Thailand’s largest music festival got political, then it got shut down

When metalcore act Sweet Mullet took the stage Saturday night, they wore rescue worker uniforms and carried a “corpse” in a blood-soaked shroud, widely seen as representing Thai dissidents abducted and executed abroad. 

It was one of many moments when politics took the stage at Thailand’s largest music festival this past weekend, which officials shut down before it was over. Organizers of the Big Mountain music festival in Nakhon Ratchasima province today are offering ticket refunds after being forced to cancel several hours early on its second day, ostensibly due to COVID-19 concerns.

“We know that what happened let you down and hurt your feelings,” organizers announced online last night. “We’re happy to refund your tickets.”

An estimated 80,000 attended the event. After being ordered to shut down early Sunday afternoon, organizers refused to…