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The innovative floating stage that fans are waiting to see on Phuket

Phuket NY Party: 'No Space' for Extra Flights

Wednesday, December 5, 2012
PHUKET: Officials at Phuket International Airport said yesterday that they had no knowledge of flight allocations being made to a charter firm said to be flying guests to a controversial Phuket New Year party at Surin beach.

''R airlines? That's not on our list,'' said the official when asked about the charter company named by organisers as putting on extra flights to Phuket for party guests.

''Our flight schedule for Phuket International Airport is fully booked. We have even had to reject a Russian airline that recently requested additional flights to Phuket.''

The proposed two-day Electronic Dance Music Festival for 50,000 fans has divided Phuket, alienating five-star resorts that are 100 percent booked but apparently winning the support of local council officials.

How the massive number of guests will be accommodated on Phuket has yet to be explained by organisers, although there have been recent reports of tent camps being set up.

Meanwhile, the managements of Surin's top international resort brands are still awaiting a response to an open letter written to Phuket Governor Maitree Inthusud in October, just a few days after the New Year party was announced by celebrity Paris Hilton in Bangkok.

The resort managers welcomed the idea of an electronic music festival for Phuket but said Surin beach was the wrong place and New Year was the wrong time.

The organisers have pressed ahead with planning for the party and have won the approval of the local council.

Governor Maitree, however, is the leading administrator on Phuket and would remain responsible for the safety and security of all of Phuket's residents and tourists.

The large floating stage being promoted as an attraction for the party has yet to be seen, although elaborate design illustrations have been widely used in advertising the event.

It's unclear whether approval has yet been given to moor the large barge that will be topped by the stage off Surin beach for the December 30-January 1 event.

Intense interest also surrounds other event highlights including the concept of helicopters flying over the vast crowd.

According to promoters, DJs will also be suspended from balloons and there will be plenty of fireworks synchronised to the music.

Unseasonal Phuket storms are also notorious for rolling out of blue skies at any time of the year, so the barge would have to be firmly tethered close to shore.

A dozen Kings Cup Regatta yachts were swept onto a Phuket beach in a December storm just two years ago.

The Phuket Director of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, San Jantawong, said yesterday that he had not heard from the organisers.

''People do not really seem concerned about this issue, although Phuket is in a tsunami zone,'' Khun San said.

Phuket has had several tsunami alerts that have prompted mass evacuations from the west coast since the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26, 2004, including two alerts and an emergency exodus earlier this year.

Details of health and safety planning, security, provision of toilets and protection for the pavilion in honor of HM The King on Surin beach have yet to be provided.

An anonymous organiser recently told a Phuket newspaper that the lineup of stars for the event would be revealed on December 15.

Phuketwan called a party organiser yesterday but did not receive the promised telephone numbers of two people reported to be on Phuket finalising plans.

Comments

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Accommodation is generally not required by people attending dance music festivals...just bottled water and a good supply of class A narcotics. The real question is: are there enough dealers to supply 50,000 ravers?

Posted by ElCapitan on December 5, 2012 10:53

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"good supply of class A narcotics" I wish Police catch a lot of them about this and looked them up!!

Posted by ratatoee on December 5, 2012 12:36

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On their Facebook page in response to a question "Will you be able to arrive and depart by boat?" they answer "Yes you can ". Are they building a pier?

Also on FB they say "We are very sorry to hear about the wedding reservations, this case was not notified to our representatives when they approached all establishments at Surin Beach to work with the event."

Posted by bleary observer on December 5, 2012 18:03

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@ ratatoee

You obviously have no idea who the main suppliers of class A narcotics are.

Posted by Andrew on December 5, 2012 21:03

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I would be worried about the amount of rubbish produced & how to provide toilets for such a large crowd.

Posted by Logic on December 5, 2012 22:06

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No airport room? What a farce! This organisation of this party becomes more hilarious as the weeks go by.
The report of them donating 200000 baht to the Surin kindergarten as compensation for the destruction they will be causing is offensive - if they were really serious about appeasing the locals they'd do better than this token gesture.

Posted by KP on December 6, 2012 03:18

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Well that's just fantastic, that's what a young family wants to see on their first international holiday, my whole family (my sister her partner and his family, mum and dad, and some very close family friends) booked our holiday almost 12 months ago and chose this area as its the quieter and more family friendly, then a month or so ago they release this rave. NOT HAPPY thank you sooo much for totally stuffing up our plans and the whole mood of our time there.

Posted by Megan palmer on December 6, 2012 03:43

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-Megan-
Try to change your bookings with your travel agency to Naithon Beach, Nai Yang Beach, Kaho Lak or Krabi.

Posted by Alfred on December 6, 2012 15:13

Editor Comment:

It's interesting that Tune hotels are the preferred hotel sponsors for this event. Organisers have ignored Phuket's most famous five-star resorts for a just-arrived budget two-star in Patong - the place they say they didn't want the event to be held. Hard to see how ignoring famous five-star brands for a budget two-star can benefit Phuket tourism. Perhaps the TAT can explain?

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Ed - "Perhaps the TAT can explain?"

Why don'tcha ask 'em?

Posted by stu on December 7, 2012 14:57

Editor Comment:

We would if our calls were returned, stu. Why don't you try?


Wednesday October 9, 2024
Horizon Karon Beach Resort & Spa

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