily News reported from Koh Phangan in the south of Thailand, famous for the monthly full moon party.

 

The locals are furious that MPs discussing the draft Cannabis Act suggested allowing marijuana at the party to promote tourism.

 

Thawit Somwang, head of the Had Rin traders and residents associations who organize the monthly event said that they had not been consulted at all in the matter.

 

"We started the party and we organise it," he said. "So why weren't we informed about this idea in advance?

 

"We're responsible for what goes on here so we need to be in the loop because if something goes wrong it's us that has to carry the can".

 

Clearly there are fears that the party - pre-pandemic very popular with thousands who would flock to the Surat Thani island principally to party - will become a pot free for all. 

 

A true "ganja-fest".

 

Thawit suggested that his team will find it difficult to control what goes on and more thought needs to go into plans for cannabis use before any decisions are made.

 

The media quoted a local man called Manop Sae-tiaw who was worried about the effect on the youth of the island's 17,000 inhabitants.

 

Picture: Daily News

 

Marijuana is being openly sold throughout Thailand in the last week after the drug was removed from the Class 5 narcotics list. 

 

Flowers or buds of the drug with large quantities of THC that makes a user stoned are being sold in dispensaries everywhere.

 

Tourists are queuing up to buy some incredulous that Thailand has taken this step. 

 

ASEAN NOW notes that irrespective of what the committee drafting the new laws say tourists are unlikely to take any notice especially given the reputation of the full moon party.

 

Locals can talk about the cultural attributes of the island all they want but many tourists will be unconcerned by authorities saying the drug is just supposed to be used for medical purposes not recreational use.

 

The message they are getting on the streets, in social media and in the many dispensaries is, don't be stupid, don't bother other people - but go ahead and enjoy yourself with marijuana in Thailand. 

 

It's party time. 

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2022-06-16

 

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[Maha Sarakham]

I'm sure this is going to attract those wealthy tourists Thailand was so adamant about bringing into the country.

[RichardColeman]

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

will become a pot free for all. A true "ganja-fest".

worried about the effect on the youth of the island's 17,000 inhabitants.

Who would have thought that relaxing laws on weed would create some unwanted effects. 

[Tropicalevo]

17 minutes ago, webfact said:

The locals are furious that MPs discussing the draft Cannabis Act suggested allowing marijuana to be allowed at the party to promote tourism.

The locals are furious because it is competition for the local drug suppliers.

[zzzzz]

rather see a ganga fest than a drunken fest!!!

[GeorgeCross]

 

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

The locals are furious because it is competition for the local drug suppliers.

this!!

 

cough * mushroom skakes..

[GeorgeCross]

ganja will be like alcohol..

 

can't bring it in but can purchase it inside for a fair price

 

say 1,000 baht/gram

 

????

[stoner]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Clearly there are fears that the party - pre-pandemic very popular with thousands who would flock to the Surat Thani island principally to party - will become a pot free for all. 

as opposed to the plethora of other drugs normally everywhere at this event ? 

[steven100]

oh dear   !    17,000 pot heads running loose at a full moon party  .....    

what could possibly go wrong    !!

[Will B Good]

Locals fear uncontrolled "ganja-fest".........sorry, but that is not a fear.....it is nailed on guarantee.......I wonder if this is an elephant trap set by Uncle for Anutin??? Is he that clever???

[spidermike007]

There was always some ganga at the full moon parties. The big difference is that the franchisees used it as a way to generate massive amounts of money for villas and condos and luxury cars. 

 

All will be the same now, except hopefully the leeches will not be attempting to extort the folks enjoying the party. 

[Dmaxdan]

I thought these parties always were a ganja fest, just no one ever admitted it.

From now on the police will have to think up new reasons to arrest the revelers.

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, Dmaxdan said:

I thought these parties always were a ganja fest, just no one ever admitted it.

From now on the police will have to think up new reasons to arrest the revelers.

The cynic in me suggests that the BiB will find a way to establish that the THC content is more than 0.2% and levy their usual hefty fines to allow the crime to ‘go away’.... 

 

Its potentially a good earner...   Dope is legal, but not that dope !

 

 

[steven100]

they can start with smoking their weed joint freely then swoosh down a magic mushroom shake followed by a couple of those yaba pills .......    that should get them real crazy ...   ????  

[zookerman]

Anyone ever visit the Amsterdam bar on koh phangan? They have been selling joints for years. Me thinks someone protest too much.

[greg71]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

oh dear   !    17,000 pot heads running loose at a full moon party  .....    

what could possibly go wrong    !!

Some slow swaying dancing ,eateries will do a roaring trade and locals will be happy not to be cleaning up after countless drunks throwing there guts up on cheap buckets of dubious liquor . Win - win for all . 

[Almer]

I wonder who stands to gain the most from these relaxed laws

[animatic]

They really do not understand ganja.

Obviously.

It is not like Yabaa, nor Alcohol, nor Cocaine. Not even Extacy/Molly which mostly causes excessive dancing or excessive sex. Ganja’s the antithesis of all the standard full moon party drugs.

 

If ‘out of control” is  sitting on the sand digging the music, then ganja’s the drug. Maybe they aren’t stocked up with enough bud to make up for the loss of Yabaa revenue.

 

[Sydebolle]

No worries, the said party is well-known for uncontrollable but making lots of cash for the boys in uniform. Legal or illegal, the show always went on, so what are you really talking about?

I phoned the operators on the island and you know what? They confirmed just serving kiddies syrup and lemon ice tea and everything else was just unjustified bad mouthing; after all such things would never happen in Thailääääännnnn ........

[Dogmatix]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

The cynic in me suggests that the BiB will find a way to establish that the THC content is more than 0.2% and levy their usual hefty fines to allow the crime to ‘go away’.... 

 

Its potentially a good earner...   Dope is legal, but not that dope !

 

 

It doesn't matter what the THC content is in buds and leaves.  The entire plant was dropped from Category 5 of the Narcotics Act apart from extracts like oil and hashish. But what's on sale on Koh Phangan is just weed.  So perfectly legal. 

 

The BiB used to traffic most of the dope on those islands themselves and constantly recycle it as they bust backpackers and confiscate their stashes.  They will be losing out big time and will be looking for alternative ways of making money.

[malibukid]

2 hours ago, steven100 said:

oh dear   !    17,000 pot heads running loose at a full moon party  .....    

what could possibly go wrong    !!

guess you have never been to a Grateful Dead concert.

[Spock]

4 hours ago, Maha Sarakham said:

I'm sure this is going to attract those wealthy tourists Thailand was so adamant about bringing into the country.

At 700 gram, the poor backpackers are going to find that their bit of smoke costs as much as several days worth of food, 10 bottles of beer, or a night's accommodation in single/double room. Of course, there should be cheaper stuff of lesser quality available on the black market. But I can only imagine that the air will be pungent with marijuana smoke at the party. It will be like a return of the old days, especially if someone can also rustle up some ecstasy.

[n00dle]

5 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Who would have thought that relaxing laws on weed would create some unwanted effects. 

Who would have thought that the organizers of one of the world largest drug parties where weed has ALWAYS played a key role would squeal when a major cash cow has been democratized.

The marijuana trade in Koh Phngan has been a monopoly for years with locals very clearly understanding whose toes not to step on to avoid police scrutiny and prosecution. I personally  (albeit 20 years ago) have been in a position where I was taken by police to apologise to a key player for crossing a line.  With weed a free for all, those "families" have lost their monopoly as well as the big stick they use to maintain it.

 

As for endangering the island's youth, i reckon the meth trade has already crossed that bridge. 

[n00dle]

52 minutes ago, animatic said:

They really do not understand ganja.

Obviously.

It is not like Yabaa, nor Alcohol, nor Cocaine. Not even Extacy/Molly which mostly causes excessive dancing or excessive sex. Ganja’s the antithesis of all the standard full moon party drugs.

 

If ‘out of control” is  sitting on the sand digging the music, then ganja’s the drug. Maybe they aren’t stocked up with enough bud to make up for the loss of Yabaa revenue.

 

They very clearly understand ganga, it was a part of the culture on phangan long before the first tourist arrived. 

[Harveyboy]

5 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Who would have thought that relaxing laws on weed would create some unwanted effects. 

not long ago they were crying in their Noodles because they had no visitors.. can't please em can you

[CraigInBangkok]

All the old alkie comments ????  there is nothing to get worked up about. Nothing will change! Life and full moon parties will stay the same as they always were. 

[vandeventer]

3 hours ago, steven100 said:

oh dear   !    17,000 pot heads running loose at a full moon party  .....    

what could possibly go wrong    !!

I wonder if they had to bring a note from their mommies to saying it's ok to go?

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, Dogmatix said:

It doesn't matter what the THC content is in buds and leaves.  The entire plant was dropped from Category 5 of the Narcotics Act apart from extracts like oil and hashish. But what's on sale on Koh Phangan is just weed.  So perfectly legal. 

 

The BiB used to traffic most of the dope on those islands themselves and constantly recycle it as they bust backpackers and confiscate their stashes.  They will be losing out big time and will be looking for alternative ways of making money.

It is quite difficult to muster up sympathy for a vampire subculture, that feeds on the blood of society and tourism. 

[SamuiAddict]

Guarantee there would be less trouble if everyone was high vs everyone smashed off buckets of fake whiskey

[baz69er]

Marijuana is the least of there problems.......