Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting: Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

Well it's all over for some other year! The 2016 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of 30th September until the nighttime of Oct 9th. I did move in addition to larn my dose of festival atmosphere in addition to I did stick to the vegan diet amongst no alcohol for nine days. For the start few days nosotros thought things were rattling quiet. We were inwards Phuket Town several times in addition to in that location were rattling few people closed to compared to previous years. The conditions was mayhap putting people off, equally nosotros stimulate got had enough of pelting in addition to non much Sun recently. Seemed similar it was raining every nighttime inwards early October, so I was non likewise great on attending early morn processions. I must say, rather similar finally year, that I'm non getting quite the same buzz from the festival equally I used to. Maybe I stimulate got seen likewise much of it. Combined amongst the the weather, this lack of enthusiasm meant that I skipped all the chief street processions inwards the start calendar week of the festival including the large ones from Bang Neow in addition to Jui Tui shrines. Also our dive store all of a abrupt got busy in addition to I had lots of move to do. I am nevertheless fascinated past times the vegetarian festival, in addition to if I could somehow weblog total time, I am sure that I would endure taking photos every day!

The exclusively street procession I saw inwards the start calendar week was an even out consequence inwards Kathu hamlet close our house. The official schedule lists this equally "Birth-Death Gods Propitiation". Statues of the gods are carried through the streets of the hamlet accompanied past times enough of firecrackers thrown past times the local people or hung over the street on long bamboo poles. Again, this procession seemed quieter than previous years, or mayhap I am precisely getting used to existence inwards the middle of hundreds of exploding firecrackers!

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Street procession inwards Kathu on Oct 3rd

Although I was feeling likewise lazy for the morn processions, I did care to consummate nine days of vegan nutrient in addition to no alcohol. nine days amongst no beer is a combat of a miracle! Food stalls in addition to restaurants sell vegan (เจ) nutrient all over the island, though it's difficult to abide by inwards some parts. But I alive inwards Kathu, which is said to endure where the festival originated, in addition to nosotros tin crusade into Phuket Town inwards 10-15 minutes in addition to that's the pump of the festival. Where I move at Karon beach it's trickier to abide by this food, but ane eating theater reverse Karon post component is e'er opened upward during the festival. H5N1 few photos below of my nutrient during the festival ...

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

On Fri it was the Jui Tui Shrine procession, which is ordinarily the biggest. I did laid my warning for 5:45am, but afterwards waking upward decided to reset the warning for 8am. Extreme laziness. But on Sat eighth October, I was upward in addition to awake fifty-fifty before for the Kathu Shrine procession. The shrine is exclusively a few minutes crusade from our house, so .. no excuses! To run across all that goes on, it's best to larn inwards at Kathu shrine before 6am.



(above) The video shows Ma Song ("entranced horses") before they caput exterior the shrine for confront piercing. I stimulate got e'er wondered .. are they acting? But acting to who? There's no crowd of tourists here. They are non existence paid. And they stimulate got been doing this for many years, since mode before Phuket was a good known place.

Outside the shrine, confront piercing takes identify in addition to Ma Song sit down getting pierced or waiting for the procession to begin. This all happens before almost 6:30am.

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Getting pierced at Kathu Shrine, eighth Oct 2016.

And so the procession heads off. The pierced Ma Song along amongst other Ma Song who are non pierced but accept on the persona of one-time men or immature girls (there are manful individual in addition to woman individual Ma Song) caput off start inwards no detail order. They are followed past times teams of immature men carrying statues of the gods along amongst lots of firecrackers again. And past times 7am the procession has left Kathu hamlet in addition to everyone walks into Phuket Town - quite a hike, almost 10km AND they walk dorsum too! The furnish to Kathu happens at almost 11am accompanied past times yet some other explosion of firecrackers.

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Procession through Kathu village

I had thought of next the procession into Phuket Town, but went domicile for java instead :)

However, to brand upward for this I was upward early ane time to a greater extent than the side past times side day. The finally procession inwards Phuket Town, on the finally twenty-four hr current of the festival, starts from Sui Boon Tong shrine which is closed to the large Jui Tui shrine. I had never seen this detail procession before in addition to it was on this morn that I started to taste the festival again. I was on the street exterior the shrine non long afterwards 7am in addition to had fourth dimension to purchase some breakfast in addition to an iced tea. This ane does non start likewise early! The diverse Ma Song were inwards the street, by in addition to large sitting down, in addition to the immature guys amongst their god-chariots were waiting to follow at the bring upward of the procession.

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Ma Song approbation a squad of god carriers

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) The Sui Boon Tong shrine has many woman individual Ma Song, most of whom are costless of confront piercings.

Starting at the shrine I was able to walk along amongst the procession. I don't similar to precisely stand upward past times the side of the route - difficult to larn photos from that position. I wanted to larn some photos showing the Ma Song approbation people along the route of the procession. People gear upward shrines exterior their houses or businesses. And many of the woman individual Ma Song halt to bless children in addition to laissez passer them candies or necktie a string closed to their wrist. Older people also tend to have enough of blessings.

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Blessings along the procession route.

This is the less bloody side to the festival processions! The devotees who larn most attending from photographers are those amongst bizarre piercings. The confront in addition to torso piercings tin endure uncomplicated skewers or larger items similar swords, or guns, or .. well, over the years I stimulate got seen anything from bicycles to tree branches. Is that a combat silly? H5N1 combat non-traditional? Do they precisely desire to larn their faces inwards the papers? Here's a few of the pierced faces from the Sui Boon Tong procession ...

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Oh yes in addition to some pierced tongues too. This piercing sure divides opinion. Some people (like me) abide by the festival fascinating. Some people can't grasp the thought that some other civilization exists amongst one-time traditions that don't fit their ain ideas. Three thank y'all for diversity. I walked amongst the procession downwards a twosome of streets that I'd never actually walked before in addition to so into the pump of town. It was non a moisture morning, in addition to the Sun was up. I was hot in addition to thirsty past times 8am. Imagine doing this long walk amongst swords inwards your confront or carrying a heavy statue!

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Ma Song stopping to bless people exterior their homes

And forthwith for a small-scale video all almost firecrackers ... H5N1 twosome of Ma Song at the forepart of the procession, in addition to so some of the activity amongst the gods existence carried through the streets.



The firecracker activity at the bring upward of the processions has move my favourite part! I similar to larn closed in addition to larn covered inwards debris. The vibrations in addition to smoke tin endure pretty intense.

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

I would stimulate got stayed longer, but my photographic television receiver camera battery ran out. I had a spare .. inwards the car, which was parked a twosome of kilometers away. And the weep upward was giving me a depression battery warning too. Shame .. I was precisely starting to move inwards the spirit again! Will brand to a greater extent than of an endeavour side past times side year. Hopefully amongst a novel camera. These photos are taken amongst an one-time Panasonic Lumix G1 which has seen amend days. The focus is a combat dodgy in addition to it has a maximum aperture of exclusively f/3.5 which is non ideal for portraits. Anyway, I was glad to stimulate got made the endeavour on this finally morning.

One to a greater extent than painting demo ... Sui Boon Tong shrine seems to stimulate got an axe fetish. H5N1 grouping of nine Ma Song (1 for each of the emperor gods?) were all walking together slicing themselves. Sorry almost the blood!

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

The Sui Boon Tong procession was on Oct 9th, the finally of the morn processions. The large crazy concluding nighttime procession through Phuket Town took identify the same night, but due to a combination of pelting in addition to laziness I decided to skip it this year. Next year's dates are 19th - 29th Oct 2017. The festival is based on the lunar calendar so the dates modify every year. See y'all there!

Related posts on Jamie's Phuket

Introduction to the Phuket Vegetarian Festival


 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Street procession inwards Kathu on Oct 3rd

Although I was feeling likewise lazy for the morn processions, I did care to consummate nine days of vegan nutrient in addition to no alcohol. nine days amongst no beer is a combat of a miracle! Food stalls in addition to restaurants sell vegan (เจ) nutrient all over the island, though it's difficult to abide by inwards some parts. But I alive inwards Kathu, which is said to endure where the festival originated, in addition to nosotros tin crusade into Phuket Town inwards 10-15 minutes in addition to that's the pump of the festival. Where I move at Karon beach it's trickier to abide by this food, but ane eating theater reverse Karon post component is e'er opened upward during the festival. H5N1 few photos below of my nutrient during the festival ...

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

On Fri it was the Jui Tui Shrine procession, which is ordinarily the biggest. I did laid my warning for 5:45am, but afterwards waking upward decided to reset the warning for 8am. Extreme laziness. But on Sat eighth October, I was upward in addition to awake fifty-fifty before for the Kathu Shrine procession. The shrine is exclusively a few minutes crusade from our house, so .. no excuses! To run across all that goes on, it's best to larn inwards at Kathu shrine before 6am.



(above) The video shows Ma Song ("entranced horses") before they caput exterior the shrine for confront piercing. I stimulate got e'er wondered .. are they acting? But acting to who? There's no crowd of tourists here. They are non existence paid. And they stimulate got been doing this for many years, since mode before Phuket was a good known place.

Outside the shrine, confront piercing takes identify in addition to Ma Song sit down getting pierced or waiting for the procession to begin. This all happens before almost 6:30am.

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Getting pierced at Kathu Shrine, eighth Oct 2016.

And so the procession heads off. The pierced Ma Song along amongst other Ma Song who are non pierced but accept on the persona of one-time men or immature girls (there are manful individual in addition to woman individual Ma Song) caput off start inwards no detail order. They are followed past times teams of immature men carrying statues of the gods along amongst lots of firecrackers again. And past times 7am the procession has left Kathu hamlet in addition to everyone walks into Phuket Town - quite a hike, almost 10km AND they walk dorsum too! The furnish to Kathu happens at almost 11am accompanied past times yet some other explosion of firecrackers.

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Procession through Kathu village

I had thought of next the procession into Phuket Town, but went domicile for java instead :)

However, to brand upward for this I was upward early ane time to a greater extent than the side past times side day. The finally procession inwards Phuket Town, on the finally twenty-four hr current of the festival, starts from Sui Boon Tong shrine which is closed to the large Jui Tui shrine. I had never seen this detail procession before in addition to it was on this morn that I started to taste the festival again. I was on the street exterior the shrine non long afterwards 7am in addition to had fourth dimension to purchase some breakfast in addition to an iced tea. This ane does non start likewise early! The diverse Ma Song were inwards the street, by in addition to large sitting down, in addition to the immature guys amongst their god-chariots were waiting to follow at the bring upward of the procession.

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Ma Song approbation a squad of god carriers

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) The Sui Boon Tong shrine has many woman individual Ma Song, most of whom are costless of confront piercings.

Starting at the shrine I was able to walk along amongst the procession. I don't similar to precisely stand upward past times the side of the route - difficult to larn photos from that position. I wanted to larn some photos showing the Ma Song approbation people along the route of the procession. People gear upward shrines exterior their houses or businesses. And many of the woman individual Ma Song halt to bless children in addition to laissez passer them candies or necktie a string closed to their wrist. Older people also tend to have enough of blessings.

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Blessings along the procession route.

This is the less bloody side to the festival processions! The devotees who larn most attending from photographers are those amongst bizarre piercings. The confront in addition to torso piercings tin endure uncomplicated skewers or larger items similar swords, or guns, or .. well, over the years I stimulate got seen anything from bicycles to tree branches. Is that a combat silly? H5N1 combat non-traditional? Do they precisely desire to larn their faces inwards the papers? Here's a few of the pierced faces from the Sui Boon Tong procession ...

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Oh yes in addition to some pierced tongues too. This piercing sure divides opinion. Some people (like me) abide by the festival fascinating. Some people can't grasp the thought that some other civilization exists amongst one-time traditions that don't fit their ain ideas. Three thank y'all for diversity. I walked amongst the procession downwards a twosome of streets that I'd never actually walked before in addition to so into the pump of town. It was non a moisture morning, in addition to the Sun was up. I was hot in addition to thirsty past times 8am. Imagine doing this long walk amongst swords inwards your confront or carrying a heavy statue!

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Ma Song stopping to bless people exterior their homes

And forthwith for a small-scale video all almost firecrackers ... H5N1 twosome of Ma Song at the forepart of the procession, in addition to so some of the activity amongst the gods existence carried through the streets.



The firecracker activity at the bring upward of the processions has move my favourite part! I similar to larn closed in addition to larn covered inwards debris. The vibrations in addition to smoke tin endure pretty intense.

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

I would stimulate got stayed longer, but my photographic television receiver camera battery ran out. I had a spare .. inwards the car, which was parked a twosome of kilometers away. And the weep upward was giving me a depression battery warning too. Shame .. I was precisely starting to move inwards the spirit again! Will brand to a greater extent than of an endeavour side past times side year. Hopefully amongst a novel camera. These photos are taken amongst an one-time Panasonic Lumix G1 which has seen amend days. The focus is a combat dodgy in addition to it has a maximum aperture of exclusively f/3.5 which is non ideal for portraits. Anyway, I was glad to stimulate got made the endeavour on this finally morning.

One to a greater extent than painting demo ... Sui Boon Tong shrine seems to stimulate got an axe fetish. H5N1 grouping of nine Ma Song (1 for each of the emperor gods?) were all walking together slicing themselves. Sorry almost the blood!

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

The Sui Boon Tong procession was on Oct 9th, the finally of the morn processions. The large crazy concluding nighttime procession through Phuket Town took identify the same night, but due to a combination of pelting in addition to laziness I decided to skip it this year. Next year's dates are 19th - 29th Oct 2017. The festival is based on the lunar calendar so the dates modify every year. See y'all there!

Related posts on Jamie's Phuket

The Crazy Final Night of the Festival


 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Street procession inwards Kathu on Oct 3rd

Although I was feeling likewise lazy for the morn processions, I did care to consummate nine days of vegan nutrient in addition to no alcohol. nine days amongst no beer is a combat of a miracle! Food stalls in addition to restaurants sell vegan (เจ) nutrient all over the island, though it's difficult to abide by inwards some parts. But I alive inwards Kathu, which is said to endure where the festival originated, in addition to nosotros tin crusade into Phuket Town inwards 10-15 minutes in addition to that's the pump of the festival. Where I move at Karon beach it's trickier to abide by this food, but ane eating theater reverse Karon post component is e'er opened upward during the festival. H5N1 few photos below of my nutrient during the festival ...

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

On Fri it was the Jui Tui Shrine procession, which is ordinarily the biggest. I did laid my warning for 5:45am, but afterwards waking upward decided to reset the warning for 8am. Extreme laziness. But on Sat eighth October, I was upward in addition to awake fifty-fifty before for the Kathu Shrine procession. The shrine is exclusively a few minutes crusade from our house, so .. no excuses! To run across all that goes on, it's best to larn inwards at Kathu shrine before 6am.



(above) The video shows Ma Song ("entranced horses") before they caput exterior the shrine for confront piercing. I stimulate got e'er wondered .. are they acting? But acting to who? There's no crowd of tourists here. They are non existence paid. And they stimulate got been doing this for many years, since mode before Phuket was a good known place.

Outside the shrine, confront piercing takes identify in addition to Ma Song sit down getting pierced or waiting for the procession to begin. This all happens before almost 6:30am.

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Getting pierced at Kathu Shrine, eighth Oct 2016.

And so the procession heads off. The pierced Ma Song along amongst other Ma Song who are non pierced but accept on the persona of one-time men or immature girls (there are manful individual in addition to woman individual Ma Song) caput off start inwards no detail order. They are followed past times teams of immature men carrying statues of the gods along amongst lots of firecrackers again. And past times 7am the procession has left Kathu hamlet in addition to everyone walks into Phuket Town - quite a hike, almost 10km AND they walk dorsum too! The furnish to Kathu happens at almost 11am accompanied past times yet some other explosion of firecrackers.

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Procession through Kathu village

I had thought of next the procession into Phuket Town, but went domicile for java instead :)

However, to brand upward for this I was upward early ane time to a greater extent than the side past times side day. The finally procession inwards Phuket Town, on the finally twenty-four hr current of the festival, starts from Sui Boon Tong shrine which is closed to the large Jui Tui shrine. I had never seen this detail procession before in addition to it was on this morn that I started to taste the festival again. I was on the street exterior the shrine non long afterwards 7am in addition to had fourth dimension to purchase some breakfast in addition to an iced tea. This ane does non start likewise early! The diverse Ma Song were inwards the street, by in addition to large sitting down, in addition to the immature guys amongst their god-chariots were waiting to follow at the bring upward of the procession.

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Ma Song approbation a squad of god carriers

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) The Sui Boon Tong shrine has many woman individual Ma Song, most of whom are costless of confront piercings.

Starting at the shrine I was able to walk along amongst the procession. I don't similar to precisely stand upward past times the side of the route - difficult to larn photos from that position. I wanted to larn some photos showing the Ma Song approbation people along the route of the procession. People gear upward shrines exterior their houses or businesses. And many of the woman individual Ma Song halt to bless children in addition to laissez passer them candies or necktie a string closed to their wrist. Older people also tend to have enough of blessings.

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Blessings along the procession route.

This is the less bloody side to the festival processions! The devotees who larn most attending from photographers are those amongst bizarre piercings. The confront in addition to torso piercings tin endure uncomplicated skewers or larger items similar swords, or guns, or .. well, over the years I stimulate got seen anything from bicycles to tree branches. Is that a combat silly? H5N1 combat non-traditional? Do they precisely desire to larn their faces inwards the papers? Here's a few of the pierced faces from the Sui Boon Tong procession ...

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Oh yes in addition to some pierced tongues too. This piercing sure divides opinion. Some people (like me) abide by the festival fascinating. Some people can't grasp the thought that some other civilization exists amongst one-time traditions that don't fit their ain ideas. Three thank y'all for diversity. I walked amongst the procession downwards a twosome of streets that I'd never actually walked before in addition to so into the pump of town. It was non a moisture morning, in addition to the Sun was up. I was hot in addition to thirsty past times 8am. Imagine doing this long walk amongst swords inwards your confront or carrying a heavy statue!

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Ma Song stopping to bless people exterior their homes

And forthwith for a small-scale video all almost firecrackers ... H5N1 twosome of Ma Song at the forepart of the procession, in addition to so some of the activity amongst the gods existence carried through the streets.



The firecracker activity at the bring upward of the processions has move my favourite part! I similar to larn closed in addition to larn covered inwards debris. The vibrations in addition to smoke tin endure pretty intense.

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

I would stimulate got stayed longer, but my photographic television receiver camera battery ran out. I had a spare .. inwards the car, which was parked a twosome of kilometers away. And the weep upward was giving me a depression battery warning too. Shame .. I was precisely starting to move inwards the spirit again! Will brand to a greater extent than of an endeavour side past times side year. Hopefully amongst a novel camera. These photos are taken amongst an one-time Panasonic Lumix G1 which has seen amend days. The focus is a combat dodgy in addition to it has a maximum aperture of exclusively f/3.5 which is non ideal for portraits. Anyway, I was glad to stimulate got made the endeavour on this finally morning.

One to a greater extent than painting demo ... Sui Boon Tong shrine seems to stimulate got an axe fetish. H5N1 grouping of nine Ma Song (1 for each of the emperor gods?) were all walking together slicing themselves. Sorry almost the blood!

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

The Sui Boon Tong procession was on Oct 9th, the finally of the morn processions. The large crazy concluding nighttime procession through Phuket Town took identify the same night, but due to a combination of pelting in addition to laziness I decided to skip it this year. Next year's dates are 19th - 29th Oct 2017. The festival is based on the lunar calendar so the dates modify every year. See y'all there!

Related posts on Jamie's Phuket

The Hungry Ghost Festival


 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Street procession inwards Kathu on Oct 3rd

Although I was feeling likewise lazy for the morn processions, I did care to consummate nine days of vegan nutrient in addition to no alcohol. nine days amongst no beer is a combat of a miracle! Food stalls in addition to restaurants sell vegan (เจ) nutrient all over the island, though it's difficult to abide by inwards some parts. But I alive inwards Kathu, which is said to endure where the festival originated, in addition to nosotros tin crusade into Phuket Town inwards 10-15 minutes in addition to that's the pump of the festival. Where I move at Karon beach it's trickier to abide by this food, but ane eating theater reverse Karon post component is e'er opened upward during the festival. H5N1 few photos below of my nutrient during the festival ...

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

On Fri it was the Jui Tui Shrine procession, which is ordinarily the biggest. I did laid my warning for 5:45am, but afterwards waking upward decided to reset the warning for 8am. Extreme laziness. But on Sat eighth October, I was upward in addition to awake fifty-fifty before for the Kathu Shrine procession. The shrine is exclusively a few minutes crusade from our house, so .. no excuses! To run across all that goes on, it's best to larn inwards at Kathu shrine before 6am.



(above) The video shows Ma Song ("entranced horses") before they caput exterior the shrine for confront piercing. I stimulate got e'er wondered .. are they acting? But acting to who? There's no crowd of tourists here. They are non existence paid. And they stimulate got been doing this for many years, since mode before Phuket was a good known place.

Outside the shrine, confront piercing takes identify in addition to Ma Song sit down getting pierced or waiting for the procession to begin. This all happens before almost 6:30am.

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Getting pierced at Kathu Shrine, eighth Oct 2016.

And so the procession heads off. The pierced Ma Song along amongst other Ma Song who are non pierced but accept on the persona of one-time men or immature girls (there are manful individual in addition to woman individual Ma Song) caput off start inwards no detail order. They are followed past times teams of immature men carrying statues of the gods along amongst lots of firecrackers again. And past times 7am the procession has left Kathu hamlet in addition to everyone walks into Phuket Town - quite a hike, almost 10km AND they walk dorsum too! The furnish to Kathu happens at almost 11am accompanied past times yet some other explosion of firecrackers.

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Procession through Kathu village

I had thought of next the procession into Phuket Town, but went domicile for java instead :)

However, to brand upward for this I was upward early ane time to a greater extent than the side past times side day. The finally procession inwards Phuket Town, on the finally twenty-four hr current of the festival, starts from Sui Boon Tong shrine which is closed to the large Jui Tui shrine. I had never seen this detail procession before in addition to it was on this morn that I started to taste the festival again. I was on the street exterior the shrine non long afterwards 7am in addition to had fourth dimension to purchase some breakfast in addition to an iced tea. This ane does non start likewise early! The diverse Ma Song were inwards the street, by in addition to large sitting down, in addition to the immature guys amongst their god-chariots were waiting to follow at the bring upward of the procession.

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Ma Song approbation a squad of god carriers

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) The Sui Boon Tong shrine has many woman individual Ma Song, most of whom are costless of confront piercings.

Starting at the shrine I was able to walk along amongst the procession. I don't similar to precisely stand upward past times the side of the route - difficult to larn photos from that position. I wanted to larn some photos showing the Ma Song approbation people along the route of the procession. People gear upward shrines exterior their houses or businesses. And many of the woman individual Ma Song halt to bless children in addition to laissez passer them candies or necktie a string closed to their wrist. Older people also tend to have enough of blessings.

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Blessings along the procession route.

This is the less bloody side to the festival processions! The devotees who larn most attending from photographers are those amongst bizarre piercings. The confront in addition to torso piercings tin endure uncomplicated skewers or larger items similar swords, or guns, or .. well, over the years I stimulate got seen anything from bicycles to tree branches. Is that a combat silly? H5N1 combat non-traditional? Do they precisely desire to larn their faces inwards the papers? Here's a few of the pierced faces from the Sui Boon Tong procession ...

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Oh yes in addition to some pierced tongues too. This piercing sure divides opinion. Some people (like me) abide by the festival fascinating. Some people can't grasp the thought that some other civilization exists amongst one-time traditions that don't fit their ain ideas. Three thank y'all for diversity. I walked amongst the procession downwards a twosome of streets that I'd never actually walked before in addition to so into the pump of town. It was non a moisture morning, in addition to the Sun was up. I was hot in addition to thirsty past times 8am. Imagine doing this long walk amongst swords inwards your confront or carrying a heavy statue!

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

(above) Ma Song stopping to bless people exterior their homes

And forthwith for a small-scale video all almost firecrackers ... H5N1 twosome of Ma Song at the forepart of the procession, in addition to so some of the activity amongst the gods existence carried through the streets.



The firecracker activity at the bring upward of the processions has move my favourite part! I similar to larn closed in addition to larn covered inwards debris. The vibrations in addition to smoke tin endure pretty intense.

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

I would stimulate got stayed longer, but my photographic television receiver camera battery ran out. I had a spare .. inwards the car, which was parked a twosome of kilometers away. And the weep upward was giving me a depression battery warning too. Shame .. I was precisely starting to move inwards the spirit again! Will brand to a greater extent than of an endeavour side past times side year. Hopefully amongst a novel camera. These photos are taken amongst an one-time Panasonic Lumix G1 which has seen amend days. The focus is a combat dodgy in addition to it has a maximum aperture of exclusively f/3.5 which is non ideal for portraits. Anyway, I was glad to stimulate got made the endeavour on this finally morning.

One to a greater extent than painting demo ... Sui Boon Tong shrine seems to stimulate got an axe fetish. H5N1 grouping of nine Ma Song (1 for each of the emperor gods?) were all walking together slicing themselves. Sorry almost the blood!

 vegetarian festival was on from the nighttime of  Bangkok Thailand Place should to visiting:  Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016

The Sui Boon Tong procession was on Oct 9th, the finally of the morn processions. The large crazy concluding nighttime procession through Phuket Town took identify the same night, but due to a combination of pelting in addition to laziness I decided to skip it this year. Next year's dates are 19th - 29th Oct 2017. The festival is based on the lunar calendar so the dates modify every year. See y'all there!

Related posts on Jamie's Phuket

More Phuket Festivals
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