September 10, 2024, 2:21 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
30,000 vacationers from all over the world visit the Full Moon parties on Koh Phangan in the Gulf of Thailand every month. Alcohol and drugs are part of it, and there are always accidents, fights, and rapes. The police now want to take tougher action.
Tightly embraced, couples lie under coconut palms. Teenagers drink to the point of oblivion on the beach, while men relieve themselves in the sea. Rave music echoes across the island as thousands of partygoers sip inexpensive alcohol from small, vibrant plastic buckets. It is once again time for one of the full moon parties on Koh Phangan in Thailand.
The so-called Full Moon Parties on Koh Phangan have been a fixture for many Thailand tourists for around 30 years. The island is located in the Gulf of Thailand, north of the well-known vacation destination Koh Samui. Every month on the full moon, around 30,000 party guests celebrate, most of them from the UK, Germany, France, as well as Australia.
Many revelers dance in neon-colored T-shirts as well as bikinis, shimmering through laser shows with bright body paint in the tropical night. “The best night of my life,” says a Brit. He struggles to keep upright. “One night at this party is not enough.” If beer or cocktails aren’t enough, marijuana and other harder drugs are also easily available.
The morning after often brings a harsh reality: Haad Rin Beach at the island’s southeastern tip is strewn with bottles and plastic buckets. Perhaps the full moon is responsible for the wild celebrations, but it is more likely to be the alcohol and drugs – hardly any party night ends without casualties.
Most commonly, medical attention is needed for dehydration, burns, and cuts. “I saw a guy fall off a raised platform and hurt his head because he was so zonked,” says Christina, a tourist from Australia.
There are regular reports of fights, thefts, and even rapes and deaths. According to Prachoom Ruengthong of the Koh Phangan police, the prevalence of these issues stems from tourists being too intoxicated to properly care for themselves and their possessions. It is mostly drunks who have fatal accidents. Some drown.
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Stricter measures at Full Moon Parties in Thailand
The authorities are now implementing stricter measures: For three days before and after the monthly party, police monitor the beach and nearby accommodations. Surveillance cameras have also been installed. Since then, there have been fewer break-ins, says hotel manager Nok Suwanchai. In the fight against drug trafficking, the officers are trying new approaches. “The drug dealers don’t sell to Thais, so we use foreigners in undercover investigations,” says Prachoom. The most common drugs are cocaine, marijuana, and MDMA (ecstasy). The maximum penalty for drug trafficking in Thailand is death; drug use can be punished with imprisonment or a fine.
Local entrepreneurs in Haad Rin favor a more serene celebration and are backing the police efforts, notes Boonprasob Tuaycharoen of the Businessmen’s Association. They have purchased metal detectors for the police. “They can use them to search for weapons.” The association also pays for the emergency transportation of sick people to Koh Samui.
Tired party guests can also rest in a newly created sleeping zone. The income from the access fees for the rest zone is used to clean up the beach. The measures seem to be having an effect, as police chief Prachoom says. Only around three crimes, such as theft, assault, or rape, are now reported per night. In the past, there were sometimes up to ten.
According to German tourist Denise, the security measures have not diminished the enjoyment of the festivities: “They don’t detract from the fun”. What’s more, the officers go about their work quite unobtrusively, adds Frenchman Theo: “I don’t notice the police, so it’s still fun.”
The original version of this article was published in 2014.