PHUKET: A controversial two-day New Year music festival at Phuket's Surin beach is proceeding - with the approval of Phuket's Governor and other administrators, a meeting heard yesterday.
The managers of Surin's best-known resorts and villa estates were called to the Thalang District Offices yesterday by the senior district officer, Palad Natchapon Kongkreag.
In an hour of talks, the managers explained why they objected to the party being held at Surin beach.
At that point, a representative of the party organisers joined the meeting. The man, who gave his name as Edward, told the managers that the event had already been approved.
He gave some details of security arrangements and assured the resort and villa representatives that all planning was in hand for the event. Decisions about whether compensation would be paid rested with ''the directors,'' he said.
Most of the public parkland area behind Surin beach is to be fenced off and the floating ocean stage will be just 40 metres offshore, he said.
Any rooms that were vacated due to cancellations would be welcomed and filled by the organisers of the Electronic Dance Music Festival, he said.
Mr Edward left before the meeting concluded, telling the managers: ''We are bringing 40,000 people from overseas to Phuket and 40 top music stars. You should be grateful.''
The two-day New Year event was announced by celebrity Paris Hilton in Bangkok in late October without consultation with Surin beach businesses or Surin residents.
Eight resort and villa managers pointed out in an Open Letter to Phuket Governor Maitree Inthusud that while they welcomed the music festival being held on Phuket, Surin was the wrong place and New Year was the wrong time.
It's understood that Governor Maitree has since held talks with the party organisers, administrators and residents' representatives, but not the resort and villa managers.
The period between Christmas and New Year is ''peak season'' on Phuket when almost all accommodation on Phuket is fully booked months in advance. Spare seats on flights in and out of Phuket are rare.
As the managers told the Palad yesterday - before learning from Mr Edward that the event had already been approved - families traditionally come to Surin at that time of the year for relaxing seaside holidays.
Frederic Varnier, General Manager of the Amanpuri, asked the Palad: ''Is it going to happen or not?'' He did not get an answer until later, from Mr Edward.
Mr Varnier said that Amanpuri had become the first resort around Surin beach 25 years ago and other Surin resorts, all family-oriented, had opened and grown since then.
One damaging incident over New Year could now put more than two decades of hard work at risk, he said.
''My point is that this party has the potential to destroy in two nights what has taken 25 years to build,'' he said.
''I see nothing in this that is good for the Amanpuri, nothing that is good for Surin and nothing that is good for Phuket.
''We are so far apart. There is no chance of compromise. We have been here for a long time. We know how things work.''
Larry Cunningham, manager of the Chava Surin, said the resort this year won an award as the best family resort in Thailand and Number 6 in Asia.
He added that New Year would see the Chava ''full of children'' because the Amanapuri and other resorts had given Surin the reputation of being ''the No. 1 family area of Phuket.''
''My question is, what will I say to the parents in the mornings of the 31st and January 1 whose children have not been able to sleep all night? Who will we contact for compensation?''
A masterplan shows the whole area of the former royal golf course being used for the party. HM The King's pavilion, erected to mark his 80th birthday, is likely to be surrounded by exuberant party goers.
Mr Varnier told Mr Edwards: ''You're going to do it. We really need to know what is happening with two issues: security and compensation.''
Mr Edward gave assurances that security was being catered for but any decision on compensation would rest with ''the directors.''
The managers of Surin's best-known resorts and villa estates were called to the Thalang District Offices yesterday by the senior district officer, Palad Natchapon Kongkreag.
In an hour of talks, the managers explained why they objected to the party being held at Surin beach.
At that point, a representative of the party organisers joined the meeting. The man, who gave his name as Edward, told the managers that the event had already been approved.
He gave some details of security arrangements and assured the resort and villa representatives that all planning was in hand for the event. Decisions about whether compensation would be paid rested with ''the directors,'' he said.
Most of the public parkland area behind Surin beach is to be fenced off and the floating ocean stage will be just 40 metres offshore, he said.
Any rooms that were vacated due to cancellations would be welcomed and filled by the organisers of the Electronic Dance Music Festival, he said.
Mr Edward left before the meeting concluded, telling the managers: ''We are bringing 40,000 people from overseas to Phuket and 40 top music stars. You should be grateful.''
The two-day New Year event was announced by celebrity Paris Hilton in Bangkok in late October without consultation with Surin beach businesses or Surin residents.
Eight resort and villa managers pointed out in an Open Letter to Phuket Governor Maitree Inthusud that while they welcomed the music festival being held on Phuket, Surin was the wrong place and New Year was the wrong time.
It's understood that Governor Maitree has since held talks with the party organisers, administrators and residents' representatives, but not the resort and villa managers.
The period between Christmas and New Year is ''peak season'' on Phuket when almost all accommodation on Phuket is fully booked months in advance. Spare seats on flights in and out of Phuket are rare.
As the managers told the Palad yesterday - before learning from Mr Edward that the event had already been approved - families traditionally come to Surin at that time of the year for relaxing seaside holidays.
Frederic Varnier, General Manager of the Amanpuri, asked the Palad: ''Is it going to happen or not?'' He did not get an answer until later, from Mr Edward.
Mr Varnier said that Amanpuri had become the first resort around Surin beach 25 years ago and other Surin resorts, all family-oriented, had opened and grown since then.
One damaging incident over New Year could now put more than two decades of hard work at risk, he said.
''My point is that this party has the potential to destroy in two nights what has taken 25 years to build,'' he said.
''I see nothing in this that is good for the Amanpuri, nothing that is good for Surin and nothing that is good for Phuket.
''We are so far apart. There is no chance of compromise. We have been here for a long time. We know how things work.''
Larry Cunningham, manager of the Chava Surin, said the resort this year won an award as the best family resort in Thailand and Number 6 in Asia.
He added that New Year would see the Chava ''full of children'' because the Amanapuri and other resorts had given Surin the reputation of being ''the No. 1 family area of Phuket.''
''My question is, what will I say to the parents in the mornings of the 31st and January 1 whose children have not been able to sleep all night? Who will we contact for compensation?''
A masterplan shows the whole area of the former royal golf course being used for the party. HM The King's pavilion, erected to mark his 80th birthday, is likely to be surrounded by exuberant party goers.
Mr Varnier told Mr Edwards: ''You're going to do it. We really need to know what is happening with two issues: security and compensation.''
Mr Edward gave assurances that security was being catered for but any decision on compensation would rest with ''the directors.''
When I was of the age to go to these events it just was not worth attending unless you had a bag of party tricks for the festivities. Who would risk being of possession of anything like that in Thailand? The police will be all over this event and out for a big pay day. Whilst there are some music acts I am very keen to see again, it is not worth the hassle.
Posted by Ty on December 13, 2012 10:56