PHUKET: Phuket and especially Patong are about as tightly packed as can be, but the US Navy will not be joining in to make this weekend's welcome to New Year 2012 truly one of the most spectacular in memory.
Falling as it rarely does on a Saturday night creates the air of anticipation that this Phuket party is going to be Big.
Adding to the sense of a fun night out for all is the arrival of the USS John Paul Jones, a guided missile destroyer, with a warm-up gathering scheduled by the Phuket Navy League for tonight.
However, the destroyer and its complement of 320 will sail on December 31, leaving Patong to enjoy the largest of its annual parties. Participants say that New Year celebrations in Patong have been known to extend for two days.
Expectations were high that the US Navy was going to join in. A rumor that 2000 would be on board the vessel even drew extra local taxis to Phuket's east coast deep sea port today.
Kathu police station officers called in the owners of Patong entertainment venues and other outlets to urge that US personnel are treated hospitably and not ripped off during their stay.
Meanwhile, with the big party looming, the officers and crew will be enjoying liberty leave on and around Phuket and doubtless conscientiously avoiding living by the vessel's motto, ''In Harm's Way.''
Several other big celebration ''New Year Countdowns'' are scheduled for Phuket City, Karon, and other parts of Phuket, with Chinese New Year to follow quickly on January 23.
Falling as it rarely does on a Saturday night creates the air of anticipation that this Phuket party is going to be Big.
Adding to the sense of a fun night out for all is the arrival of the USS John Paul Jones, a guided missile destroyer, with a warm-up gathering scheduled by the Phuket Navy League for tonight.
However, the destroyer and its complement of 320 will sail on December 31, leaving Patong to enjoy the largest of its annual parties. Participants say that New Year celebrations in Patong have been known to extend for two days.
Expectations were high that the US Navy was going to join in. A rumor that 2000 would be on board the vessel even drew extra local taxis to Phuket's east coast deep sea port today.
Kathu police station officers called in the owners of Patong entertainment venues and other outlets to urge that US personnel are treated hospitably and not ripped off during their stay.
Meanwhile, with the big party looming, the officers and crew will be enjoying liberty leave on and around Phuket and doubtless conscientiously avoiding living by the vessel's motto, ''In Harm's Way.''
Several other big celebration ''New Year Countdowns'' are scheduled for Phuket City, Karon, and other parts of Phuket, with Chinese New Year to follow quickly on January 23.
