Travellings of Love: Thai bar closing time law leads to early shutdown of Phangan Half Moon Party

I have to congratulate the Thai government -- who are just doing their job of protecting Thai interests of course -- they really go out on a limb to search for the golden goose that needs killing.
After effectively squashing the real estate market in Phuket, driving away high-end tourists and long-stayers to replace them with budget-class tourist hordes, they have found another target.
Surely the people of Koh Phangan do not need any income from their decade-long famous rave parties, so let's shut them all down right away, shall we...?!

Saturday March 15, 2008 local special police forces from the island of madness, formerly also know as Koh Phangan Paradise Island, shut down the Half Moon Party Festival in Baan Tai village at precisely 2 a.m. in the morning.

Local police forces have finally enforced the shut down of all party activities around Koh Phangan Island at exactly 2 a.m. Baan Sabai Day Party in the center of Baan Tai village was also closed at 2 a.m. the following day. Jungle Experience Party which was scheduled for 18th March 2008 was cancelled by the party organizers due to new party regulations, a reliable island source told.

The reliable island source further added that all clubs and bars at world famous Had Rin beach are also closing their entertainment venues at 2 a.m. in the morning.

The one and only exception to the new strict 2 a.m. closing policy is the world famous Full Moon Party at Had Rin beach Koh Phangan, which is held once a month during the Full Moon Night. The world famous Full Moon Party attracts thousands of tourists every month and without this monthly all night long top event the fragile economic system of Phangan Island might collapse as many businesses and bungalow owners heavily depend up on it, an island economic specialist said.

While bars and clubs everywhere else in Thailand were always obliged to the strict closing policy at 12 or 2 a.m. in accordance with national Thai law, "Party Island" Koh Phangan always received a special status thanks to massive corruption of the local district administration, police officers and village chiefs.

Local party organizers might currently be in the process of negotiating with local administration and police officers to lift the strict closing policy as it happened in the past many times. As thousands of party hungry tourists attempt these parties and generate massive income money economics might play an important role in regulating new policies and as everything is possible with money here on Koh Phangan … the island of madness … well … let's see how long the strict closing policy will last… Business as usual?