SATURDAY night's first regular Patong beach party will be a test for the concept of music on the sand ''until late'' for the benefit of tourists.
Profits from the monthly parties are to go towards a fund aimed to support tourists who find themselves in trouble on Phuket.
What amounts to ''trouble'' and how the fund will be managed remains unclear, but officials gave reassurances to questioning journalists tonight.
The ''Tourists Assistance Fund Foundation'' was initiated by organisers Rakchat Management, a private company, and former Kathu police chief Colonel Grissak Songmoonnark.
A media release handed out at Patong Tessaban this evening said: ''The proceeds from the sales of beers from the Patong Beach Party will be donated to the fund.
''The fund will be used to assist tourists who encounter mishaps suchas accidents, lost of life [sic] or other financial problems.''
Details of how the fund will be overseen and administered transparently were not readily available tonight.
The monthly Patong beach party has been proposed to emulate the ''success'' of the Koh Phangnan full moon parties.
Full moon parties on Koh Phangnan have been widely condemned for encouraging drug-taking and binge drinking.
The debate about whether public beaches on Phuket should be used for parties continues, with residents at Karon and other beaches unhappy with regular noisy nights that sometimes go beyond 2am.
The media release that accompanied this evening's media conference said under the heading: ''Management of Tourists Assistance Fund Foundation.
''The fund will be managed by the mayor of Patong City, the district chief of Kathu and superintendent of Kathu police station together with Rakchat Management. In the board advisors will be Tourist Police Division, Member of Parliament and leaders of various social association [sic] in a manner of transparency and beneficial to the Tourists.
''We welcome you to the first Patong Beach Party to be held on Saturday, 13th of February 2010 from 7pm to 2am. We look forward to your support to make Patong Beach Party a success by participating in a night filled with fun and excitement.''
It's understood Rakchat Management set up and continues to run similar monthly functions in Pattaya.
The monthly beach parties are likely to raise questions about whether the event promotes the right kind of activities on Phuket, and whether they could actually lead to more tourists getting into trouble.
Phuket Tuk-Tuk Leaders Oppose Fare Cuts, MetersProfits from the monthly parties are to go towards a fund aimed to support tourists who find themselves in trouble on Phuket.
What amounts to ''trouble'' and how the fund will be managed remains unclear, but officials gave reassurances to questioning journalists tonight.
The ''Tourists Assistance Fund Foundation'' was initiated by organisers Rakchat Management, a private company, and former Kathu police chief Colonel Grissak Songmoonnark.
A media release handed out at Patong Tessaban this evening said: ''The proceeds from the sales of beers from the Patong Beach Party will be donated to the fund.
''The fund will be used to assist tourists who encounter mishaps suchas accidents, lost of life [sic] or other financial problems.''
Details of how the fund will be overseen and administered transparently were not readily available tonight.
The monthly Patong beach party has been proposed to emulate the ''success'' of the Koh Phangnan full moon parties.
Full moon parties on Koh Phangnan have been widely condemned for encouraging drug-taking and binge drinking.
The debate about whether public beaches on Phuket should be used for parties continues, with residents at Karon and other beaches unhappy with regular noisy nights that sometimes go beyond 2am.
The media release that accompanied this evening's media conference said under the heading: ''Management of Tourists Assistance Fund Foundation.
''The fund will be managed by the mayor of Patong City, the district chief of Kathu and superintendent of Kathu police station together with Rakchat Management. In the board advisors will be Tourist Police Division, Member of Parliament and leaders of various social association [sic] in a manner of transparency and beneficial to the Tourists.
''We welcome you to the first Patong Beach Party to be held on Saturday, 13th of February 2010 from 7pm to 2am. We look forward to your support to make Patong Beach Party a success by participating in a night filled with fun and excitement.''
It's understood Rakchat Management set up and continues to run similar monthly functions in Pattaya.
The monthly beach parties are likely to raise questions about whether the event promotes the right kind of activities on Phuket, and whether they could actually lead to more tourists getting into trouble.
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"The fund will be managed by the mayor of Patong City, the district chief of Kathu and superintendent of Kathu police station " I'm sure they'll be able to 'manage' it very well!
Posted by Mister Ree on February 11, 2010 19:44