Phuket Vegetarian Festival officially announced

[webfact]

 

By Goongnang Suksawat

 

Phuket – The annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival was officially announced which will be held for nine days from September 26th to October 4th.

 

The press conference held yesterday (September 20th) at the Jui Tui Shrine in Phuket Town was led by the Phuket Governor Naroong Woonciew.

 

The Vegetarian Festival is also known as ‘Jia Chai’. The festival takes place from the 1st to the 9th night of the waxing moon in the Chinese calendar.

 

Full story: https://thephuketexpress.com/2022/09/21/phuket-vegetarian-festival-officially-announced/

 

-- © Copyright The Phuket Express 2022-09-22

 

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[skatewash]

Guide to the Vegetarian Festival (also known as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival) published by the Tourist Authority of Thailand every year about one week in advance of the festival.  The guide doesn't load immediately but takes a minute or so.

https://issuu.com/phuket.inzpire/docs/phuket_vegetarian_2022_eng_

In addition the  Go Teng poles (tall poles found at almost all Chinese Shrines on Phuket) are raised the day before the festival begins 25 September (Sunday) and lowered the day after the festival ends on 5 October (Wednesday).  The Go Teng poles are raised to allow the Nine Emperor Gods to descend to earth to participate in the festival.  Generally, the raising occurs in the late afternoon as does the lowering.  The lowering usually involves the burning of all the prayers made on paper used during the festival, it's usually a large bonfire.  My experience in previous years is at the Kathu Shrine, but I believe any of the big shrines Jui Tui, Bang Liao, and many of the smaller shrines do the same.

For those concerned with how the Nine Emperor Gods get back to heaven, they just sail away across the water after having been carried through the streets of Phuket Town accompanied by a huge quantity of firecrackers.  The Phuket Town shrines finish at the Chinese Shrine at the end of Saphan Hin Park very late (midnight or so) on the last night of the festival 4 October (Tuesday).

Edited September 22, 2022 by skatewash

[bendejo]

I always enjoyed eating during this festival, they come up with all these convincing meat substitutes that you may not see much of during the rest of the year (unless you cook your own, cor).  Even in a small town a lunch cafe will open up for only the month or so of the festival.  Definite Chinese influence to the food.

 

 

 

[Skeptic7]

My fave dining out time of year. ????????????