Kazantip Music Festival Banned for Being ‘Indecent’

The 10-day long Kazantip Music Festival set to take place on Snake Island today has been cancelled by Cambodian authorities for promoting “indecent tourism”, according to Chhin Seng Nguon, deputy governor of Sihanoukville.

Cambodian authorities had a back and forth relating the cancellation of the festival, announcing it would be cancelled on February 2 and that it would go ahead on February 13.

The tipping point, according to the Cambodia Daily, occurred on Valentines day, when two Russian men were arrested for assault the night before a Moldovan man was reportedly stabbed in the torso. One of those who was assaulted was the manager of Lotus Tours, the company that handles ticket sales for Kazantip, who was allegedly blackmailed by a criminal organization to hand over 50%of the festival’s revenue.

The festival is revolutionary, with most EDM events lasting only 2-3 days. Past Kazantip festivals have lasted up to five or six weeks, with it being known for its non-stop music (plays 22 hours a day) and its cheap alcohol.

Organizer Nikita Marshunok posted this on the festival’s Facebook page to try to explain the future of the festival:

I could tell a lot, but this story still has no end. Yes, the final can be good and not so good. And while we can influence the script, we do everything and even more. Please understand this. If someone's patience is ending, I understand this too. Yes, I clearly understand that there are chances to bury the whole history of Z or give birth to something really new. IT may be the most beautiful, the warmest, coziest home and craziest to ... or the last one. It seems to me here and now on the edge of the Earth have gathered not strangers to each other and they know exactly why they have been traveling thousands of miles. I hope not only for music, but above all for communication and energy. You will get me very upset if you are bored with each other on the other side of the bridge, etc. as long as we are fighting for the life of the project, for which i have spent my life and strength, the talent of hundreds of others. Let all us be not sad a little more. Lets it be as we want, because we don't want anything bad.