Two festivalgoers die after EDC’s Thailand debut

Electric Daisy Carnival’s (EDC) debut in Thailand over the weekend was marred by the suspected drug-related deaths of two foreign visitors.

The two male victims – a 32-year-old American and 28-year-old Canadian – were taken to hospital after reportedly collapsing in separate incidents at the Insomniac-helmed dance music festival in Phuket’s Thalang District on Saturday (18 January), but were later pronounced dead.

According to the Bangkok Post, initial tests to establish the causes of the fatalities were inconclusive, with further examinations due to be carried out.

Held from 17-19 January at Boat Avenue Lakefront, EDC Phuket included acts such as The Chainsmokers, Skrillex, Gorgon City, Fisher, Afrojack, Nicky Romero, Meduza and Tiësto.

Three people were also reportedly arrested for possessing and/or using narcotics at the event after police stepped up security measures in the wake of the deaths. EDC organisers are yet to comment.

“We received a report from the department, where all who died had drugs in their blood”

EDC Mexico is set to take place from 21-23 February in Mexico City, while the brand’s flagship EDC Las Vegas will return to the US from 16-18 May.

Elsewhere, four people died last month after attending New Year’s Eve music festival Pinkfish Countdown 2024 in Selangor, Malaysia. They are believed to have taken ecstasy.

“We received a report from the department, where all who died had drugs in their blood and it has been referred to the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre [UMMC] to get the full report,” Subang Jaya assistant commissioner Wan Azlan Wan Mamat told The Star.

Three other people were also taken hospital, including a 30-year-old man who is still being treated at the UMMC.

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