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 The
Full Moon Party is an all-night beach party that takes place
in Haad Rin on the island of Koh
Phangan, Thailand
on the night of every full moon.
The party was originally a small affair with a small number of
backpacking travellers dancing through the night of the full moon,
mainly to psychedelic trance music. The Full
Moon Party gained fame quickly through word of mouth, and
the event now draws a crowd in excess of 10,000 every full moon
evening. The party carries on until the sun rises the next day.
All the bars on the sunset beach of Haad
Rin town stay open and play music such as drum and bass, house
and reggae. The event has become a part of the itinerary of many
travellers to Asia. Entry to the event is completely free. In
recent years, local entrepreneurs have attempted to expand upon
the event with spinoffs like the Half
Moon Party and Black Moon Party.
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 Drinking
and dancing
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 Thai
alcohol brands such as Sang Som rum, Mekong whiskey, and Singha
beer are most popular among travellers. A signature of the Full
moon party are the buckets - mixed drinks served in small plastic
pails. A bottle of alcohol (usually Sang Som rum) is poured over
ice and topped up with a can of Coke and a bottle of Red Bull
syrup. Several straws are then thrown in. The price in 2006 for
a bucket was around 200 baht
There have been a number of prosecutions recently over the sale
of low grade 'moonshine' alcohol added to buckets. There have
also been cases of buckets being laced Rohipnol.
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Drugs
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In the past there has been some association with illegal drug
use. Although the use, possession, and/or sale of drugs is illegal
under Thai law, club drugs such as ecstasy, methamphetamine, Yaa
Baa, marijuana, opium, mushrooms and even over the counter diet
pills have been reported. As of 2002, the Thai government has
pursued a stricter defense against illegal drugs at these events.
The standard 'fine' for possession is about 50,000 baht ($1200)
and foreigners do go to jail for possession. Drug use at Full
Moon Parties has lessened in recent years, in part due to
greater fear of being caught but also because the parties now
draw attendees from a wider range of backgrounds.
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Other
attractions
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Fire Poi - burning, fuel-soaked balls on chains - are a common
sight at Full Moon Parties. Performers,
both locals and tourists, whirl these balls of fire around in
the air to create a spectacular visual display.
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