Koh Phangan New Year Eve

[angiud]

The new year in Koh Phangan, exactly in Haad Rin, was one of the biggest (maybe the biggest) party of the last 10 years.

A lot of people came here, mostly from KPG, some 20% from Samui.

The good: not many accidents (fighting, motorbike, etc)

The bad: 100 baht ticket both on the pier and on the road from Thong Sala

After a big cry from nearly every tourist operator, now you can see only smiling faces...

[samui04]

The new year in Koh Phangan, exactly in Haad Rin, was one of the biggest (maybe the biggest) party of the last 10 years.

A lot of people came here, mostly from KPG, some 20% from Samui.

The good: not many accidents (fighting, motorbike, etc)

The bad: 100 baht ticket both on the pier and on the road from Thong Sala

After a big cry from nearly every tourist operator, now you can see only smiling faces...

In Samui i forgot the last day with sun, it's more than a week of rain, wind and clouds.

Last year was bad but not the entire week.

No tourists will ever come back after this weather.

Was it sunny in KPN?

[samuibeachcomber]

The new year in Koh Phangan, exactly in Haad Rin, was one of the biggest (maybe the biggest) party of the last 10 years.

A lot of people came here, mostly from KPG, some 20% from Samui.

The good: not many accidents (fighting, motorbike, etc)

The bad: 100 baht ticket both on the pier and on the road from Thong Sala

After a big cry from nearly every tourist operator, now you can see only smiling faces...

In Samui i forgot the last day with sun, it's more than a week of rain, wind and clouds.

Last year was bad but not the entire week.

No tourists will ever come back after this weather.

Was it sunny in KPN?

the weather would have been the same on KPN,but when did that ever stop a good piss up,someone who was there for NYE reckoned there in excess of 40,000 on the beach,and it seems that KPN is faring better this year than Samui,unless highdiver tells us thats not so!

[Samuian]

the weather would have been the same on KPN,but when did that ever stop a good piss up,someone who was there for NYE reckoned there in excess of 40,000 on the beach,and it seems that KPN is faring better this year than Samui,unless highdiver tells us thats not so!

Your Opinion is tainted by very personal views, it isn't a reality report... I am NOT highdiver but I can ensure you that KPG will always legging behind Samui, as of it's infrastructure and more venues coming up competing with the FM Event on KPG!

The Bar Strip of the Soi leading to the RP was jam packed with revelers, so was the Reggae Pub, so was the Green Mango Barstrip, friends have been reporting great fireworks displays from the Beach at Mea Nam, so I've heard from Lamai...

so please stop the bs in regards to talk one things down, cause one favors somethin' else....at least it's not fair and people may get not a good impression of your style in airing a personal opinion!

Edited January 2, 2009 by Samuian

[samuibeachcomber]

the weather would have been the same on KPN,but when did that ever stop a good piss up,someone who was there for NYE reckoned there in excess of 40,000 on the beach,and it seems that KPN is faring better this year than Samui,unless highdiver tells us thats not so!

Your Opinion is tainted by very personal views, it isn't a reality report... I am NOT highdiver but I can ensure you that KPG will always legging behind Samui, as of it's infrastructure and more venues coming up competing with the FM Event on KPG!

The Bar Strip of the Soi leading to the RP was jam packed with revelers, so was the Reggae Pub, so was the Green Mango Barstrip, friends have been reporting great fireworks displays from the Beach at Mea Nam, so I've heard from Lamai...

so please stop the bs in regards to talk one things down, cause one favors somethin' else....at least it's not fair and people may get not a good impression of your style in airing a personal opinion!

you took my reply the wrong way samuian,i was not critising you although my mention of highdiver was just to take the p_ss for sure

[southwest19]

The new year in Koh Phangan, exactly in Haad Rin, was one of the biggest (maybe the biggest) party of the last 10 years.

A lot of people came here, mostly from KPG, some 20% from Samui.

The good: not many accidents (fighting, motorbike, etc)

The bad: 100 baht ticket both on the pier and on the road from Thong Sala

After a big cry from nearly every tourist operator, now you can see only smiling faces...

In Samui i forgot the last day with sun, it's more than a week of rain, wind and clouds.

Last year was bad but not the entire week.

No tourists will ever come back after this weather.

Was it sunny in KPN?

the weather would have been the same on KPN,but when did that ever stop a good piss up,someone who was there for NYE reckoned there in excess of 40,000 on the beach,and it seems that KPN is faring better this year than Samui,unless highdiver tells us thats not so!

You obviously have not been to Samui over Xmas and New Year it is as busy as I have ever seen it I am glad to hear KP is busy too. I am also not Highdiver.

[samuibeachcomber]

southwest19,as my name might suggest i am living on Samui for 2 years,i know those areas of Samui are packed and very happy i am too for everyone,my reply to samuian was just a flippant reply, and a wind up to highdiver,was meant to be a joke,has no one got a sense of humour anymore,or is it just new age sensitive guys on TV.

[southwest19]

southwest19,as my name might suggest i am living on Samui for 2 years,i know those areas of Samui are packed and very happy i am too for everyone,my reply to samuian was just a flippant reply, and a wind up to highdiver,was meant to be a joke,has no one got a sense of humour anymore,or is it just new age sensitive guys on TV.

I am glad to hear it I ashore you I do have a sense of humour and I am not at all sensative it is just one or two members on this forum seem to get a kick out of Samui bashing and post uninformed and misleading information such as high season starting in November and it should be packed etc it just gets a bit boring.

Happy NY.

[koheesti]

A German couple I know (26 and 29 yrs old ) took a boat to KPG at about 21:00 and came back probably around 02:00. They said it was too crowded with alcohol, drugs and young people. By "young" they said teenagers. The guy's company back home organises events like raves so I'd think he'd be used to it all.

[angiud]

C'mon.. it is not a competition between Samui and Phangan!

It was just for information.

Hope Samui full as well.

I guess between 30.000 and 40.000 people!!

Now more quiet, but still full.

A German couple I know (26 and 29 yrs old ) took a boat to KPG at about 21:00 and came back probably around 02:00. They said it was too crowded with alcohol, drugs and young people. By "young" they said teenagers.

Wow, 26 yo people says the party was full of young people. What can I say? (I'm 52)...

[koheesti]

C'mon.. it is not a competition between Samui and Phangan!

It was just for information.

Hope Samui full as well.

I guess between 30.000 and 40.000 people!!

Now more quiet, but still full.

A German couple I know (26 and 29 yrs old ) took a boat to KPG at about 21:00 and came back probably around 02:00. They said it was too crowded with alcohol, drugs and young people. By "young" they said teenagers.

Wow, 26 yo people says the party was full of young people. What can I say? (I'm 52)...

I'm 44 and thought it was pretty funny as well. They did love the view of all the fireworks as they were leaving. And before someone mistakes this as a Samui v. KPG post, they also told me that they will be back to Thailand but not to Samui (safe to say not KPG either). They were expecting all those tourist brochures to be accurate what with all the beautiful beaches and clear water. I'm sure the lousy weather over the past week didn't help much either.

[highdiver]

Its nice to see that there is a debate here on who has MORE tourists.

from i understand from friends on KPG this past week has been the fullest they ever had.. at some point they evcen sent people back to Samui as all the accommodations were full...

[happylarry]

All this talk about your bad weather....I live in Korat and we havent seen any rain to speak of for about 6 or 7 weeks. Having to water my garden every day.

HL

[sbk]

Its not unusual for this time of year. It wasn't that much rain at my house, so am not sure how badly Samui got hit. But I read that Surat had some flooding.

Source: Royal Thai Goverment

Date: 29 Dec 2008

Many areas in Pattani province are still flooded while the Meteorological Department reports less rain. The flood conditions have caused traffic jam in the province.

Continuous rain in Pattani since December 25th until now has caused flooding in many areas, including main roads and smaller roads. Traffic jam can be found throughout the province today (December 29th) due to inundation and the New Year season. The water level of Sai Buri and Pattani rivers have been continuously increasing.

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office of Pattani has issued warning to people residing along the riverbanks to beware of flash flood.

In Surat Thani, rain has fallen less after heavy rain and landslide two days ago. Submerged streets have started to dry up.

The Meteorological Department also reported that a high pressure system in the upper part of the country is weakening, causing the average temperature in the Northeast, Central, and Eastern regions to increase by 1-3 degree Celsius in these two days. However, there will still be fog and the weather will be cool in the morning.

The Northeastern monsoon currently covering the Gulf of Thailand and the South is weakening as well and less rain is expected in the region.

[Ocean11]

Its nice to see that there is a debate here on who has MORE tourists.

from i understand from friends on KPG this past week has been the fullest they ever had.. at some point they evcen sent people back to Samui as all the accommodations were full...

At lunch time yesterday a fully loaden speedboat dropped off approx. 25 people infront of our beach. I thought the boat had an engine failure, but one of the passengers told me that all ferries from KPG to Samui were full. Just wondered why dropping the tourists off 300 meters from the government pier as they all clearly moved into that direction. So yes, KPG must be very busy......

[limbos]

Mooring fee at Govnmt/Sea Tran pier?

[stevehaigh]

i heard some people were killed at the FMP on NYE in a big fight. anyone know what happened?

[angiud]

i heard some people were killed at the FMP on NYE in a big fight. anyone know what happened?

Not true.

just a couple of farang wounded by bottle smashed and some more thai. that's all

[girlx]

The new year in Koh Phangan, exactly in Haad Rin, was one of the biggest (maybe the biggest) party of the last 10 years.

Hmm, Christmas was pretty dead, not many around, nice and relaxed... but my friend and I had to leave on the 30th because we could not find any good rooms available for the 30th-1st, so I wondered how busy it got over New Year. That's good news for the locals. So much for all the crying about Thai tourism being negatively affected by recent events.

[ham]

The new year in Koh Phangan, exactly in Haad Rin, was one of the biggest (maybe the biggest) party of the last 10 years.

Hmm, Christmas was pretty dead, not many around, nice and relaxed... but my friend and I had to leave on the 30th because we could not find any good rooms available for the 30th-1st, so I wondered how busy it got over New Year. That's good news for the locals. So much for all the crying about Thai tourism being negatively affected by recent events.

it was like a tsunami of tourist swaping over the island. I never saw it full like that. Now few days later the wave went back, to coming back for the fullmoon party? Anyway I guess it will be less crowded after the party again. The weather was also not helpful to make people staying longer. Actually it remains the same as every year, just more numbers coming and going aswell.

[t.s]

The new year in Koh Phangan, exactly in Haad Rin, was one of the biggest (maybe the biggest) party of the last 10 years.

Hmm, Christmas was pretty dead, not many around, nice and relaxed... but my friend and I had to leave on the 30th because we could not find any good rooms available for the 30th-1st, so I wondered how busy it got over New Year. That's good news for the locals. So much for all the crying about Thai tourism being negatively affected by recent events.

it was like a tsunami of tourist swaping over the island. I never saw it full like that. Now few days later the wave went back, to coming back for the fullmoon party? Anyway I guess it will be less crowded after the party again. The weather was also not helpful to make people staying longer. Actually it remains the same as every year, just more numbers coming and going aswell.

I was on the island from the 12th to the 4th, and kpg filled to bursting just after xmas.

the crowds, as well as poor weather and lousy transport infrastructure had people waiting at the pier for days after the new year trying to get out.

lompraya boats stopped running abandoning numbers of people on koh tao .

despite the waether my time down on the island was great, ruined only by bangkok air and a lack of transport choices when departing.