Full Moon Party Cancelled

[stevehaigh]

because of big waves.

i'm sure all the farangs who are already in Haad Rin will make there own party anyhow, how can you cancel it 2 hours before the event?

plus the waves are in the sea, the party is on the beach, I don't get it!

[Lovesun]

Drunk people on the beach and big waves are a dangerous combination

[badtaya77]

boat-transfers by night with drunken people and big waves is an dangerous combination too

Edited December 16, 2005 by badtaya77

[ben01]

Drunk people on the beach and big waves are a dangerous combination

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

drunk people on the beach full stop are a hazard....shame tho' som nam na......

[sbk]

Well, its a little hard to cancel and the big waves don't make much different at night since the tide is right out. All of our customers have already gone down and I heard that they closed the beach until 10 pm --and then it will be opened. Probably they will put those police to some use for a change and have them patrol the beach early morning so nobody goes out.

But, just as an FYI, the people who drowned did so in the middle of the day at the highest tide. They had gone swimming and got caught in the rip.

[sriracha john]

Full Moon Party cancelled

Authorities in Thailand today cancelled a beach party popular with backpackers and ravers after two Swedish women drowned in the area, officials said.

Known as the Full Moon Party, the monthly gathering attracts thousands of young people travelling through the region. The two women, identified as Josefin Clarice Viola Ossman, 22, and Maria Johanna Sofia Lindstrom, 22, were swept out to sea near Haad Rin beach in Surat Thani province, which is about 260 miles south of the capital, Bangkok.

Haad Rin is the scene of the monthly Full Moon Party. “The governor has ordered the cancellation of the full-moon party that was to take place tonight,” Police Major Monsak Srisuwan said.

[sbk]

Well, they barricaded off the beach and the bars weren't allowed to play music, loads of people went, alot came back but alot stayed. It is kind of hard to get rid of thousands of people, esp when alot of them are staying in Hadrin.

Cancelling the FMP did not make a whit of difference to the two girls that drowned, they drowned in the middle of the day --they would have been on the beach even if there weren't a FMP anyway. The tide is way out at night, it would have been just as possible to allow the party at night and close it once the tide started coming in. But, then they wouldn't get their desired effect, would they?

The general consensus on the island is that Taksin has been trying to get rid of the FMP for quite some time. Koh Phangan business is probably 90% locally owned. The feeling is that if they can get rid of the FMP the locals will go out of business, be forced to sell and Taksin and his cronies can move in and turn it into another Koh Chang.

[sriracha john]

The general consensus on the island is that Taksin has been trying to get rid of the FMP for quite some time. Koh Phangan business is probably 90% locally owned. The feeling is that if they can get rid of the FMP the locals will go out of business, be forced to sell and Taksin and his cronies can move in and turn it into another Koh Chang.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A very good assessment, I'd say.

Probably doesn't help the local's cause that the controlling Governor who ordered it shut down is an appointed position controlled by Bangkok, which highlights the problem of not having direct representation by local citizens in Governorships, (except BKK).

Interesting that apparently the closing down came late as thousands were already there...but I'm sure most were very disappointed about beach closures, music ban, etc. Word passes quickly amongst this group of tourists and the government is likely to hope that future FMP will thus be less attended, thus putting them in a better bargaining position with the locals.

[seville]

Interesting, but I think the business owners and the party planners are far too clever to let the government shut things down all together.

My guess would be the Black Moon, Paradise, Half Moon and all the Bar Owners that have DJ's once a week will staff up and hand out flyers to come and party at their places the night of full moon.

Shuting down Full Moon also affects Samui, so my guess is that, try as they may they won't be able to shut the party down.

Remember when they tried to close ALL the bars down at midnight or what ever it was.

It will be interesting to hear how it all went. How can you stop all the bars from playing loud music.

I'm sure Becki will have a full report soon.

[girlx]

The feeling is that if they can get rid of the FMP the locals will go out of business, be forced to sell and Taksin and his cronies can move in and turn it into another Koh Chang.

this is exactly why i chose not to live in koh chang any longer and moved to koh phangan. it was pretty bad near the end of my stay there, the police were using any little excuse to harass business owners, because they wanted their land. they also started stopping travellers on the beach to search them randomly (perhaps hoping to weed out the upper class?). it was too nazi-like for my taste... i hope it doesn't get that far with KPG.

[sbk]

According to our guests, all of whom went, the beach was barricaded in a couple of places, but not the entire length of the beach. They even went so far as to put someone at the barricades to hit people who tried to get past with a stick! The bars on the beach had frequent visits by the police stopping them from playing music but the police paid no attention to the people who had gotten past the barricades, some of whom were actually swimming in the sea (altho to be fair the water is quite shallow at night). The police and Surat Thani authorities never once went out to tell these people to come in. So much for shutting down the party to prevent further casualties .

In fact, thousands of people thronged the streets, restaurants pulled back their tables and chairs and played music, even the 7-11 had music playing into the street.

Do not underestimate the loyalty of backpackers, esp when they see an injustice being done. It was the backpackers who returned to Phi Phi and Krabi, helping clean up and rebuild.

If Taksin underestimates the local islanders he may find himself in a whole world of trouble here. Koh Phangan is not Koh Chang, these people are not only Southerners but used to independence and autonomy and do not take interference from the mainland very well.

[stevehaigh]

If Taksin underestimates the local islanders he may find himself in a whole world of trouble here. Koh Phangan is not Koh Chang, these people are not only Southerners but used to independence and autonomy and do not take interference from the mainland very well.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Peoples Republic of Ko Phangan, I love it, count me it. First item on the adjenda for me, farangs CAN buy land

[seville]

I'm with SBK all the way. Watch out GirlX Full Moon Party is moving to Thong Nai Pan next month.

I agree with the republic of KPN Steve, but frankly tell all my Thai friends NEVER TO SELL THEIR LAND. Long term leaseing is where it's at.

I'm heart broken with what going on over on TNP Noi.

Your not part of KP properties are you?

[seville]

Wow Steve!! I just went to your website the shots of the lighting are wonderful.

Nice to know your on the island.

Hey what do you know about Solar? My Thai friend and an Aussie guy I know say the chap in Thongsala is good. I want to have my space running on solar by 2007.

I'll be sure to look you up when I'm ready to build again.

[stevehaigh]

Wow Steve!! I just went to your website the shots of the lighting are wonderful.

Nice to know your on the island.

Hey what do you know about Solar? My Thai friend and an Aussie guy I know say the chap in Thongsala is good. I want to have my space running on solar by 2007.

I'll be sure to look you up when I'm ready to build again.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

no i have nothing to do the KP properties.

i bought a solar hot water system from the LG place on the baan thai road. it cost 42000 for panel, 200 liter tank and install to 4 showers (yes, i have 4 showers!). it works great, but i did use the electric backup feature for about 2 weeks through the rainy days.

i got another quote for more than 2x that so shop around.

i havn't bothered with solar electricity, i don't think it;s worth the expense right now. maybe in 20 years

[Dickie_Doo]

They even went so far as to put someone at the barricades to hit people who tried to get past, with a stick!

Sounds more like a Thaivisa pissup.

[seville]

I could see the police standing with small sticks to get peoples attention in Had Rin.

[dom lisbon]

Big waves..

lots of drugs, alcohol...

Do you remeber this?

"Almost a year has passed since 18 people were killed in a boat accident on the way back from the Full Moon Party on Koh Pha-ngan"

[sbk]

That had nothing to do with big waves, the boat capsized because 1) it was overloaded 2) it had been illegaly modified and 3) the boat drivers were racing their boats in the dark at high speeds.

Many people seem to fail to understand this, those girls would have drowned regardless of whether or not there were a FMP. They drowned in the middle of the day several days before the party. It could just as easily been Chaweng or any other beach in the world.

[seville]

That had nothing to do with big waves, the boat capsized because 1) it was overloaded 2) it had been illegaly modified and 3) the boat drivers were racing their boats in the dark at high speeds.

Many people seem to fail to understand this, those girls would have drowned regardless of whether or not there were a FMP. They drowned in the middle of the day several days before the party. It could just as easily been Chaweng or any other beach in the world.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Absolutly correct SBK

For those of us who have seen how rough the the waves can get on that side of the island one would ask, "What in God's name where the girls thinking?"

I have lived on islands most of my life and near a body of Salt water for all of it. The stories about tourist doing foolish things on vacation is a World Wide accurance.

The Boat that capsized, same thing. " What the hel_l were those people thinking getting on a boat that was clearly, overloaded."

Now, the boat owner and Captain deserved to be punished and were I think.

The government didn't close down the beach right after those girls drowned, did they? NO. I'm with SBK on this one all the way.