Kho Phangan

[eek]

Certainly great information and food for thought.

Sorry havent posted sooner, just been busy over this period.

Thank you for honest opinions and advice and esp again to SBK for the offer of face to face support and advice. Appreciated.

Any further relevant info still appreciated.

[mssabai]

Hi Eek. There is a possibility that I too may be moving to to Phangan shortly. I am at the moment pondering the issue of where to live. I know the island pretty well and there are a few things I am having issues with that you may want to think about too.

Girlx is right, Tong Nai Pan (Yai and Noi) are both lovely beaches, however there is a a very real lack of decent accommodation for long term locals. There are lots of lovely houses around for long term rent, however the large majority of them are way too isolated for me. As a single female living on your own, I think that you have to live very much within a community - neighbours on both sides who can hear you call if neccessary. I am in no way an over cautious person, however word gets out very quickly about people living on their own, and also there has been a massive increase in site workers arriving in that part of the island so the risk of burglaries is getting higher. Girlx is lucky in that she has a great little (cheap) house right in the centre of the village, but there are not many others like this.

For all these reasons, and even though I do want to live on TNP I am actually considering living in Ban Tai where I have been told there are a few other single women long term residents. Another negative of TNP is the cost. A small A/C hot water bungalow (perhaps with internet/UBC included - I am not sure) goes for 13k a month!!! Again I have been told that it is much better value in Ban Tai.

PM for more info if you want...I would be happy to share info on house finds.

[girlx]

Sounds to me like you're hanging around the wrong crowd, GirlX.

I've lived (and kept my eyes open) full-time on Koh Pha-Ngan for over a year now, and I've seen much less of a drug problem here than you'd find on any Western town. Matter o' fact, I have yet to see any local Thai nodding off on heroin, and seldom see anyone on yaa baa (methamphetamines). My feeling is that 99%+ of local thais are too busy with living their lives to bother with recreational drugs.

i have lived here for over 3 years... again, i did not say it was the majority of the locals. i specifically said a number of people within a certain age group who are involved with the parties. and yes, there are loads of drugs around. coke, ecstacy, MDMA, speed (yaba), opiates, weed, and mushrooms. where do you think koh phangan gets it's reputation?

it is not "my" crowd by the way- i pretty much keep to myself.

[mssabai]

there is a big drug problem on koh phangan, and the police don't seem to go after the thais much, it's mostly the foreigners they target. this is too bad because a good deal of the local population (especially aged 20-35) on the island is utter scum

Sounds to me like you're hanging around the wrong crowd, GirlX.

I've lived (and kept my eyes open) full-time on Koh Pha-Ngan for over a year now, and I've seen much less of a drug problem here than you'd find on any Western town. Matter o' fact, I have yet to see any local Thai nodding off on heroin, and seldom see anyone on yaa baa (methamphetamines). My feeling is that 99%+ of local thais are too busy with living their lives to bother with recreational drugs.

jose '-)

Have to agree with girlx on this one Jose. Drugs are big business on the island. Yaba is still a problem, but due to Thaksin's anti drugs campaigns being a yaba dealer is one of the riskiest professions in Thailand, therefore most of those who previoulsy took yaba are now involved with ecstacy and cocaine. There is definitely the same if not more of a problem than you would see in a western town. There is a party every night, and people who are wanting to buy drugs every night and many Thais who work on the island have been swept up in this same 'party' vibe. This island is equivalent to taking your youth population out of many western towns and dumping them in one place...then providing music, lots of alcohol, lots of sex and no mummy and daddy looking over your shoulder. Of course there is a lot of drugs here and the majority are supplied by 'local' Thais (ie those from Surat province).

Of course there are also lots of people here who don't take drugs, and don't associate with anyone that does but to say that KP does not have a drugs problem is a little naive I feel, especially in light of the amount of drugs related violence that occurs frequently (shootings, stabbings, beatings etc) between rival Thai 'gangs'.

[sbk]

Anyway, I don't know if Ban Tai would be the best place to live, frankly. I know for a fact that the Half Moon and Black Moon parties are extremely noisy in the Ban Tai area (how do I know? Because my inlaws live in Ban Tai, and I can hear the darn things in Ban Kai, several KM away). Add into that the inexplicable Shiva Moon parties which seem to take place at random periods of time, but also in the Ban Tai area, and it makes for regular noise during the month.

If I were looking for a place with easy access, good internet and bikeable roads I would pick Madewan or Nae Suan, on the Chaloklum road just outside Thong Sala.

[Jose]

and yes, there are loads of drugs around. coke, ecstacy, MDMA, speed (yaba), opiates, weed, and mushrooms.

Ecstasy and MDMA are different names for the same drug.

where do you think koh phangan gets it's reputation?

Assuming this is not a rhetorical question, my answer would be that the majority of visitors come to KPG for the Full Moon parties and beach lifestyle. I've yet to meet any travelers who can say they've come all the way here for drugs.

This island is equivalent to taking your youth population out of many western towns and dumping them in one place...then providing music, lots of alcohol, lots of sex and no mummy and daddy looking over your shoulder.

dam_n... now I feel like I'm missing out on a lot of fun - maybe I should consider moving to a livelier place.

jose '-)

[girlx]

Ecstasy and MDMA are different names for the same drug.

hmm i was told MDMA is the pure form of the active ingredient in ecstacy. it usually comes in powder form while ecstacy is in pill form and often has other ingredients such as speed.

[mac.wheeler]

Ecstasy and MDMA are different names for the same drug.

hmm i was told MDMA is the pure form of the active ingredient in ecstacy. it usually comes in powder form while ecstacy is in pill form and often has other ingredients such as speed.

Back in my early 20's, the time of the original 'acid house' thing ecstacy was just the slang name for MDMA, at first all you saw were the pills produced for medical use complete with numbered stamp on one side. Within a short period of time people realised they could make the stuff quite easily and purity levels started to drop. These days I very much doubt there is ANY pure MDMA to be had on KPG in any form.

Saying KPG has a drug problem is not correct, it has a social and economic problem of which drugs make up a part of. Although I cannot help but wonder how many of us would actually be here if it wasn't for the parties (and the drugs that go with them)? I am certain KPG would be a very different place, love or hate it, the party scene is the single thing that has forced the KPG infrastructure to progress repidly enough to make it a comfortable place to live whilst maintaining (ok slowly losing) that remote paradise island charm.

Edited January 5, 2008 by mac.wheeler

[girlx]

Saying KPG has a drug problem is not correct, it has a social and economic problem of which drugs make up a part of.

That might be more apt. There are not as many heroin and crack addicts here as I saw in San Francisco, for instance. However I think drugs are more prevalent and available here in general, and as mssbai said it does result in lots of violence amongst different local "dealers" here, or even just users who are messed up.

I for one never came here for the parties and with exception of a 3 month period where I got all that out of my system, I rarely go to the parties at all. The people associated with them cause so much trouble though that it is a big reason I am actually considering moving away from the island.

[sbk]

Well, never mind eek, pm me when you decide to come for a visit.

[Etherus]

eek, please come and see me when you make your trip. I will be happy to show you around. Just make sure it isn't around FM time

1, Don't stay in Ban Tai Village (Black Moon and Half Moon parties are very loud and near Ban Tai Village), don't stay in hadrin. Otherwise, you are fine

2. Well, I am sure I will get shot down for this but generally, yes, its safe. As per usual, don't indulge in risky behavior, don't be overly friendly with strange men but don't be rude either --make sure its known you have local connections (I am happy to be your local connection ) and you should have minimal bother.

3. Net connection, best the closer you are to Thong Sala as you can get DSL but mac.wheeler is using an EDGE connection/phone thingy and seems very happy with it.

4. Boats usually run, it is the rare day that no boat is running. Just take some benadryl if you get seasick. And avoid the Songserm boat in rough weather

5. transportation, well avoid Hadrin and TNP roads as they are either busy and/or pretty hairy. If you live near thong Sala (which is what I would recommend for your situation) then you could use a bicycle as the Wok Tum road is far less busy than the Ban Tai road.

Again, PM me when you come. I'd be happy to share my experience with you

I am not strange, a little weird maybe but not strange.

[seonai]

Don't get it Etherus, who said you were strange???

[Etherus]

Don't get it Etherus, who said you were strange???

sbk advised to not be overly friendly with strange men, I was clarifying.

[sbk]

Don't get it Etherus, who said you were strange???

sbk advised to not be overly friendly with strange men, I was clarifying.

Agreed, you are a little weird but most definitely not too strange

[t.s]

Anyway, I don't know if Ban Tai would be the best place to live, frankly. I know for a fact that the Half Moon and Black Moon parties are extremely noisy in the Ban Tai area (how do I know? Because my inlaws live in Ban Tai, and I can hear the darn things in Ban Kai, several KM away). Add into that the inexplicable Shiva Moon parties which seem to take place at random periods of time, but also in the Ban Tai area, and it makes for regular noise during the month.

If I were looking for a place with easy access, good internet and bikeable roads I would pick Madewan or Nae Suan, on the Chaloklum road just outside Thong Sala.

baan nai suan and madewan are very "local" choices. these are the jungle areas many of the older kpg families inhabit. close to thongsala, flat, quiet, etc

Chaloklam has alot of long term rentals available, though not sure about internet. its where i chose to call home.

ts

[t.s]

Ecstasy and MDMA are different names for the same drug.

hmm i was told MDMA is the pure form of the active ingredient in ecstacy. it usually comes in powder form while ecstacy is in pill form and often has other ingredients such as speed.

6 of one half dozen of the other.