Gazette’s Full Guide to Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2013

PHUKET: The annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival started at sunset last night after area shrines raised go teng poles to allow the Jade Emperor and the Nine Emperor Gods to descend to our earthly realm.

The nine-day festival, which ends on October 13, attracts thousands of visitors to Phuket to witness the festivities, which include fire walking, bladed-ladder climbing, specialty foods and processions at locations across the island.

On the last day of the festival, October 13, all participating shrines stage street processions to Saphan Hin to take part in the “Grand Farewell” bonfire to send the gods heavenward.

The processions, some of which start in the afternoon, are scheduled to arrive in sequence at Saphan Hin between 11:45pm and midnight.

The final processions are renowned for the large number of firecrackers set alight by devotees and revellers as the processions pass by.

This year, more than 200 Phuket City police officers will be deployed to ensure public safety through the nine days of the festival, said Phuket City Police Superintendent Sermphan Sirikong.

“And traffic police will assist during the street processions to keep traffic flowing as smoothly as possible,” he added.

For more about the history of the world-famous festival see the Phuket Gazette‘s in-depth report here.

Those wanting to get directly involved in the celebrations can take posts all next week along the main procession routes or attend scheduled ceremonies at shrines across the island. Additionally, dozens of smaller processions will be tramping across the island.

Monday, October 07

7am Sapam Shrine (map here)

Tuesday, October 08

7:19am Samkong Shrine (map here)

Wednesday, October 09

7:30am Tha Rue Shrine (map here)

Thursday, October 10

6am Bang Neow Shrine and Cherng Thalay Shrine (map here)

Friday, October 11

8am Jui Tui Shrine (map here)

Saturday, October 12

7am Kathu Shrine and Yokkekeng Shrine (see above)

Sunday October, 13

7am Sui Boon Tong Shrine (map here)

Kathu Shrine:

5am and 6pm Worship of Gods

Jui Tui Shrine:
6:09pm Worship of Gods

Sui Boon Tong Shrine:
8pm Worship of Gods

Samkong Shrine:
5am and 6pm Worship of Gods

Ban Tha Rue Shrine:
Noon and 7pm Worship of Gods

Cherng Talay Shrine:
3pm Food Offering to Warriors
6pm Worship of Gods

Yokkekeng Shrine:
8pm Worship of Gods

Sapam Shrine:
5:45pm Birth-Death Gods Propitiation at Saphan Hin

October 6 – Day 2

Kathu Shrine:
5am and 6pm Worship of Gods

Jui Tui Shrine:
9:09am Worship of Gods and Spirit Propitiation of Past Participants of the Vegetarian Festival

Sui Boon Tong Shrine:
8pm Worship and Propitiation of Gods

Samkong Shrine:
5am and 6pm Worship of Gods

Ban Tha Rue Shrine:
5pm Worship of Gods

Cherng Talay Shrine:
3pm Food Offering to Warriors
6pm Worship of Gods

Yokkekeng Shrine:
8pm Worship of Gods

Sapam Shrine:
8pm Worship of Gods

October 7 – Day 3

Kathu Shrine:
5am and 6pm Worship of Gods
4pm Warriors Propitiation
4:30pm Food Offering to Warriors
7:30pm Birth-Death Gods Propitiation

Jui Tui Shrine:
7:30pm Food Offering to Warriors
8:45pm Birth-Death Gods Propitiation

Bang Neow Shrine:
3pm Food Offering to Warriors

Sui Boon Tong Shrine:
3pm Food Offering to Warriors
8pm Worship of Gods

Samkong Shrine:
3:09pm Food Offering to Warriors
8pm Propitiation of Seven Stars

Ban Tha Rue Shrine:
5:30pm Food Offering to Warriors
6:30pm Birth-Death Gods Propitiation

Cherng Talay Shrine:
3pm Food Offering to Warriors
3:30pm Blessing Bang Tao Village
7pm Worship of Gods

Yokkekeng Shrine:
3:30pm Food Offering to Warriors
8pm Birth-Death Gods Propitiation at Koh Sirey Beach

Sapam Shrine:
7am Street Procession in Phuket Town
3:45pm Food Offering to Warriors

October 8 – Day 4

Kathu Shrine:
5am and 6pm Worship of Gods

Jui Tui Shrine:
9:30am Worship of Gods and Spirit Propitiation of Past Participants of the Vegetarian Festival

Bang Neow Shrine:
3pm Spirit Propitiation of Past Participants of the Vegetarian Festival

Sui Boon Tong Shrine:
8pm Worship of Gods

Samkong Shrine:
5:30am Worship of Gods
7:19am Street Procession in Phuket Town
Noon Worship of Gods
6pm Worship of Gods

Ban Tha Rue Shrine:
Noon and 7:30pm Worship of Gods

Cherng Thalay Shrine:
3pm Food Offering to Warriors
3:30pm Blessing Manik and Cherng Thalay Villages
7pm Worship of Gods

Yokkekeng Shrine:
7:30am Worship of Gods
8pm Worship of Gods

Sapam Shrine:
7am Worship of Gods

October 9 – Day 5

Kathu Shrine:
5am and 6pm Worship of Gods

Jui Tui Shrine:
5pm Worship of Gods

Bang Neow Shrine:
3pm Food Offering to Warriors
8pm Propitiation of Seven Stars

Sui Boon Tong Shrine:
8pm Worship of Gods
11pm Propitiation of Gods

Samkong Shrine:
5:30am Worship of Gods
3:09pm Food Offering to Warriors
6pm Worship of Gods

Ban Tha Rue Shrine:
7:30am Street Procession in Phuket Town

Cherng Thalay Shrine:
3pm Food Offering to Warriors
8:09pm Propitiation of Seven Stars
11pm Worship of Gods

Yokkekeng Shrine:
7:30am Worship of Gods
8pm Worship of Gods

Sapam Shrine:
7pm Street Procession in Sapam Village

October 10 – Day 6

Kathu Shrine:
5am Worship of Gods
4pm Food Offering to Warriors
6pm Worship of Gods

Jui Tui Shrine:
3:09pm Food Offering to Warriors
8:09pm Fire Walking at Saphan Hin

Bang Neow Shrine:
7am Street Procession in Phuket Town
3pm Food Offering to Warriors

Sui Boon T

— Chutharat Plerin