Some Koh Phangan Parties Banned

[pdogg]

Looks like the Black Moon parties will be canceled.

 

Think the big jungle raves such as the Half Moon Party and the Jungle Experience may survive as they are on private property.

 

 

 

All public parties in the Koh Pha-ngan district in Surat Thani province - except the full-moon party at Haad Rin - have been banned to "prevent crime and vices".The move follows the gruesome murder of two British tourists on Koh Tao, a nearby island, which are still under investigation.

Haad Rin is the original site on Pha-ngan Island where the world-renowned beach party has been held on full moon nights.

The province's Governor Chatpong Chatphuti consulted Surat Thani Army commander Maj-General Kleukul Inchan and related officials to find long-term crime-prevention measures. This lead to the district office cancelling all beach parties except the one event. With the country still under martial law, all sides - including business operators - reportedly agreed.

The governor's order also makes it mandatory to seek his approval via the district office for any event to be hosted on a beach or public space. The order cites prevention of crime and vices as the reason for banning parties, after the Koh Tao killings hammered the country's image and tourism.

Meanwhile, Koh Tao residents joined in a vegetarian festival for the second day yesterday and said they prayed for the good health of Their Majesties the King and Queen while also making merit for the two British tourists killed in September. The festival runs until November 1.

Meanwhile, Bangkok Metropolitan Police Area 5 yesterday held a meeting of nine police stations under its jurisdiction to beef up security for tourists.

Following the meeting, area deputy chief Pol Colonel Somneuk Noikhong told the press that the meeting followed instructions from the National Council for Peace and Order for additional measures to promote tourism by restoring visitors' confidence to visit Thailand during the upcoming high season.

The measures include a through checking of the car/motorbike rental businesses at tourist areas; checking ferry/boat businesses to strictly observe safety protocol; checking tour bus and taxi operators to ensure the drivers had a licence, they were sober and passengers were given insurance cover.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Full-moon-party-only-at-Haad-Rin-30246258.html

[JaiDee]

Black Moon will NOT be missed, those parties sucked.

 

  Although I will say their sound system was probably the best on the island.

[pdogg]

 

Curfew for migrant workers on islands in Koh Phangan may be imposed to prevent crimes.

 

This was what the governor of Surat Thani province disclosed Monday  after banning beach parties on three islands, with the exception of Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan.

 

Chatpong Chatphuti, the governor of Surat Thani province, held a meeting with all the relevant local government agencies  involved in looking after the security of tourist on the three main islands. The three popular tourist destinations are Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao islands.

 

The governor  has ordered that all beach parties are strictly forbidden following the fallout from the incident of the two murdered Britons in Koh Tao Island.

 

He stated that the incident has severely damaged Thailand’s image as a tourist destination.

 

He said  beach parties such as the Black Moon and Half Moon parties be forbidden.

 

However, the  world famous Full Moon party will still be allowed to go ahead but will have to be strictly regulated, he said.

 

The governor has expressed his plan  to impose curfew  for foreign workers in the three islands.

 

By doing this, foreign workers will be forbidden to be outside of their residences after 10.00 pm.

 

He stated that this was because most of the workers working on the islands are fluent in English allowing them to easily mingle with foreign tourists while claiming to be local Thais.

 

“Actually by law no such parties are allowed to be organized. I advise that operators involved in such activities cooperate with authorities to help improve tourism for the country. As for the policy for the strict control of foreign workers movement by forbidding them outside their residence after 10.00 pm, you must remember that the country is in fact still under martial law. We will allow some lea-way of course but what we must keep in mind that the recent murder has severely damaged Thailand’s image.”

 

In a parallel development, representatives of an organization looking after the welfare of foreign labor has received permission to speak to the two Myanmar suspects in the case of the two murdered British tourists on Koh Tao today. This follows the Koh Samui provincial court ordering them to be detained for a third time at the provincial court’s jail to await trial.

 

Thawatchai Siengjeaw, the director-general of the 8^th region prosecutors’ office,  stated that the reason why the men haven’t been prosecuted is because the case file has not been completed.

 

He stated that investigators in the case have not presented all the necessary evidence and points which has resulted in the men being detained for a third twelve day period  to await trial.

 

[Snick]

Another ridiculous idea, all menial jobs on the island are staffed by Burmese. Restaurant workers, Hotel staff, Bar Staff etc..

 

You'd have to close the Islands at 9pm, no bars, no restaurants, no nothing.

[DownLoLarry]

Editorial in The Nation

 

 

Editorial

Time to sober up, Koh Pha-ngan The full moon parties draw hundreds of thousands to Thailand each year, but dangers are growing for locals and visitors alike

Today brings the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar, celebrated around the country as Loy Krathong. As Thais mark the occasion by releasing krathong (floats) on water and kom loy (candlelit lanterns) into the air, thousands of tourists from around the world will tonight gather on Koh Pha-ngan in the Gulf of Thailand for a "full-moon party".

The world-famous dance festival has been held on Haad Rin Beach every month at full moon for more than three decades. The parties attract hundreds of thousands of revellers each year and have spawned gatherings at other locations on Koh Pha-ngan throughout the month.

However, Surat Thani Governor Chatpong Chatraphuti recently ordered authorities to ban public parties at any location except Haad Rin Beach. He cited the need to prevent crime and vice. His order comes at a time when Thailand's tourism industry and image abroad are still reeling from the killings of two British tourists on neighbouring Koh Tao.

The governor's decree is bad news for many local businesses and also for the tourists lured by the Koh Pha-ngan's reputation as a party island. Some local business operators said the ban would hit them in the pocket, though they didn't expect the impact to be severe.

However, others voiced support for the governor's decision. In a recent survey of local residents, about 70 per cent of respondents were against the proliferation of parties on the island. Before the order was issued, entrepreneurs were staging parties on the island at least 22 days per month.

Locals and visitors were complaining about the noise. Tourists who had come to the island to relax in a serene environment were being driven away by the booming beat deep into the night.

Suwit Phongsri, leader of Koh Pha-ngan's Cultural Council, said parties were being organised close to temples and communities. Daily life was disturbed by the sight of drunken tourists lying unconscious and sometimes naked in public after a long night of boozing. Such scenes greeted children on their way to school and Buddhist monks on their morning alms rounds.

The public drunkenness also places the tourists involved in

danger, making them more vulnerable to attack by criminals.

Tourism is certainly a huge source of income for Koh Pha-ngan. Last year the island welcomed more than 727,000 visitors, an increase of 36 per cent on the previous year. More than 618,000 last year were foreigners, swelling the income of local businesses.

However, the island's popularity rests on more than just its reputation as a party venue. Its beautiful beaches, pristine rainforest and tranquil Buddhist temples are a magnet for tourists.

Should party culture be allowed to shatter the serenity of those scenes, Koh Pha-ngan will lose much of its allure.

Instead, the island must strike a balance that meets the needs of all tourists and conserves the peaceful daily life of residents. Businesspeople eager to make a fast buck from tourists will only scare them away in the long run.

As hosts, the authorities and citizens share a duty to ensure visitors' safety during their stay. Meanwhile party-goers must be alerted to the potential dangers of becoming intoxicated to the point where they become prey to petty thieves or more dangerous criminals.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Time-to-sober-up-Koh-Pha-ngan-30247100.html