kaZantip festival organisers told to reapply

The organisers of notorious music festival kaZantip will need to reapply for permission to hold the 10-day event, which is scheduled to open next week, Minister of Tourism Thong Khon said yesterday.

“[We will] ask them to apply again to the [government] through the provincial authority, the Ministry of Tourism; and the Ministry of Culture will ask some questions,” Khon said in a text message.

Sihanoukville Provincial Governor Chhit Sokhom said that if approval was granted the authorities would seek to ensure the safety of revelers.

“There are some things we will not allow them to do,” he said. “We will stop them if they walk naked; have sex in public; use drugs or gamble.”

The comments came a week after the governor penned a letter suggesting the festival would be cancelled because it could violate “Cambodian tradition, culture, and dignity”.

Khon said last week that the event, which is scheduled to begin on February 18, would not go ahead because it had a reputation for “indecency” and a “naked dance”.

The organisers of Kazantip Asia could not be reached for comment yesterday.