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.