Party organisers ordered to drill holes in buckets to stop people drinking alcohol from them

Organisers of an event in Adelaide, Australia, have been ordered by liquor licensing authorities to drill holes in 4,500 plastic buckets to try to stop people drinking alcohol from them. This weekend's celebration in Rymill Park in the city is the culmination of AsiaFest and a local version of a Thai full moon party.



Councillor Anne Moran said the council gave approval for the parklands event but then heard from many concerned people about recent such events in Asia. "We were contacted by so many people saying 'My God, our children have been to this party in Thailand ... it's a terrible party with deaths and drugs'," she said.



"We had to approve it because it's an event in the parklands and - being unaware of the problems they've had overseas, we were unaware it had caused such problems in Thailand and other Asian countries - we [quickly] asked for a briefing from the Liquor Licensing Commission as to what's going to happen here, are we going to have the same problems as overseas?" Ms Moran explained that the Licensing Commission had to deal with alcohol issues for the event, to ensure it was run safely.



"I suspect the buckets were never supposed to be used for drinking but the Commissioner's just making sure that they're not used for that purpose by having holes drilled," the councillor said. "They are the emblem of the festival so they may be giving them out - perhaps you could tip your drinks in but there's no way known in our country you can serve a litre of cocktail or spirit legally in a bucket." Organisers of the Saturday parklands event said they were disappointed the demand that 4,500 holes be drilled came so close to their deadline.