Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2010 marches on

PHUKET: The Tourism Authority of Thailand office in Phuket has released the schedule of street processions by participating Chinese temples in the upcoming Vegetarian Festival.

The festival will get underway with an opening ceremony near the Tin Mining Monument in Saphan Hin Park at 9am on October 7. The traditional raising of go teng poles to welcome the Chinese gods will take place later in the day at all participating shrines.

On October 8, all participating shrines will hold ceremonies to make merit and to offer food to the warrior gods. Shrines will also select devotees to assist the mah song (“spirit mediums”) during next year’s festival.

The street processions will start October 9 and continue daily through to October 16.

The processions often draw big crowds along the streets of the routes, usually resulting in traffic jams in the immediate and nearby areas.

The schedule, published in English and Thai, is available free at all participating shrines and at the TAT Phuket office located next to Queen Sirikit Park on Thalang Rd in Phuket Town.

All of the processions are worth watching, but one not to be missed is the Jui Tui Shrine procession on the morning of October 14.

In brief, the schedule is as follows:

Saturday, October 9

Choor Su Gong Naka Shrine (Wichit)

7:00am Street procession in Phuket Town

Sunday, October 10

Kuan Te Kun Shrine (Sapam Shrine)

7:00am Street procession in Phuket Town

Monday, October 11

Lim Hu Tai Su Shrine (Samkong Shrine)

7:19am Street procession in Phuket Town

Tuesday, October 12

Jang Ong Shrine (opposite Vachira Phuket Hospital)

6:30am Street procession in Phuket Town

Tae Gun Tai Tae Shrine (Baan Pasak)

7:15am Street procession in Baan Pasak-Baan Don, in Thalang

Tha Rue Shrine

7:30am Street procession in Phuket Town

Choor Su Gong Naka Shrine (Wichit)

2:00pm Street procession through surrounding neighborhood

Wednesday, October 13

Bang Neow Tao Boh Geng Shrine

6:00am Street procession in Phuket Town

Sam Ong Hu Shrine (Cherng Talay)

7:30am Street procession in Thalang Town

Kim Sue Ong Keng Shrine (Baan Don)

8:45am Street procession in Baan Mai Khao

Thursday, October 14

Kim Sue Ong Keng Shrine (Baan Don, Cherng Talay)

7:00am Street procession in Baan Don, Baan Kien, Baan Sakoo, Baan Nai Yang, near the airport and Baan Muang Mai.

Jui Tui Tao Boh Geng Shrine

8:00am Street procession in Phuket Town

Friday, October 15

Yok Ke Geng Shrine (Choor Su Gong Soi Phaneang, near Samkong)

7:00am Street procession in Phuket Town

Laitu Tao Boh Keng Shrine (Kathu Shrine)

7:00am Street procession in Phuket Town

Tha Rue Shrine

8:30am Street procession in Thalang Town

Saturday, October 16

Sam Pai Kong Shrine (Bangku Shrine)

3:00pm Street procession in Sapam and Bangku areas.

Sui Boon Tong Shrine (Lor Rong Shrine)

7:00am Street procession in Phuket Town

This is the last day of street processions. In the evening, street processions from every shrine will move toward Saphan Hin, where devotees will perform the final act of sending off the Jade Emperor and his nine emperor gods.

These final processions affect nearly every main road in central Phuket Town heading to Saphan Hin, with thousands of people lining the streets and taking part.

The event will culminate with a bonfire at the Saphan Hin Shrine at midnight.

Sunday, October 17

The lowering of the go teng poles will take place at all participating shrines, the first at 4pm at Yok Ke Geng Shrine (Choor Su Gong Soi Phaneang, near Samkong) and the last at Kuan Te Kun Shrine (Sapam Shrine) at 5:45pm.

— Pimwara Choksakulpan