Stories tagged with koh
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Thailand’s Full Moon Party gets serious
In a shocking display of organisation, local “authorities” on Koh Phangan have decided to charge an entry fee for revelers at the island’s monthly Full Moon Party. What was once a poorly-kept secret beach party fuelled by drugs, Thai rice whiskey, music and young backpackers has finally become institutionalised. Or at least that’s what organisers want you to think.
September’s Full Moon Party at Haadrin Beach was the first time partiers had to pay an entry fee to get to the action. The 100 baht fee is being levied by the Haadrin Business Association supposedly to keep the beach clean after each party. Bright red and blue signs reading “Welcome World Original Full Moon Party Entry Please Show Ticket” welcomed unsuspecting visitors at Haadrin Pier.
The entire pier area was sealed off on the day of the event, and a private security force in place to ensure that everyone who steps onto the sand pays the 100 baht fee. Other services purportedly being provided by the “association” include security for overly-intoxicated people, a beach patrol to prevent drownings and a dedicated sleeping area where you can crash when the blackout comes.
Suggesting that this is a scam worth avoiding, fees are only levied against visitors arriving from Koh Samui directly to the pier at Haadrin Beach. All other entrance points to the beach are open and free. Visitors are advised to discourage this kind of blatant extortion and use other transport options to get to the party.
Posted by: Andrew on 23 Sep 2008, 11:16 -
7-11 stores to help tourists in trouble
In a new project aimed at improving the safety of tourists and the accessibility of Thailand’s local police forces, all 7-11 convenience stores in Pattaya and Koh Chang are now acting as emergency Tourist Police contact locations. Although it’s only in the trial phase, any tourist can enter a 7-11 at these two popular Thai beach destinations and dial the Tourist Police number 24 hours a day.
If things go well, the initiative will be expanded to create a tourist emergency network encompassing all 4,000 7-11s throughout Thailand. Participating stores in Pattaya and Koh Chang will display a sign in the window and the staff have been trained to deal with tourists in trouble. It’s an excellent way to help tourists find the help they need, as 7-11s are virtually a global household name.
Noppakorn S. Tansakul, the project’s lead consultant, tried the scheme out on Bangkok’s Khaosan Road during last year’s Songkran festival. He said that it showed very positive results, and the Thai public even helped by reporting non-violent crimes like drug dealing and prostitution.
The trial in Pattaya and Koh Chang will last 3 months, at which time its effectiveness will be evaluated. In Pattaya the Tourist Police emergency number is 1337, and on Koh Chang it is 1155.
Posted by: Andrew on 21 Sep 2008, 16:00 -
Mysterious disappearance of UK tourist
In a baffling mystery, even by Thai standards, UK traveller Danny Hall mysteriously disappeared from the island of Koh Pha Ngan more than six months ago without a trace. The 36 year-old man was last seen on February 25, shortly following one of the resort island’s infamous full moon parties.
Hall’s disappearance has left family, friends and investigators alike clueless as to his whereabouts or what may have happened to him. His backpack and guitar were found in his bungalow on the isolated beach of Hat Yao, but his passport and moneybelt were missing. Friends who saw Hall prior to the disappearance felt nothing out of the ordinary, leaving family to wonder if foul play was involved or Hall simply wanted to vanish.
One of Koh Pha Ngan’s police chiefs was transferred as a result of the sharp increase in crime and safety concerns on the popular tourist island. A number of attacks have been reported, but most of them go uninvestigated. While the government claims to be concerned about tourist safety, crime is definitely on the rise.
When Mr. Hall’s family came to Koh Pha Ngan to check things out for themselves, they discovered the local police hadn’t searched the area and had virtually no information about Danny’s case. Danny Hall’s bank account shows no sign of activity, and immigration says he never left the country using his passport. Most locals of the island agree, however, that dead bodies tend to surface at some point.
Posted by: Andrew on 31 Aug 2008, 14:43 -
Koh Samui Regatta to Feature all Major Players
All major players in Asia’s racing class circuit are headed to the Gulf of Thailand for Koh Samui’s seventh annual regatta, in a last-ditch effort to win a major event before the end of the 2007-2008 season.
After his convincing win last year, Bill Bremner decided to get a bigger boat and is returning this year with the TP52 Foxy Lady IV. He’s expecting to be raising the Waterford Crystal KSR perpetual bowl after this year’s race, as he did after he won last year. Since his impressing showing in the final race of the 2006-07 season, Frank Pong with his 75ft R/P Jelik reign as the AsianYachting Champions. He’s also determined to add another trophy to his ever-expanding display cabinet. Another major competitor, Ray Roberts and Quantum Racing, has already won the AY Skipper and Boat of the Year for 2007-2008, but says that there’s still the ‘KSR bragging rights’ to compete for.
There are others out there with their eyes on the trophy. Chris Mead’s Corby 43 Full Metal Jacket, the Kinmonth / Burns Mills 51 Mandrake, Neil Pryde's Welbourne 52 Hi-Fi and Sam Chan's Ffreefire 52 will all be pushing their way to trophies as well. Competition from newcomers will include Ben Copley's Club Swan 42 Katsu, which debuted Langkawi Regatta’s earlier this year, and Matt Allen’s Beneteau 44.7 Ichi Ban, coming to Koh Samui from a recent victory in the Maktoum Cup in Dubai.
The Samui Regatta is about more than the Grand Prix yachts – there are loads of Racer-Cruisers, Multi-hulls and Sportsboats already anchored off the beach at Chaweng. Regatta organisers are grateful for those who travel thousands of miles to watch or compete, and contribute to this being such a friendly and relaxed event. Falling in late June, the Koh Samui Regatta marks the end of the annual sailing calendar, but south-east Asia is fortunate in having a sailing season that continues throughout the year. July bring Phuket’s Race Week and the start of the next season.
Posted by: Andrew on 27 Jun 2008, 21:42 -
Bridge to Koh Lanta delayed
A long awaited bridge from the mainland of Krabi province to the islands of Koh Lanta has been continually delayed, leading locals to suspect that foul play is involved.
The project, which would greatly shorten the travelling time to the islands’ resorts from Krabi town and airport, has been on the cards for some time but seems to stall at approval level for various reasons. Locals, who would greatly benefit from the bridge, are becoming suspicious that delays may be linked to the monopoly held over the ferry route that links Lanta Noi and Lanta Yai with the mainland.
A visit to the island earlier this year by Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, brought the issue to the fore, but no further headway has been made. According to one village head, district chiefs who have in the past publicly said they will push the project forward, have found themselves transferred elsewhere.
Village organisations on the island have even agreed to use their own funds but when the plan was forwarded to provincial authorities no further response was received. Meanwhile, the bulk of visitors to the islands popular resorts continue to arrive by a two hour ferry ride from Krabi town.
Their biggest concern is the affect it has in the height of the season when the ferry service to Lanta Noi cannot cope with the amount of traffic, creating backlogs of up to four hours. At other times maintenance work suspends the service altogether.
Krabi Governor, Siwa Sirisawalak, promised that the bridge would eventually be built but they have to wait until the following year’s budget to begin on the first section of the two bridge project.
Posted by: Andrew on 27 Nov 2007, 09:04 -
Flooded Samui Returns to Normal
After torrential floods ruined Samui’s weekend, stranding more than 1000 visitors on the island, the situation has almost returned to normal. Flights which were grounded due to adverse weather on Thursday resumed over the weekend, and high waters have begun receding.
The Island was declared a disaster zone after torrential rains pelted Surat Thani province all week. It left central Chaweng beach area under 70cms of water and has caused damage estimated at 100 million baht. The Thai airforce was brought in to help with relief, and six-wheeled trucks were needed to evacuate some people.
Although tourists were in no real danger, many found themselves unable to leave after Bangkok airways suspended all 72 flights on Thursday, mindful of the recent air disaster at Phuket airport caused by bad weather. Their tropical ‘open air’ terminal proved inadequate as a temporary shelter for stranded passengers.
“Never have I seen rain like it before – not even when Hurricane Katrina whistled by me! The cloud cover has been so thick midday is like twilight.? Said one local resident on a web forum.
The storms have been battering the south for more than a week, and although a lull had brough clear sunny weather on Sunday, more clouds had appeared overnight. The flood waters have mostly receded by an expensive clean up operation is now needed on the eve of the tourist season.
“Last week's flooding on Koh Samui had caused up to 100 million baht in damage to roads and public utilities on the resort island?, mayor Warakorn Rattanarak said yesterday. The island is however, still open for business and many resorts remain unaffected. But cloudy weather is forecast for the next week.
Posted by: Andrew on 12 Nov 2007, 08:50