| Being home to several large dance parties every | | | | Drinking and driving, just don't do it. So you think |
| month, Koh Phangan can be either a hedonist's | | | | you can drive when you have had a skin full? Ok |
| heaven or a holiday hell, outlined below is some | | | | fine, off you go on your scooter with no crash |
| sensible advice for people visiting the island. | | | | helmet or protective clothing. Even a low speed |
| When attending any of the parties on the island | | | | crash whilst wearing a pair of shorts and sandals |
| you should always keep a few things in mind. | | | | is terribly painful. Take it from me, somebody |
| Remember that this is not your home country, | | | | who knows, only a few short weeks ago I |
| the law here protects the Thai people, as a | | | | launched my Honda CBR onto the beach at 2am |
| 'farang' (westerner) you have significantly reduced | | | | after drinking far more than was safe. I didn't |
| rights. Take for example an auto accident, let's | | | | walk for two weeks and I consider myself lucky, |
| say you are driving your rented jeep up a steep | | | | people die here every year due to drink driving, |
| hill, coming towards you is a sand truck, and it | | | | many are injured each month and have to cut |
| fails to brake and collides with your jeep. Clearly | | | | their holiday short. |
| the fault of the truck driver yes? He was going | | | | Don't upset the locals. I don't mean the lady who |
| far too fast down a steep hill, not your fault at all | | | | is cooking your food or the guy who is pumping |
| right? Wrong, in Thailand the law is simple, if a | | | | you gasoline. I mean the kind of locals who |
| farang is involved in an auto accident with a Thai | | | | consider themselves 'mafia' and make a hugely |
| person then regardless of who did what to cause | | | | successful living ripping off tourists. These are not |
| the accident it is your fault. Why is that? Simple | | | | nice people and this is not a movie, there are |
| logic applies, you are a farang, you should not be | | | | many suspicious deaths on the island every year. |
| here, and if you were not here the accident | | | | Although these people are wise enough to realise |
| would never have happened thus it is your fault. I | | | | they cannot go too far as they depend on the |
| joke not. | | | | tourists as much as anyone else, if you give them |
| Always remember that the island of Koh Phangan | | | | a reason then they will give you trouble. On the |
| relies upon the tourist trade as its main source of | | | | surface Koh Phangan appears to be a tranquil |
| income. Not a problem in itself, where the problem | | | | paradise island, in reality it is a small piece of |
| starts is with the less than honest people who are | | | | valuable land that has more in common with the |
| just waiting to take advantage of you should you | | | | Wild West than a civilised city. Almost everything |
| give them the opportunity. Each month there are | | | | here is controlled by certain key families, including |
| dozens of new stories involving some stupid | | | | the police, tread carefully; the illusion of safety is |
| farang who got far too drunk on Haad Rin beach, | | | | just that, an illusion. |
| fell asleep and lost everything they had in their | | | | If you maintain your self control, don't take foolish |
| pockets to one of the professional pick pockets | | | | risks and remember that you are not in your |
| who cruise the parties looking for likely prey. You | | | | native country then you will have no problems |
| would be amazed at how many party goers | | | | upon Koh Phangan. If you push the envelope a |
| decide it is safer to carry their passport, credit | | | | little too much a world of hurt could be waiting for |
| cards and plane tickets in their pockets than leave | | | | you. I don't want to make Koh Phangan appear to |
| them in a security box. That pretty Thai girl (who | | | | be unsafe, almost all of the stories I hear involve |
| probably wasn't actually a girl) that just came up | | | | somebody doing something stupid, the problem is |
| and gave you a kiss at a party, did her hand go | | | | they are doing something stupid in a place that |
| anywhere near your pockets? It happens; in fact | | | | has no safety net. Remember that and take care |
| it happens every month to many people, keep | | | | when you are visiting the island. |
| your wits about you. | | | | |