Phuket Vegetarian Festival dates announced

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Phuket Vice Governor Prakob Wongmaneerung has announced the dates for this year’s Vegetarian Festival.

The nine day festival will take place from October 9-17. The event attracts thousands of visitors to Phuket to witness the festivities, which include fire-walking, bladed-ladder climbing, daily parades, body piercings and, of course, hundreds of stalls fully stocked with vegetarian foods

Vice Governor Prakob says, “Many organisations will join in the annual festival. This festival is an ancient tradition which has been passed down through generations for over a hundred years.”

Here’s a look at the launch of last year’s Vegetarian Festival.

The Vegetarian Festival is steeped in Chinese mythology, local animism, pagan ceremonies and cleansing rituals.

“An important additional ceremony for this year is a mass prayer session to honor HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn on October 10 at Shaphan Hin.”

“We have to make sure that we provide quality, clean food. The Phuket Provincial Public Health will check the food quality.

“The Phuket Provincial Commerce Office will also check the price of vegetable and fruits so that we can be sure there is no price-gouging during the festival.”