Phuket gets set for Vegetarian Festival

PHUKET TOWN: Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi chaired a planning meeting today for the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, which will run from September 25 to October 5. “We invite everyone from near and far to participate,” the Governor said. Prasert Fakthongphon, President of the Phuket Shrine Club, said, “We’d like to preserve this ancient tradition. If we don’t help to preserve it, the tradition will be changed and fewer people will believe in it.” K. Prasert said that controls on firecrackers, which have caused injuries in past years, will be stricter this year. “Firecrackers shouldn’t be used to throw at people but to celebrate the start of the festival,” he said. The Governor will preside at the official opening ceremony of the festival, in honor of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej, at Saphan Hin on September 29 at 5:30 pm, when officers and onlookers will all dress in white. On September 25 there will be a Lantern Pole Raising ceremony at each shrine between 4 pm and 6 pm. The schedule for street processions, which will start at various Chinese shrines, is: Sapam Shrine, September 28; Jake Ong Shrine and Limhutaisu (Samkong) Shrine, September 29; Bantharue Shrine and Sapam Shrine, September 30; Bangneow Shrine and Cherng Talay Shrine, October 1; Juitui Shrine, October 2; Kathu Shrine and Yokkekeng Shrine, October 3; Suiboonthong Shrine and Bangkoo Shrine, October 4. A complete schedule of events may be found on the Tourism Authority of Thailand website at: https://www.phukettourism.org/festival/vegetarian/index.htm .