Tranced out on techno

       Phuket, Thailand's largest island and home to the most famous of the Kingdom's southern beach resorts, has long been building a reputation as a hub for sport and leisure activities. Aside from hosting the King's Cup Regatta each December and the Quick Silver Surf Competition, the island also has its own film festival, fashion week plus annual jazz and food festivals.
       Next weekend, Phuket launches the debut edition of the Roy Fest Phuket Music Festival, a new music event featuring more than 50 DJs and musicians from around the globe. The Tourism Authority of Thailand has invested more than Bt22 million to convert Karon Beach into the ultimate beach dance party, with the operative word being roy-what the southerners call "fun" and "delicious".
       "Hua Hin and Rayoung have their own music festivals, so why not Phuket?" says Norasate Mudkong, aka DJ Seed, who'll be manning the deeks at the festival.
       "Singapore's Zouk Out is an incredibly successful beach dance festival, and our beach is much more beautiful."
       "With the current economic situation, it's important that we promote tourism in Southern Thailand," adds Dom Chotivanich, CEO & partner of creative agency NetPublications. "Phuket is a great place to start-it's strikingly picturesque and, because it's already well known, it's easier to attract tourists from all over the world.
       "Our role models are Singapore's Zouk Out and England's Brighton Beach Festival, both of which receive massive support from their respective municipal government. That stimulates spending and helps money to circulate.
       "Roy Fest actually aims to raise awareness about Phuket, largely by word of mouth from the artists, as we approach the high season."
       The two-day bash will feature two groups of international artists, among them DJs Ken Ishii from Japan, Adsorb from England, Lord Warddd from America and Lapsap from Malaysia, and local mashers such as DJ Seed, DJ Dragon, T-Bone, Ta-Mone, Thaitanium, Southside, Doobadoo, Silly Fools and Smile Buffalo.
       "I've been really impressed with the Japanese DJs' shows here," says Dom. "DJ Adsorb, who played at Glastonbury, is BBC Radio's rising star. It's not easy for a new organiser like us to bring in any big names, or even a rising star, so we've been really luck."
       "DJ Ken Ishii is a world-ranked techno DJ," says DJ Seed, who's the festival's music director. "He once mixed the sound of our kaen [Isaan reed mouth organ] with techno on an album he recorded here. If the Roy Fest is even 60 or 70 per cent successful, I think it can outdo Zouk Out."
       Zouk Out starts at 8pm and ends at 8am, while the Roy Fest runs from 6pm to 2am.
       "I initially planned to run the festival over the same period as Zouk Out, but I was afraid that the audience would be too exhausted. Based on my own experience in Singapore, we're providing a shuttle bus service so that partygoers can head back and crash when they've had enough.
       "We would like everyone to have a good time and enjoy dancing on the beach under the stars and cooled by the sea breezes," says Dom."
       And, in keeping with every good Thai festival, partygoers will also find plenty of booths selling foods, beverages and souvenirs.
       PACKAGE AND PARTY
       Two party packages priced at Bt4,950 and Bt5,250 are available, They include a round-trip ticket on AirAsia and two nights's accommodation. Visit www.RoyFest.com or call (02)503 3878. Karon Beach is on Phuket's west coast, south of Patong and north of Kata.
       Phuket has 712 hotels, ranging from Bt200 to Bt 100,000, with 38,000 rooms and 200 spas including 50 inside the hotels. Phuket has five marinas with 135 yachts moored, as of last month.