Wonderfruit organizers said they will “review and enhance” its medical care and security staffing after two attendees died last month but defended its readiness to handle a huge increase in turnout, saying its safety services “exceeded international standards.”
In a statement sent to Coconuts last night, festival publicists declined to respond to attendee complaints that medical services were “ill-equipped and negligent” and stressed that their preparations were based on “the recommendations of local health authorities in accordance with our attendee projections.”
“Since 2014, we’ve prioritized the safety and security of our community by ensuring the proper protocols and resources are in place,” read the statement forwarded by spokesperson Chatchai Saengpetch.
Two people died several hours apart during the festival’s late-night revelry. Longtime Bangkok DJ Guillaume Wyss of Switzerland was found unresponsive and attempts to resuscitate him failed. Bali entrepreneur Kimo Rusna fell from one of the stages and reportedly landed on his head. Both men were pronounced dead at local hospitals.
At least 2 revelers confirmed dead at Wonderfruit Festival
Though the two men were acquainted, Bang Lamung and Nong Prue police have said they were not investigating any link. They said late last month that they were awaiting the results of toxicology tests that may not be ready until February.
Lt. Col. Anuchet Katsomboon, Nong Prue deputy inspector, said today they had no updates to their investigation of Rusna’s death.
Wonderfruit had been canceled two years in a row due to the pandemic, and its return saw a 25% increase in attendance from 20,000 in 2019 to 25,000 last month, according to organizers.
“In line with increased attendance in 2022, we reviewed and adapted our operations and staffing and scaled up our infrastructure, medical services and staffing in proportion to expected growth,” the festival statement said.
It said there were 398 medical and security staff present, including a doctor on-site at all times, but did not go into detail. “Furthermore, in our planning, we went according to and exceeded international standards and now use this as a baseline,” it added.
Standby Ambulance Service, which provided the festival’s medical services, said it fielded about 45 medical personnel including EMTs, nurses, and paramedics to tend to emergencies across the 50-hectare festival site. A company representative told Coconuts that it had one volunteer German doctor at the festival.
After the festival, over a dozen attendees complained in interviews that medical personnel refused them treatment, lacked critical gear, and seemed unfamiliar with the kind of emergencies that arise at music festivals where large numbers of people consume party drugs such as MDMA, LSD, and ketamine.
They also complained that water was difficult to find at poorly marked water fountains located far from the crowded stages where people gathered to dance for hours on end. The festival noted that there were 15 water stations and cans of water available to buy at all bars.
After deaths at Wonderfruit, attendees complain festival ‘ill-equipped and negligent’
Wonderfruit said in its statement that it would take several actions including reviewing its medical and security staffing, access to resources, and training. It provided no further details.
It also said it would “[p]rovide an avenue for all current and future Wonderers to share feedback on their Wonderfruit experience” and make “[f]undamental shifts in programming, venues and overall flow of activities.”
It also said it would continue to cap entry, saying it peaked at 15,000 revelers during peak periods.
The only public comment the festival has made to its fans was a website popup from festival founders Montonn Jira and Panitan “Pete” Phornprapha expressing their condolences late last month. It has since been removed from the site.
