Vegetarian Festival

The Vegetarian Festival is a religious festival that takes place every year in late September / early October in the southern Thai city of Phuket. The nine public holidays always fall on the first nine days of the ninth month in Chinese calendar. The festival is celebrated mainly by the Chinese-born population of Phuket. During the Vegetarian Festival is not eaten meat and intoxicating stimulants dispensed with, which is the belief by the strengthening of health and peace of mind. The origins of the festival are not fully understood. It is assumed that the ceremonies are from Chinese theater groups that previously visited the area. During the holidays a touch of colorful processions through the streets of the city that attract a large number of non-religious visitors. Cause a stir the participants through the implementation of various traditional body modifications such as piercing the cheeks with sharp objects.