Old enough to know better: Thailand's infamous Full Moon Party turns 25

[webfact]

Old enough to know better: Thailand's infamous Full Moon Party turns 25
Ben Groundwater

The Full Moon Party is old enough to know better.

KOH PHANGAN: -- Thailand's infamous beach rave turned 25 this year, making it old enough to now refrain from dodgy drugs, old enough to avoid drinking buckets of vodka and vomiting it all up a few hours later, old enough to say no to drunken hook-ups with Danish backpackers, and old enough not to take its clothes off and frolic in the sea.

Of course, it will still do all of those things. And so will you. Because this isn't a birthday marked with maturity, but with glorious debauchery. That's what a Full Moon Party is all about.

These raucous get-togethers on the island of Koh Pha-Ngan, a name once whispered among backpackers the world over but now shouted with glee, began innocently enough. Like "tubing" in Laos, it was the idea of a few travellers who wanted a simple escape from Western reality. Twenty-five years ago a bunch of hippies decided they wanted to sit on a Thai beach on a moonlit night, smoke a bit of pot, drink a few beers, and – in their eyes at least – live the dream.

But then others got wind of it and wanted to live the dream as well, only they had slightly different dreams. Hard-partying dreams. Over the years more and more backpackers have descended on the once quiet island of Koh Pha-Ngan, in their numbers forever altering the beautiful beach and remote dreamland that the town of Haad Rin once was

Full story: http://www.smh.com.au/travel/old-enough-to-know-better-thailands-infamous-full-moon-party-turns-25-20130909-2tfzh.html

-- The Sydney Morning Herald 2013-09-09

[theblether]

300,000 people claim to having been at the first party.

Just another good idea wrecked

[Ianatlarge]

Never been, young enough to have fun, but old enough to not be a complete idiot.

[BookMan]

Deleted post edited out.

Danish male backpackers

[gosompoi]

25 years and 300 parties later, still a sea of drunk backpackers walking with one shoe on asking, " Have you seen my shoe?".

Edited September 9, 2013 by gosompoi

[yougivemebaby]

Sounds like they're blaming the 'backpackers' for the mess. Thai's are well within their rights to stop the party at any time. I see it advertised at just about every tour guide/shop..

[retell]

300,000 people claim to having been at the first party.

Just another good idea wrecked

and the first was'nt on Haadrin beach but ban khai beach

[Scott]

Troll post and replies deleted.

[samuibruno]

Sydney used to be so quiet and remote with beautiful unspoilt beachs

then somebody dumped thier garbage there [prisioners]

and now its a heaving metropolis where drugs are readily avaliable [if you know where to find them]

alcohol is freely available [even brew thier own]

beaches are no longer pristine and many walk naked on the beachs [or near enough]

ive been there once and god forbid dont want to go back[im still talking about sydney]

[khunPer]

What is that story with Danish backpackers?

[Wordworx]

What is that story with Danish backpackers?

Yeah. Sort of wishful thinking, right? The poster talking dudes, or what?

[EQ San]

300,000 people claim to having been at the first party.

Just another good idea wrecked

and the first was'nt on Haadrin beach but ban khai beach

I was living in Samui between 1988 and 1993. Went in koh Pham gnan the first time in 1988. I can't tell when was the first party.. Do you mean the official one..? The very very first one..?

At that time I have been told, parties have always been there. Before techno and house, before the drugs, it was there already. I think it came with the first magic mushroom.

Hadrin beach was a strategic place to do parties cause hidden from Samui; the movie "the beach" refers to Samui as Hadrin in the story, the beach as Hadrin in reality.

In 1988 and before, lucky you to get there without help..

[Dibbler]

300,000 people claim to having been at the first party.

Just another good idea wrecked

and the first was'nt on Haadrin beach but ban khai beach

I was living in Samui between 1988 and 1993. Went in koh Pham gnan the first time in 1988. I can't tell when was the first party.. Do you mean the official one..? The very very first one..?

At that time I have been told, parties have always been there. Before techno and house, before the drugs, it was there already. I think it came with the first magic mushroom.

Hadrin beach was a strategic place to do parties cause hidden from Samui; the movie "the beach" refers to Samui as Hadrin in the story, the beach as Hadrin in reality.

In 1988 and before, lucky you to get there without help..

From the syntax in your message here it sounds like you must be having a fairly good ol' time relishing memories of the old times on Samui/Phangngan... it certainly was great to visit those islands in the early 90's. After the airport went in on Samui, Phangnan was still good for a couple of years, but now thoroughly trashed. Now Phangnan a cesspool of disease and Samui a den of misadventure... and Koh Tao is both!

[lee b]

Been there done that got the t-shirt, Burnt the t-shirt erased memories and will never ever go again!

[TinaKohChang]

300,000 people claim to having been at the first party.

Just another good idea wrecked

and the first was'nt on Haadrin beach but ban khai beach

I was living in Samui between 1988 and 1993. Went in koh Pham gnan the first time in 1988. I can't tell when was the first party.. Do you mean the official one..? The very very first one..?

At that time I have been told, parties have always been there. Before techno and house, before the drugs, it was there already. I think it came with the first magic mushroom.

Hadrin beach was a strategic place to do parties cause hidden from Samui; the movie "the beach" refers to Samui as Hadrin in the story, the beach as Hadrin in reality.

In 1988 and before, lucky you to get there without help..

From the syntax in your message here it sounds like you must be having a fairly good ol' time relishing memories of the old times on Samui/Phangngan... it certainly was great to visit those islands in the early 90's. After the airport went in on Samui, Phangnan was still good for a couple of years, but now thoroughly trashed. Now Phangnan a cesspool of disease and Samui a den of misadventure... and Koh Tao is both!

Exactly, after airport was up and running next 3 even 4 years - it was great to be there still... Koh Chang had this Samui feel to it 5 years ago, all gone by now as well.... Almost all Thai paradises lost, sad but true

[Tropicalevo]

Exactly, after airport was up and running next 3 even 4 years - it was great to be there still... Koh Chang had this Samui feel to it 5 years ago, all gone by now as well.... Almost all Thai paradises lost, sad but true

and it's lost because...........................

of people like us!

[PoorSucker]

Flame removed.

[Evergreen]

Exactly, after airport was up and running next 3 even 4 years - it was great to be there still... Koh Chang had this Samui feel to it 5 years ago, all gone by now as well.... Almost all Thai paradises lost, sad but true

and it's lost because...........................

of people like us!

Exactly, i do have to laugh at the ones saying how they were there and it was so cool...so it was ok for them to do, but now they are old and wrinkly and just moan about it all without realising that if it wasn't for them it wouldn't have happened and got to the stage it is now at in the first place, comical indeed :-)

It's like moaning about too many tourists....when they were once just a simple tourist themselves, geez, get over yourselves, life revolves, things change and this is what it has become, relax, chill, if people hate it so much you do not have to go so stop moaning about it.....let the people who want to come and do all that get on with it. Personally I went once and didn't like it much so now i just do not go and that's it, simples eh? :-)

[thrilled]

I love koh phangan. I go to the parties every chance I getNever had A problem.A lot of fun.

[KuhnPaen]

Would rather visit Somalia.

[wayned]

I went to the party once when I lived in Samui, 1998 or 1999. It was one of those days that my bar had to be closed. We, the staff and stray farangs, cooked and partied at my house all day and when it was time to get the boat I was pissed! but all of the young ladies persuaded me to go so off I went leaving my understanding wife behind. I managed to get on the boat in rough seas but when I got to the island I did an unceremoniously belly flop off the bow. I wandered up onto the beach, found an empty place in the sand and fell asleep. They woke me up just in time to get the boat back to Samui. What a thrill!

[Tropicalevo]

Would rather visit Somalia.

Off you go then.

Have a nice time

and don't rush back

[KuhnPaen]

Would rather visit Somalia.

Off you go then.

Have a nice time

and don't rush back

deal. u can have your hippie drum circle all to yourself. enjoy.

[angiud]

I love hippies, drums, circles and the amazing old times Full Moon Party

[Tropicalevo]

Would rather visit Somalia.

Off you go then.

Have a nice time

and don't rush back

deal. u can have your hippie drum circle all to yourself. enjoy.

[PoorSucker]

deal. u can have your hippie drum circle all to yourself. enjoy.

[EQ San]

300,000 people claim to having been at the first party.

Just another good idea wrecked

and the first was'nt on Haadrin beach but ban khai beach

I was living in Samui between 1988 and 1993. Went in koh Pham gnan the first time in 1988. I can't tell when was the first party.. Do you mean the official one..? The very very first one..?

At that time I have been told, parties have always been there. Before techno and house, before the drugs, it was there already. I think it came with the first magic mushroom.

Hadrin beach was a strategic place to do parties cause hidden from Samui; the movie "the beach" refers to Samui as Hadrin in the story, the beach as Hadrin in reality.

In 1988 and before, lucky you to get there without help..

From the syntax in your message here it sounds like you must be having a fairly good ol' time relishing memories of the old times on Samui/Phangngan... it certainly was great to visit those islands in the early 90's. After the airport went in on Samui, Phangnan was still good for a couple of years, but now thoroughly trashed. Now Phangnan a cesspool of disease and Samui a den of misadventure... and Koh Tao is both!

I agree with you. Been there in 1997 then 2004 and I didn't recognized the islands of my young days.

[Tropicalevo]

I agree with you. Been there in 1997 then 2004 and I didn't recognized the islands of my young days.

Yeah - getting older is a bummmer. I left Slough in the 1960's. Went back in 2003 - didn't recognise a thing.

Fact of life.

We visit places in our youth.

We go back and tell our friends what a great time we had.

They visit and also have a great time.

They tell their friends etc etc etc.

10 years later - same same but very different.

At the end of the day - KPG is still a beautiful island. I love to visit it (never on the FMP) but I would not want to live there all of the time. I like my creature comforts too much. I prefer Samui as a base and KPG for a 'do nothing' break.

I hope that the FMP carries on for many years -it is supporting the infrastructure of the island. Although, when I drive through Bangrak, I curse the 'walking dead' disembarking from the ferries the next morning

(Mind you - on a personal note - I am very hacked off with the new Black Moon Party venue!)

[somtampet]

Never been interested to go to a full moon party.Hate the idea of having drugs planted on me and 20 years in jail.Or even see somebody crying their eyes out due to a massive jail sentence for drug taking or drug selling

Edited September 10, 2013 by Rooo
Removed underline.

[Crazy chef 1]

Live and let live.some 20 years ago I head a great time there,been recently back but it has changed.not the party itself just me who has changed.honetsly I was a bit jealous to be not 19 anymore and enjoy it as I had in the past.party people keep it going just a little bit care/ respect for the environment...