Forums > Meet Others > Thailand - Ko Pha Ngan and Ko Phi Phi

Login/Join to Participate

DominoSILVER Member
UnNatural Scientist - Currently working on a Breville-legged monkey
757 posts
Location: Bath Uni or Shrewsbury, UK


Posted:
I'm in Bali for the next 2 weeks and then Thailand for about 7 weeks, anyone around?



Also, any idea of cool stuff to do out here?

EDITED_BY: Domino (1123387458)

Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand and I can beat the world into submission.


DominoSILVER Member
UnNatural Scientist - Currently working on a Breville-legged monkey
757 posts
Location: Bath Uni or Shrewsbury, UK


Posted:
Bumping this for my own benfit, sorry.

I'm now if Thailand and will be for 6 and a half weeks, heading up to Chang Mai for a couple of days and then Ko Pha Ngan and Ko Phi Phi pretty soon. Any HoPers around? I've heard the poi sceane is quite good.

Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand and I can beat the world into submission.


mycoBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
2,084 posts
Location: melbourne, victoria, australia


Posted:
hey domino, i'll be over in thailand after january, but that doesn't really help you much. are you planning to head along to the full moon party in Ko Pha Ngan? They're meant to be pretty good in terms of fire twirling, maybe you'll meet some poiers there? you'll have to let me know what are the good places to go for a twirl before i head over smile hope you have fun hug

DominoSILVER Member
UnNatural Scientist - Currently working on a Breville-legged monkey
757 posts
Location: Bath Uni or Shrewsbury, UK


Posted:
I met a guy named Noy that teaches around here somewhere - he seems alright and you could probably meet some spinners through him. Apparently he spins outside the Cactus Bar on Haadrin Sunrise (the full moon beach) and there are a few people on the beach at day and night.

Dont bother spinning on a full moon. Utter disregard for safety and waaaay too many drunk people

Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand and I can beat the world into submission.


newgabeSILVER Member
what goes around comes around. unless you're into stalls.
4,030 posts
Location: Bali, Australia


Posted:
Hi Domino!
I will PM you the email address of a friend of ours who has spent a lot of time in Kho Phi Phi, including after the Tsunami.... and he should be able to give you contact details for a great guy lives in Banglok, by the name of Oud. He does wonderful work with kids, teaching spinning, juggling etc. Including street kids who would otherwise get into all sorts of other nastiy things... Here is a post about him from a previous thread ( to give you some context, that concerned the ethics of kids using fire... it was a long thread, partly the controversy was based on the differing safety levels of fuels that people use etc... but that's another story!)

This was posted by Rowanlee, you might contact her...

I was recently in Khao Lak, Thailand, working doing some Tsunami relief projects. I got involved with orphaned/ displaced childen, doing activities in the camps. I had noticed right away that their behaviour had been profoundly negatively effected by their trauma. Play was subdued, and often violent, disorganized. Not knowing what else to do, I started by showing them Poi spinning...They were crazy for it, as you might guess!


Pics of that expereince got back to a Thai pal in Bangkok, who makes Poi... He sent a ton of spinning toys, (all kinds) juggling balls, diablo, devils sticks, the works !!!, down to the region along with a couple of juggling/poi friends. We took them out to distribute in about six of the camps. Wow!!! It was like watching a refugee camp turn into a three ring circus in minutes flat! We were quite overwhelmed, to see kids that had been all dejected and glum burst into activity and laughter...


Inspiring.

Some of them got pretty good in a short time with just my minimal instruction...

Oud,the guy that makes the poi, saw the pictures, received the thank you notes that the children made for him, and decided to get involved directly, going down to teach workshop in circus skills. The idea was that the children would have a marketable skill, performing, and even eventually making poi for sale. The goals of circus skills development was to teach them coordination, confidence, and give them a sense of control, while having a blast! All very important things after a disaster and the confusion they were living in.

Recently I got pictures from him of the first workshop, with the young children doing circus stands, acrobatic kind of stuff, and yes, here is the point :

Spinning Fire!

In week of training, he got them using fire,safely and successfully, spinning quite well actually!I was so impressed by seeing the same kids who were quite lost and sad, transformed:all happy and confident. It was three days after looking at the pictures that I noticed:

** they were all playing on the beach!****

Weeks earlier I could not have gotten those kids even near the ocean ,period. They were terrified of another tsunami, and drowning in their own memories of the event. Oud not only got them learning something challenging and productive, working as a group, learning to play responsibily with fire, but he got them doing it on the beach!

And these were a pretty young bunch too.


The story may seem a little off topic, but my point is that when taught properly, poi, and yes, fire spinning, is in fact suitable for some young kids. In fact, in some cases more than suitable,absolutely beneficial !!!! -- in many unexpected ways.

These kids needed to learn about facing fears, control, physical and mental discipline and responsibility- in a fun way! And so they did... I am so grateful for Oud for providing them that opportunity. They were so full of joy, I wish you could see their faces.

My own feeling on the matter is just that children should of course be taught by an adult, and supervised, so that they at least know what is a safe approach to fire spinning. Many are more than capable of handling the risks and would benefit from being trusted with the responsibility. People can always hurt themselves, regardless of age, but sometimes the benefits of learning something simply outweigh the risks.

Just thought I would share that concrete example with ya all!
smiles,

Andrea

.....Can't juggle balls but I sure as hell can juggle details....


BansheeCatBRONZE Member
veteran
1,247 posts
Location: lost, Canada


Posted:
Thanks newgabe...



Oud can be reached thru his site, www.jugglingplus.com and I think it has a forum for spinners etc in Thailand, or if not a link to one. Everybody passing through gets together and spins at the park at the Pra Atit boat stop on the Chao Praya river, in the evenings( Bangkok) Fun crazy group of breakdancers there too, and hilarious old fashioned outdoor aerobics to some tacky disco tunes...



There are lovely poi people circulating in Thailand all the time, I am sure you will have no problems meeting. Usually lots in Bangkok, Ko Pha Ngan, Phi Phi, and in the north, at Pie( Sp?) . There is a girl teaching at Haad Tien Beach( Ko P.G.) , just up the hill from the Sanctuary. I hear she is great, though I never did meet.



I agree about Haad Rin, though it can still be amazing at times. Black moon parties are more focussed than full moon ones for spinning. Be responsible for your own gear, safety and fuel .Drink and drugs are prevalent at these events for sure, and there is no concept of environmental protection and safety...



Khao Lak, Khu Kak, and Bang Muang Tsunami camps still have their sets of poi and the kids might like a visiting teacher to play with a while... Check it out if you are in the area!

Have fun,

Andrea





.

"God *was* my co-pilot, but then we crashed, and I had to eat him..."


DominoSILVER Member
UnNatural Scientist - Currently working on a Breville-legged monkey
757 posts
Location: Bath Uni or Shrewsbury, UK


Posted:
Wow. That's awesome - I wish I had more time and I'd go check out these kids.

Forum's down at the minute but i'll look into it, thanks everybody

Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand and I can beat the world into submission.


MojojoGOLD Member
wandering dingo
167 posts
Location: Aussie in London, Australia


Posted:

You shouldn't have too many problems finding other spinners around on Haad Rin (Koh Pha Ngan) in the week leading up to the FMP. The bars (esp cactus) will have drums of fuel on the beach for anyone to use. Most of the fire twirling is in the lead-up, not on the night, as Domino said, safety is a major concern on full moon night. Although when I was there, the fire twirlers had set up a big twirling circle at the far end of the beach on the night of the party and was fairly low-key. But that got packed up and toys put away before everything got too crazy (from memory!!)
Personally I locked my gear away and gave my mate the key so I COULDN'T get to them on full moon night, just in case!

Just in case you are looking for fuel any where else, I think from memory in Thai I had to ask for "Naam maan" - at least it was in the north.

Only three things are certain: Death, Taxes, and that England will not win back the Ashes in this lifetime.


MojojoGOLD Member
wandering dingo
167 posts
Location: Aussie in London, Australia


Posted:
Oh, oh, and the coolest thing I did up chiang mai, was go and visit the Elephant Nature Park - this lovely lady, Lek, rescues injured and maltreated elephants and provides them with a wondeful home where they don't have to work in misery. It was a much better option to "experience" the elephants than to go on one of the many touristy tours - some of which are the very places these elephants have been rescued from. There was even an Aussie mahout up there when I was there, the first farang mahout!

Link to article about "elephant heaven"
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/10/1017_021017_elephantheaven.html

Chohk dii!

Only three things are certain: Death, Taxes, and that England will not win back the Ashes in this lifetime.


DeepSoulSheepGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,617 posts
Location: Berlin, Ireland


Posted:
Don't go to Hat Rin a motor bike unless you know what you're doing... I had to take my mate to the hospital...

I don't like Hat Rin...I recommend staying at Bottle Beach... ubblove
You can get a boat there an back for Full moon party...

I didn't play with fire there....was havnig too much fun trying to find my friends.... smile

You'll find poi everywhere there so don't worry about that....

Enjoy... biggrin

I live in a world of infinite possibilities.


raa raamember
9 posts
Location: brighton


Posted:
Just thought i would say hello as i will be in Thailand from the 20th October for two months.. i was there for a couple of months last year and i now think it will be a trip i need to do every year.

Newgabe, it sounds like you had an unreal time and experience. i too will look at the link you have posted.. many thanks.

domino i think i will just miss you in thailand, but if not it would be great to keep contact so that we could have a spin in thailand.. maybe you would be kind enough to point me in the direction of some fellow spinners you met on your travels.

all the bets

ray

no body loves me every body hates me
because i eat worms


DominoSILVER Member
UnNatural Scientist - Currently working on a Breville-legged monkey
757 posts
Location: Bath Uni or Shrewsbury, UK


Posted:
If you get there on the 20th of October you'll miss me by exactly a month biggrin

I'm off to Ko Phi Phi today so I'll have a scout around there too, it's meant to be better for spinning that Ko Pha Ngan. Like I said before, if you go to Ko Pha Ngan there's a guy named Noi that teaches/works at the Cactus bar on Haadrin Sunrise - he's really good and friendly.

Shame we'll miss each other

Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand and I can beat the world into submission.


Helz BellzSILVER Member
lovin' it...
2,444 posts
Location: Bristol!, United Kingdom


Posted:
Wow...Gabe that project sounds amazing weavesmiley weavesmiley

I'll be in Thailand over New Year smile ....just for 3 weeks though frown wish it was for much longer.

Gonna be near Krabi for NYE as there's a big psy-trance party going on.... bounce

other than that you'll find me in a hammock, on a beach, smoking and drinking!

I realise we'll miss each other..... but I'm a tad excited and wanted to post here anyway!!!

Let me know what Phi Phi is like as I may well head there for a week or so.

Yay for thailand!

sunny

Live well, love much, laugh often...

Official O.B.E.S.E. cheerleader


DominoSILVER Member
UnNatural Scientist - Currently working on a Breville-legged monkey
757 posts
Location: Bath Uni or Shrewsbury, UK


Posted:
Ko Phi Phi is much much better for spinning than Ko Pha Ngan, it's mostly centred on the beach outside Hippies Bar but it seems that most places have a show most nights

Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand and I can beat the world into submission.


RoziSILVER Member
100 characters max...
2,996 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia


Posted:
Do you realise that you are having way too much fun? wink

It was a day for screaming at inanimate objects.

What this calls for is a special mix of psychology and extreme violence...


DominoSILVER Member
UnNatural Scientist - Currently working on a Breville-legged monkey
757 posts
Location: Bath Uni or Shrewsbury, UK


Posted:
Haha, hello Rozi hug

Certainly am. All good thing must come to to an end though, it's only a couple of week before I go home ... to uni ... to Fresher's Week ... to more drunken mischeif ...

Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand and I can beat the world into submission.


fluffy napalm fairyCarpal \'Tunnel
3,638 posts
Location: Brum / Dorset / Fairy Land


Posted:
(insert ultra ultra jealous fairy face here)

Geologists do it in the dirt................ spank



Similar Topics

Using the keywords [thailand ko pha ngan ko phi phi] we found the following existing topics.

  1. Forums > Thailand - Ko Pha Ngan and Ko Phi Phi [16 replies]

      Show more..

HOP Newsletter

Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more...