Phuket Vegetarian Festival

One of the Most Spectacular Festivals in Thailand

📖 Origins of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival

The Phuket Vegetarian Festival, locally known as “Jia Chai”, traces its roots back to the 19th century when Chinese Hokkien immigrants settled in Phuket to work in the tin mining industry. They brought with them the tradition of observing a “Nine-Day Vegetarian Fast,” which has since evolved into one of Phuket’s most significant and revered cultural celebrations.

This festival takes place annually during the 1st to 9th day of the 9th lunar month in the Chinese calendar, typically around September to October.

🕯 Beliefs and Purpose of the Festival

The festival is centered around the abstinence from meat to purify the body and mind. Participants also worship the Nine Emperor Gods, based on Taoist and Mahayana Buddhist traditions. The principal deity is “Kiu Ong Tai Te”, or the Nine Emperor Gods, who are believed to descend and reside at local shrines across Phuket during the festival.

Locals traditionally:

• Wear white clothing

• Abstain from meat, alcohol, and impure behavior

• Participate in sacred rituals and street processions to gain merit and blessings

📍 Major Shrines in the Festival

• Jui Tui Tao Bo Geng Shrine – The most prominent shrine with the largest procession

• Bang Neow Shrine (Chai Sian Geng)

• Kathu Shrine – The original shrine where the festival began

• Sarn Gong Shrine, Sapam Shrine, Bang Neow Shrine, and more than 20 local shrines around the island

🎎 Major Rituals and Activities

1. Invocation Ceremony (Raising the Go Teng Pole)

Marks the start of the festival. Large incense sticks are lit and the Nine Emperor Gods are invited to descend from the heavens.

2. Street Processions (Hae Phra)

Held during the day across Phuket Town. “Ma Song” (spirit mediums) parade through the streets while firecrackers are set off non-stop.

3. Self-Mortification Rituals by Ma Song

Ma Song demonstrate spiritual possession by piercing their bodies with sharp objects, walking across fire or on bladed ladders to absorb the bad karma of the community.

4. Farewell Ritual (Floating the Paper Boat)

On the final day, the gods are sent back to the heavens by floating a paper boat into the sea—commonly at Saphan Hin Park.

🍜 Phuket’s Vegetarian Food Scene

Traditional Phuket dishes are creatively adapted into vegetarian forms such as:

• Vegetarian Hokkien noodles

• Vegetarian Loba (fried mixed ingredients)

• Sticky rice with mock red pork

• Fried tofu

Vegetarian street markets pop up across the island, especially along Ranong Road, Downtown Market, and areas around major shrines.

💡 Tip: Vegetarian stalls are marked with a yellow flag featuring the red Thai word “เจ” (Jay).

🎭 Unique Highlights

• The largest vegetarian festival in Thailand

• Features the most intense and public spirit-medium rituals

• A mix of faith, trance, spiritual endurance, and Chinese heritage

• Draws tens of thousands of visitors from Thailand and abroad each year

📝 Tips for Participants

📸 Best Times to Visit

• Opening Day (1st day of the 9th lunar month) – Witness the invocation ceremony

• Main Procession Days – Especially at Jui Tui and Bang Neow Shrines

• Final Day (Farewell Ceremony) – A visually striking and spiritual event filled with light, sound, and deep emotion

🌍 Travel Notes

• Book accommodations at least one month in advance – hotels fill up quickly

• Expect street closures – Plan transport routes carefully

• Bring protective gear – masks for firecracker smoke, modest clothing for safety and respect

✨ Conclusion

The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is more than just a celebration of meatless meals.
It’s a deeply spiritual expression of faith, community, and cultural identity,
making it one of the most powerful cultural experiences in Asia that you should not miss.

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