PRESS RELEASE:
The annual Vegetarian Festival in Phuket province, one of Thailand’s most significant spiritual events, will be held from October 3 to 11. Celebrated over nine days, the festival focuses on purifying the mind and body, with participants abstaining from meat and participating in sacred rituals.
Key ceremonies include the Yew Keng procession, which honors the Nine Emperor Gods, and the Koi Hoi Fire Walking ceremony, which is believed to cleanse negative energy.
Rooted in Phuket’s Chinese heritage, the festival allows devotees to engage in age-old traditions. Shrines across the island provide unique blessings to visitors, with the Farewell Ritual marking the festival’s grand finale as deities are symbolically returned to heaven. Popular spots to experience the event’s highlights include Thalang Road and the Clock Tower Roundabout in Phuket Town.
The festival also celebrates Phuket’s culinary heritage, with the island recognized as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. Vegetarian dishes, ranging from street food to Michelin-starred offerings, are a key feature, with delicacies like deep-fried tofu and sesame balls on offer for health-conscious festival-goers.
Combining sacred rituals with rich culinary experiences, the Phuket Vegetarian Festival draws local and international visitors, affirming its status as the year’s cultural and spiritual highlight.
The preceding is a press release from the Thai Government PR Department.
