My first visit to Koh Phangan was in 1991. Had Rin was lined with A-frame bungalows. No electricity. $2-3/ night. The extra dollar was for a mosquito net. The island was notorious for malarial mozzies, but even more so for the monthly Full Moon Parties; dancing, drugs, sex along a silver sand beach. No hassles. The Full Moon party I attended that year was fun. fat backpacker girls getting drunk to have sex with skinny Thais or drugged hippies. I was a 40 year-old geezer. None of them wanted me and I was grateful for their disinterest. The party grew by word-of-mouth and soon every waxing moon backpackers close to Koh Phangan beelined to the tropical island off Suratthani. The 100s became 1000s and then 10000s. Thai authorities were perplexed by the phenomena, since they couldn’t figure out how to make any money off travelers who didn’t spend any money on their products; beer and 7/11 crap.
Numerous plans were announced to stop the hedonistic celebrations. Drug-free zone, but most of the revelers weren’t doing drugs. They were there for the music and sex and meeting friends on the road.
Undaunted by these failure Phangan soon became Long associated with debauchery and wild Full Moon parties, Narcotics Control Board’s Division 8 has come up with several strategies to end the Full Moon parties, so Koh Phangan can become a family-oriented resort. Locals have been asked to snitch out drug dens, checkpoints will be located at the Koh Samui and Phangan piers. Police will randomly stop travelers suspected of drugs for urine tests, and narcs will mingle with the Full Moonites.
Some residents regard this latest effort as an attempt to force them into selling out to upscale developers who will destroyed the charm of Koh Phangan with their family-oriented hotels and activities like Phuket and Koh Samui.
Most partygoers are savvy enough to avoid drugs and the drug-dealers have been trafficking long enough to avert the piers and narcs.
In the end it’s more bluster from politicians to cover up their stupidity.
Millions of baht are generated by the Full Moon Party and that’s is what is important to the locals.
Money and sanuk.
In the meanwhile druggies be careful. The enemy is undefeated. Don’t buy drugs from Thais olr farangs, but if you find some, let your unconsciousness be your guide.
Free Koh Phangan.