Full Moon Parties

[Insight]

Hi,

The comments on the Full Moon Party on GS's last thread made me laugh, but also made me wonder - what's the long term expats and travellers opinion of them? Does anyone on this board ever go there, or had bad/horrible experiences?

I'm what you would consider a "raver", meaning I'm well into my Techno music fanatically. However, that doesn't mean to say I thought much of the event on Koh Phangan at all. I went for the new year of last year, so I guess it wasn't a proper "full moon", but by 4am the place was an absolute tip, the music was very sub-standard, and people crashed out wherever.

I was only there of a night time coming home before sunrise, which is a good thing I reckon as if I seen the island in its original beautiful state (if it still exists), then seen how much it got completely fcked up through people throwing their <deleted> everywhere, it probably would of depressed me even more.

The thing that freaked me out the most was there were Thai families there, with their young (below 12 years old) kids still awake at this time, completely sober, browsing the attractions!!?? God knows what they must of made of it all...

Maybe I just had a bad event, I don't know, but I can't see how a real "full moon party" could be any different. I'm not looking for drugs - I'm there to enjoy the music. Sadly, enjoy I didn't - it was pants compared against my expectations.

I got a different feeling from Samui on the other hand, where I stayed. One guy I was speaking to on Samui who had been there for a few months mentioned that he hardly ever gets the boat across to Phangan as it's hardly a party at all - I can really appreciate where he's coming from.

Maybe I just ended up on the wrong beach (the popular choice)? Maybe there's another party a few beaches away, hidden from the rabble where the music is good and the revellers have a lot more respect for the surroundings, just like I was expecting, or maybe this is a ridiculous pipedream in tourist ######.

I'm heading to Samui this weekend - I know a few bars there where I can DJ, but I think I'll be hard-pushed to get the boat over unless somebody really bends my ear.

Cheers,

Insight

[royar2002]

Koh phangan will be better without full moon party.

[sleir]

I think you simply have wrong expectations about these full moon parties m8

there is no way you could enjoy partying without being completely drunk me thinks... people do drugs, drink hard, pass out, leave bottles on the beach, even ###### their bg or european gf in the middle of the crowd, get naked and dance around like monkeys. all the things that stopped being popular in europe years ago are still hip there.

and yes, there are a lot of thais going there, strolling along the beach watching the most ######ed up people they're ever seen

tho if you have a little bit of self irony and enjoy getting wasted for the heck of it... well.. go there, just once, but go there.

i completely understand people who'd never go there, tho it never hurts to know what you're talking about.

have fun,

sleir

p.s : if you really want these old fashioned techno parties on the beach among music freaks (including drugs tho..) : go to northern goa, india. that's where the goa scene has settled nowadays, same goes to hippies, they're up there too

not sure if you'd enjoy that, i certainly wouldn't cause i don't like the music & people at all

[Tornado]

[Speedy]

yeah. i think i can easily call myself a global raver, having attended (and deejayed) on house/techno parties worldwide. from san fransisco to goa, and from tijuana to bangkok. but i hear and see the same pattern everywhere... -where is the parties from the good old days dude? - things change nothing stayed he same... I think they call it evolution.

Many of the great party s I have attended where organised by a bunch of friends on some place or another, making quickly the talk of town and then they become the legendaric partys years later. then everybody is looking for IT like if it is a ghost. Don t look for partys, become it, breathe it, and you will have fun everywhere.

Cheers!

[Speedy]

yeah. i think i can easily call myself a global raver, having attended (and deejayed) on house/techno parties worldwide. from san fransisco to goa, and from tijuana to bangkok. but i hear and see the same pattern everywhere... -where is the parties from the good old days dude? - things change nothing stayed he same... I think they call it evolution.

Many of the great party s I have attended where organised by a bunch of friends on some place or another, making quickly the talk of town and then they become the legendaric partys years later. then everybody is looking for IT like if it is a ghost. Don t look for partys, become it, breathe it, and you will have fun everywhere.

Cheers!

[Girlfrombar]

Koh phangan will be better without full moon party.

actually

EVERY KOH would be BETTER withOUT FARANGS

[Totster]

Hey Speedy.... isn't loss of short term memory associated with the long term use of recreational drugs..???

totster

[Neeranam]

yeah. i think i can easily call myself a global raver, having attended (and deejayed) on house/techno parties worldwide. from san fransisco to goa, and from tijuana to bangkok. but i hear and see the same pattern everywhere... -where is the parties from the good old days dude? - things change nothing stayed he same... I think they call it evolution.

Many of the great party s I have attended where organised by a bunch of friends on some place or another, making quickly the talk of town and then they become the legendaric partys years later. then everybody is looking for IT like if it is a ghost. Don t look for partys, become it, breathe it, and you will have fun everywhere.

Cheers! 

I came across some pretty wild parties in Goa in 1992, which I consider the year that it all started to go bad. I blame the Happy Mondays for the influx of dope/designer drug hungry teenagers from Manchester. In 93 Koh Phangan seemed to be going downhill, again I blame the music, and the organised raves. I think that when these parties are shown on documentaries in the West, a different kind of "tourist" comes. They don't seem to know anything about the culture of the country they are going to and ruin it for the people who found the place, who have long gone to find a new one. For me, years ago I used to find all sorts of interesting adventurous travellers from all corners of the world, but pretty sad when all you can hear is bloody English(mostly) accents.

I agree, be adventurous and if you are young enough find your own place and start one of those to be legendary ones.

I am not into all that stuff now, and thought of going back to Phangnan for the first time in 11 years but I would probably be very disappointed.

Nothing sadder than some old hippy in a place talking about how good "it" used to be

[Totster]

Koh phangan will be better without full moon party.

actually

EVERY KOH would be BETTER withOUT FARANGS

GFB... I'm sure you're right.... but would it be better without the billions of Baht that Farangs bring to Thailand ... ?

One is a product of the other I'm afraid.

totster

[Girlfrombar]

i 1st heard about 'FULL MOON' party when i was 16

10yrs later i could have my 1st opportunity to 'see' the party myself for real

not as that impressive as i dreamt of

but i already gave up my mind & knew that it would turn to 'FOOL MOON' party instead

the authentic spirit is just lost somewhere

[Girlfrombar]

Koh phangan will be better without full moon party.

actually

EVERY KOH would be BETTER withOUT FARANGS

GFB... I'm sure you're right.... but would it be better without the billions of Baht that Farangs bring to Thailand ... ?

One is a product of the other I'm afraid.

totster

GFB singin....

WELCOME TO THAILAND!!

TOM TOM WHERE U GO LAST NITE, I LOVE MUANG THAI, I LIKE PATPONG!

GFB singing again...........

(Go WASTE) Life is peaceful there

(Go WASTE) In the open air

(Go WASTE) Where the skies are blue

(Go WASTE) This is what we're gonna do

(Go WASTE, this is what we're gonna do, Go WASTE)

welcome to WASTERNISATION

let's get WASTERNISED

and be WASTERNERS !!!!!!!!!!!!

[350torana]

Call me old school but the wildest parties have always been a live band , not some DJ Dipshit cranking it up. A bit like poker machines and cover bands, techno is killing rock. Anyways, the didgeredoo, firestick mob would turn up to E's and techno or bourbon and Fenders either way.

[sleir]

completely agree 350torana, i really love live music, one reason why i love chiang mai.

[Limbo]

Call me old school but the wildest parties have always been a live band , not some DJ Dipshit cranking it up. A bit like poker machines and cover bands, techno is killing rock. Anyways, the didgeredoo, firestick mob would turn up to E's and techno or bourbon and Fenders either way.

Mr Opel Kadett (is it? build about 1976? what happened to the hood?),

I also like live-music. Especially in Thailand. Nothing enjoys me more than a happy and enjoying company singing Mor Lam.

There is one form of live-music which isn't always a success: the karaoke.

So I must say, that if the live-music is too bad, I prefer somebody to play records.

Some things were not really clear in your contribution to this forum: What is Dipshit, didgeredo, firestick mob? And what are E's?

The meaning of techno, bourbon and Fenders I am aware of, it is a modern form of music, an American kind of Regency (cognac-imitation) and the maybe most famous guitar-brand of history.

Mr. Sleir informed us: i really love live music, one reason why i love chiang mai.

I never saw the connection between live-music and Chiangmai. There is a fine jazz-club, that I know. What music do you mean? Could you give us some examples of places you like to visit?

Can you give a short description of yourself, so that we can know what kind of people we can expect at these places?

Thank you and enjoy Thailand

[Limbo]

Koh phangan will be better without full moon party.

actually EVERY KOH would be BETTER withOUT FARANGS

Yes MR. Royar and yes MR. Girlfrombar,

Ecologically seen, yes, yes, yes!

It is the same with books. If you read them, they wrinkle, get dirty.

If I were a book, I would beg you not to read me.

But I am afraid that your opinion puts you on an island as well. Keep it clean, it's all in your hands!!

Twenty years ago there was no electricity on Koh Samui. The number of coconuts was much bigger than the number of tourists.

Seventeen years ago certain parts had electricity. The silence of evening and night was suddenly gone, so the sounds of the crickets and the screams of the monkeys: Somebody started to exploit a disco on the beach (Chaweng).

One (1) disco changed the island. Sound pollution for me, but a great enjoyment for many more others. And who am I?

Koh Samui, at that time paradise on earth, boum boum boum the basses sounded all evening and night.'

So may I add:

EVERY KOH would be BETTER withOUT ELECTRICITY.

[marquess]

When I first came to Thailand four years ago, I spent 6 weeks on Koh Phanang. The Full Moon, was okay, the build up to it I think was more interesting than the actual party iteself. I have now heard, that it has not totally escaped the puritanical Social Order campaign? Perhaps there are others out there who can enlighten me.[

[Tornado]

yeah. i think i can easily call myself a global raver, having attended (and deejayed) on house/techno parties worldwide. from san fransisco to goa, and from tijuana to bangkok. but i hear and see the same pattern everywhere... -where is the parties from the good old days dude? - things change nothing stayed he same... I think they call it evolution.

Many of the great party s I have attended where organised by a bunch of friends on some place or another, making quickly the talk of town and then they become the legendaric partys years later. then everybody is looking for IT like if it is a ghost. Don t look for partys, become it, breathe it, and you will have fun everywhere.

Cheers!

Depends on your age "speedy", not my thang! (yes spelt right as Im hip).

[Boon Mee]

yeah. i think i can easily call myself a global raver, having attended (and deejayed) on house/techno parties worldwide. from san fransisco to goa, and from tijuana to bangkok. but i hear and see the same pattern everywhere... -where is the parties from the good old days dude? - things change nothing stayed he same... I think they call it evolution.

Many of the great party s I have attended where organised by a bunch of friends on some place or another, making quickly the talk of town and then they become the legendaric partys years later. then everybody is looking for IT like if it is a ghost. Don t look for partys, become it, breathe it, and you will have fun everywhere.

Cheers!

Depends on your age "speedy", not my thang! (yes spelt right as Im hip).

Right...a hip, Gung Ho, Special Forces killer!

[meadish_sweetball]

GFB singing again...........

(Go WASTE) Life is peaceful there

(Go WASTE) In the open air

(Go WASTE) Where the skies are blue

(Go WASTE) This is what we're gonna do

(Go WASTE, this is what we're gonna do, Go WASTE)

ph34r.gif

welcome to WASTERNISATION

let's get WASTERNISED

and be WASTERNERS !!!!!!!!!!!!

ph34r.gif

I appreciate the pun!

But seriously, GFB, do you think that if Thai people had the same amount of buying power as Westerners, they would not go on holiday to other places and waste them? Sorry, I somehow doubt it. It is a human thing and a ptoduct of buying power. In 15 years you'll see Thailand overrun by hordes of Chinese instead (or more likely together with the Westerners and other nations with higher buying power than the local community.). Please come back to this forum and tell me if they behave so much better than the farang...

Cheers,

Meadish

[Girlfrombar]

So may I add:

EVERY KOH would be BETTER withOUT ELECTRICITY.

2 thumbs up!!!!!!!

[Johpa]

I came across some pretty wild parties in Goa in 1992,...

Nothing sadder than some old hippy in a place talking about how good "it" used to be

Yea, almost as sad as some "Raver" approaching 40 talking about how good "it" use to be and how Goa "started" to go downhill so long ago around 1992 while others consider the decline of Goa to have started well over a decade before that time.

By this once-upon-a-time-in-a-galaxy-far-far-away hippy, Goa declined by the late 1970s, Samui declined towards the mid to late 1980s followed closely by the decline of Koh Phangan by the early 1990s. But then again, I can only handle a few minutes of "techno" music at a time so perhaps I am a poor judge of "full moon" type parties although I do remember enjoying Bob Weir playing at some namless spot on Koh Tao once upon a time.

[IBMOPERATIONS]

When I was young the parties were great.

Now I'm old they are crap.

Its not just me is it?

[Neeranam]

QUOTE (Neeranam @ Tue 2004-09-07, 22:47:16)

I came across some pretty wild parties in Goa in 1992,...

Nothing sadder than some old hippy in a place talking about how good "it" used to be 

Yea, almost as sad as some "Raver" approaching 40 talking about how good "it" use to be and how Goa "started" to go downhill so long ago around 1992 while others consider the decline of Goa to have started well over a decade before that time.

By this once-upon-a-time-in-a-galaxy-far-far-away hippy, Goa declined by the late 1970s, Samui declined towards the mid to late 1980s followed closely by the decline of Koh Phangan by the early 1990s. But then again, I can only handle a few minutes of "techno" music at a time so perhaps I am a poor judge of "full moon" type parties although I do remember enjoying Bob Weir playing at some namless spot on Koh Tao once upon a time.

I ain't no raver

Nowhere near 40

Get your facts right man!

You sound like an old hippy talking about how things aren't as good as they were last century - as I said, sad.

As Johnny Rotten said, "Never trust a hippy". The ones I hear talking about the great old days of Woodstock etc, often weren't even there.

[Insight]

Times change, tastes change, but the purpose remains the same.

Feel that the Full Moon Party has missed that purpose all together nowadays.

I'm still young, by the way, and still wasn't too impressed. Was like comparing Mathews St to the Cream.

[Coffee Dude]

For the last 2 years I have seen Koh PG almost everyday from my home. Never been to a full moon party. Talked to a lot of people that have though. There are stories of + and there are stories of -.

One almost always made observation is the bottles and butts stuffed into the sand, BIG MINUS.

The most emphatic statement came from a man who had gone there in the early 90's. He said, "It was one of the two most memorable days of my life. The other was the day I spent on the back of a camel in Lybia and I would rather go back to Libya than go back to FMP". He related this to the washing machine effect of the various techno/high energy really loud sound systems parked directly next to each other along the beach. He said other than that he liked it.

That is one mans' opinion.

Once again it comes down to different medicine for different symptoms.

Coffee!!!

[IamMaiC]

OK I'm going to sound ignorant because i am what is a FULL MOON PARTY? Is it a Thai Holiday?

[sbk]

Computers been down so this is my first shot at this thread. I live on Koh Phangan and have since before the start of the FMP so perhaps I have a bit better perspective?

GFB: the biggest polluters on this island are not the farang, it is the Thais. The beaches are much cleaner now than they were 16 years ago when I first came (long before the start of the party and before any kind of serious tourism). Thai people have no compunction about tossing their plastic rubbish everywhere. I have had local people tell me not to bother picking up the plastic rubbish off the beach as "it is dirty and more will just come back tomorrow". This rubbish accumulated from fishing boats from the mainland tossing their rubbish overboard, locals dumping their rubbish on the beach etc. For many years I, a farang, was the only one cleaning the beach around here. No Thai ever lifted a finger to help. Sorry if you don't like the truth, I just say what I see. Maybe you blame westernisation, but personally, I find that a cop out from people who just don't want to deal with the problems they already have, they find it easier to just lay the blame elsewhere.

As for the party itself, yes, it is full of rubbish but that is probably because no bar, restaurant or bungalow puts out bins for rubbish. Yes, it is full of drunken, drugged out farangs having sex on the beach. It also full of katoeys pickpocketing drunken people, drunken Thai guys beating up each other, farangs etc.

Is it worse than the 'good old days'? What 'good old days' would that be? Before the police started policing? Days of people dying on the beach, girls getting raped (regularly)? Or would that be the 'good old days' from the farang who actually started the party all those years ago? My understanding was they got kicked out of Goa so decided to start over again on Haad Rin. Oh yes, I knew them too, lovely people, selling drugs to fund their travels, they, too, got wasted and had sex on the beach. So, how does that make them better?

You like a rave? Try the Black Moon party on Ban Tai beach, hardcore trance and not too big, until, of course, you tell all your like minded raver friends and they all come and commercialize it too. Get real, that is life. There is no next "undiscovered" party, beach whatever. Because once you "Discover it" it is on it's way to be developed. Instead of abandoning Koh Phangan to a dirty polluted fate after sucking it dry perhaps it would be better to contribute something back and try to fix the problems you see instead of just transporting them to a new place?

Rant over.

[Coffee Dude]

It is a night of fun filled debauchery and excess occurring a day before or after the official full moon (usually) at Koh Phangan mostly Haad Rin. Because the full moon is a Buddha Day (no alcohol from bars) as I unserstand it.

As noted before I have never been there and done that.

Coffee!!!

[Neeranam]

Take a stab in the dark!

http://www.thisisthelife.com/en/carnivals-...-moon-party.htm