The big sticking point is whether the party should be free or not. Chairat Sukban, Deputy Mayor of Patong told The Phuket News today (December 25) that Mayor Pian Keesin has said that the party can go ahead but the organisers may not block off an 800-metre stretch of the beach, as they have proposed.
He said that yesterday Sydictive staff began setting up scaffolding on the beach opposite Loma Park without permission, so municipal officers were sent to tell them to remove it.
“Mr Pian will let them use the beach at the end of Bangla Rd where the Patong Carnival was staged. But it must be an open stage and a free concert,” Mr Chairat said.
Sydictive CEO, JiratPetnunthawong said the organisers have already sold almost 20,000 tickets out of the target of 50,000.
Mr Jirat appears to be going ahead on the assumption that he will get what he wants. A representative of Krungsri Ayutthaya Bank said that the Sydictive organisers have already ordered four mobile ATM vehicles and 200 debit machines for food and beverage shops inside the party.
“The mobile ATMs are already in Phuket,” she said. “They confirmed to us that the party will go ahead as planned and ordered us to prepare everything.”
However, it seems that some of the celebrities are backing away from the event. Hotel heiress and socialite Paris Hilton, who announced the party in Bangkok on October 23 won’t be coming. And famous American deejay and singer Akon has disappeared from the event’s Facebook page, though he is still featured on flyers and posters that appeared everywhere in Patong yesterday.
The Phuket News tried to contact Mr Jirat for an update but his phone was not answered.
Mr Chairat said that it was hoped that the event would go ahead in some form. Earlier, a free three-night New Year party was planned for Patong Beach, sponsored by beer-maker ThaiBev. He hopes that ThaiBev and Sydictive will combine to put on a free concert.
But if they do not, he said, “The Sydictive party must be free.”
The Sydictive website is still listing the venue for the event as Surin.