Full Moon Party attempt Saturday muted by Covid-19 restrictions

A cautious step at restarting Koh Phangan’s famous Full Moon Party has met with some hurdles in the interest of Covid-19 safety. The world-renowned monthly party has been on hiatus since the onset of Covid-19 with many questioning if the party, and Haad Rin, the town that hosts the massive event, will be able to bounce back after the pandemic.

Organisers decided to dip a toe in this month by hosting a small Full Moon Party on Haad Rin Beach, planned for this Saturday. After getting initial clearance from the local police last week, and a meeting with Surat Thani officials on Monday, it looked like the beach party would be allowed.

But in an announcement today, the organisers dampened the party a bit with a slew of Covid-19 safety measures and restrictions required to allow the event to take place. While safety regulation is understandable and necessary, it puts a limp in the first baby steps of Full Moon Party and Koh Phangan’s recovery.

At the insistence of the government, organisers will be limiting the event on Haad Rin Beach Saturday to a maximum of 100 attendees and follow strict Covid-19 regulations. The event will take place between 2 pm and 10 pm to adhere to curfew rules, a far cry from the 24 hour Full Moon Party of the past.

All the partygoers will be required to be fully vaccinated or have tested negative for Covid-19 recently. Entry will be regulated so they must provide proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of the party before being allowed in.

To balance the need to regulate the crowd for Covid-19 safety, the event will charge 300 baht for admission and check documents at the entry. 100 people maximum will be allowed in and given a wristband to show they are Covid-19 safe. They will also offer a 1,000 baht VIP ticket that includes food, drinks and a hotel room.

Though it doesn’t compare to the 20,000-person mega-events of the Full Moon Party before Covid-19, organisers hope that the small event could open the door to a gradual easing of restrictions and increase of travellers, allowing the party to come back to life over time.

SOURCE: Facebook