TALK around Kata and Karon is all about the difference between Hi-Fi and stereo, amplified full volume at the Full Moon. Do yachting and hip-hop really mix, or is one of them too loud?

Phuket is about to find out, with the first King's Cup Regatta Full Moon Party at Karon beach on Wednesday night. However, the success of the earlier two-night Roy Fest and tomorrow night's beach party for 10,000 people or more may be short-lived.

Phuketwan understands that local resorts have complained about the noise. Not loudly . . . but tomorrow night will be a test. So it's another social quandary for Phuket. Progress, or peace?

There was a time about 100 years ago when high fidelity sound was as hip as Doris Day and Bing Crosby. These days Hi-Fi is musically a little out of date . . . but still winning yacht races.

The 23rd Kings Cup got off to a flying start yesterday with Hong Kong's Neil Pryde and his crew on Hi-Fi taking first blood on a day of wind shifts and strong current challenges.

Despite a disastrous start, Hi-Fi made a brilliant recovery and went on to win Racing Division handicap honors, with retired Hong Kong businessman Frank Pong's Jelika II coming home a close second, followed by Nick Burns' EFG Bank Mandrake a solid third.

Jelika II crossed the finish line first in two of the three races by an impressive margin, but with corrected time Hi-Fi was named the eventual winner.

Neil Pryde said he had been expecting to fight out the finish with rival Roy Roberts' Evolution Racing, but the early race favorite finished back among yesterday's also-rans.

''It now looks like Jelika II is the boat to beat,'' said Pryde.

For a full list of yesterday's race results, go to www.kingscup.com

After the racing boats were moored and the sails stowed for the day, the action continued well into the night last night with a presentation of prizes and an after-race party at the Katathani Beach Resort on Kata Noi beach.

Hundreds of yachties, their supporters and a sprinkling of Phuket's party people celebrated the day's successes and the not-so-successful drowned their sorrows as they feasted on a mountain of food and an ocean of cold drinks.

Dozens of lanterns were given away during the evening, and the revellers converged on the beach en mass to set them alight and aloft.

The parties will continue all this week, culminating in a Royal Awards Ceremony and a final closing party on Saturday night at the Kata Beach Resort.

Tomorrow night, the sailors, along with thousands of other music lovers, will celebrate with a Full Moon party under the stars on Karon Beach. Are you listening, Phuket?