With high season kicking into full gear, the full moon parties on Koh Phangan will be packed beyond belief with 30,000+ testosterone fueled young males.
Extreme alcoholism, mixed with elicit drugs, is always the theme and a very dangerous one at that.
The danger is super high for women.
Sexual assaults and rape run rampant, and the majority of the cases are suppressed in the news or never reported of out shame; officials have no idea how bad the problem is?
Women have reportedly been kissed, fondled, bikini tops pulled off and worse.
A few local Thai men, as well as foreigners, have been incarcerated for rape.
Two main factors are blurring the truth: many crimes are not reported by victims who often leave the island immediately and alleged police corruption means crimes that are reported may be dismissed or half-heartedly investigated.
Incidences of drink spiking are far higher than official figures suggest, and could amount to hundreds of cases every month.
The spiking most commonly involves tranquillizers or Rohypnol, which are added to the buckets of alcohol sold on the beach.
Spiking is becoming increasingly common with methamphetamine drugs such as ‘yaba’, which make people want to dance, and thus drink more, meaning bar owners increase their profits.
It’s impossible to know how widespread the problem drink-spiking is, let alone how many women end up sexually assaulted.
Tourists, both men and women, get enamored with the plastic sand buckets filled with alcohol. Little do they realize that these buckets may be spiked by the sellers themselves.
Common sense goes out the window when partiers get in the mood and try to be cool taking selfies with their alcohol buckets.
When common sense is lost, people open themselves to becoming victim’s.
The old mentality of “It will never happen to me” is the beginning of letting your guard down and becoming a possible victim.
The first thing to understand, outside of trying to be cool getting drunk and taking selfies, is to recognize this is a much larger problem than you may realize and the odds are high you will be sexually molested or worse.
What can women do to safeguard themselves?
- Be aware sexual molestation and rape is a real possibility.
- Never, ever walk around on your own. Work out a plan with your friends in case you get split up. Do NOT be the only woman in a group of males.
- Carry a phone at all times.
- If you cannot see you alcohol bucket or mixed drink being poured in front of you, DO NOT ACCEPT IT. This is an active occurrence when drinks are being spiked. It is best to stick to bottled beer that you have to open yourself.
- Do NOT accept drinks from strangers or people you do not know well.
- Never buy drugs or take drugs. There are know under cover police operating in the crowds trying to get foreigners to do drugs so they can bust them.
Be aware of these CRIMES and safeguard yourself against them!