Festival flag “may be one for the Guinness Book’

PHUKET TOWN: The Phuket Provincial Administration Organization plans to contact the publishers of the Guinness Book of World Records to see whether a massive yellow flag, made specially for this year’s Vegetarian Festival, is a world record. The flag, which is 9,999 meters long and carries uplifting messages in Thai, may already be seen, running along the roadside from the Kathu Chinese shrine, past Chid-Chiel shrine, Sui Boon Tong shrine, Jui Tui shrine and Bang Neaw shrine, and ending at Saphan Hin. Meanwhile, on October 14, every Chinese shrine will assemble its cooks to create a giant, free vegetarian feast for about 2,000 people at the Saphan Hin stadium. And for those who enjoy listening to firecrackers, or watching foot slicing and barbecuing, or face-piercing, the main events may be savored at the following times and locations: October 12-17, 7 am daily. Street processions from Samkong shrine into Phuket Town. October 14, 6 am: Bang Neow street procession. October 14, 8 pm: Fire-walking of Ban Tha Rua shrine. October15, 8 am: Jui Tui shrine street procession. October15, 8 pm: Blade-ladder climbing at Cherng Thalay shrine. October16, 8 pm: Fire-walking at Bang Neow shrine.