Phuket Veg Fest out of control: Readers’ Poll

PHUKET CITY: Almost half of Phuket Gazette readers think the annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival is ‘getting out of hand’ in terms of firecrackers and self-mutilation, and that the authorities should step in and impose some order.

Of the 330 readers who took part in the poll, 48.8% overall agreed with the statement that: ‘The fireworks and self-mutilation are out of control. Participants are a danger to themselves and others. The authorities should impose some order’.

Slightly fewer readers (40.3%) overall agreed with the opposing statement that: ‘Authorities should let it continue to develop naturally, respect people’s spiritual beliefs and traditions – and not interfere.’

The least common response (10.9%) was: ‘The government should encourage the festival’s growth by providing funding and free firecrackers, and encouraging people to become ‘mah song’ spirit mediums. This will draw more tourists’.

Of those voting, 191 identified themselves as ‘local foreign residents’, 84 as ‘tourists or visitors to Phuket’, and 55 as ‘Thai nationals’.

Voting trends were roughly the same in each demographic.

To view the poll results, click here.

— Gazette Poll