Veggie Fest

[unsuredebra]

Hello.

I hav found details on phuket gazette where each temple is involved and then the procession in Phuket Town.

Can anyone please tell me what route the procession takes in the town and where it ends, this is my 3rd veggie fest and never got to see the procession yet as it will be hard to park so prob need to walk a bit too.

Most processions start about 7am, but what time do they get to town on average for anyone that has been before, all help very much appriciated

Thank you

Debra

[SamKong]

i've had trouble finding procession routes as well this year. however, if you consider that each procession starts at the shrine and heads towards saphan hin, that should give you a good idea of where they might be. most shrines are in town anyways so just go to the shrine before 7am and you'll see them start their journey.

jui tui does do a round-about route as it's so close to saphan hin

[HDRIDER]

Just go after a crowd in white dress, for me i don't like that time of year, they stop the traffic and run around with swords and stuff sticking out of their chins, don't like looking at it.

[BillR]

I think Ive seen 2 in rawai at about 8am. No swords or anything, but blocking traffic. a few of them came towards me with a tree with money on it so i did a 180

[KarenBravo]

I think if there are rows of Chinese yellow flags along the road, then that is part of the route.

[unsuredebra]

Thank you for replying, I am going to have a wander around 2morrow or sunday and go to one of the shrines, got plenty of days to catch some of the people with things thru their mouths..

[mrjohn]

This website should tell you most of what you need to know

http://www.phuketvegetarian.com/index_eg.htm

It is a superb event, an anarchic riot of colour, outrageous costume, sensational piercings and serious noise!!

Most of the processions start early in the morning, and most, if not all, end up at Saphan Hin.

To my mind it's worth getting up early, since the weather is pleasantly cool at that time.

The biggest, and most spectacular one is on the last Saturday morning.

The roundabout just south of the immigration office is a good and easily accessible vantage point, although the streets of the old town are more atmospheric. Another good spot, is the clocktower roundabout.

Most of the Chinese temples stage bizarre evening events such as firewalking and bladed ladder climbing.

There is also a major procession on the last night,when the whole town resembles a war zone.

Don't take too much notice of the killjoys that tell you it's nonsense or not worthwhile, most of them have never got their backsides off a barstool in time to go and see it.

[HDRIDER]

Don't take too much notice of the killjoys that tell you it's nonsense or not worthwhile, most of them have never got their backsides off a barstool in time to go and see it.

I have seen it and i think its crap, i really hate when they stop the traffic and try to get money from people, if they cant afford to be in it for 9 days without trying to get money from everybody they should stay home, BTW i dont drink that much and i am up early every morning Mr.

[TaoNow]

Having witnessed the past two seasons of the so-called vegetarian festival in Phuket, I intend to stay away this year for the following reasons: 1) This festival is really not about eating good vegetarian food. It is about not eating meat for 10 days as part of a purification regime. If the festival had genuine vegetarian food, for example, as that eaten in India with choice mixtures of legumes and grains, then it truly would be a gastronomic event worth staying for. As it is, most of the restaurants offering "vegetarian" food simply do stir-fry without the meat. Worse, they mold pieces of soy into the shape of meatballs and sliced meat to help the worshipers not miss meat so much. Finally, many of the really good, inexpensive Phuket town restaurants close during the festival making it even harder to get a quality meal. 2) The practice of impaling oneself with any number of sharps and sticks is grotesque, and contrary to the Thai cultural value of gentleness and the Buddhist precept of not harming life. I have seen these Mah Song several days after the festival and they have terrible scars and infected wounds in their cheeks, which are clearly painful and injurious. No tourist should come to Phuket to witness such self-inflicted violence. 3) Normally, Phuket is quiet and peaceful. Except during the 10 days of the festival when firecrackers are set off at all hours of the day and night -- with special intent to create the maximum noise (in order to waken the spirits?). 4) Finally, the festival is very clanish. it emphasizes the Chinese sub-community of Phuket at the general exclusion of foreigners and non-relatives of the practitioners. Unlike Songran (or Mardi Gras in New Orleans, or Carnivale in Brazil) the vegetarian festival does not encourage participation by the visitor. Families go together dressed in white and pay their respects to the shrines and Mah Song. There is no place for the tourist or non-practioner resident other than to gawk. So, for the one period of time during the year when this otherwise tropical paradise is uninhabitable, I will leave Phuket and head north for some peace, quiet, friendly people, and good food.

[markg]

I would echo TaoNow's points to a certain extent WITHOUT WISHING TO BE A KILLJOY !

I've been to the last 6 Veg Fests and will also go to this one for some of it.

From a tourist point of view, it's definitely a spectacle of noise and colour, and it's very possibly an event that is unique in the world. So for that alone, it's worth seeing.

As a vegetarian living in Phuket though, it certainly does nothing to educate or promote vegetarianism. For example, most Thai's think i'm veggie because i'm on some sort of religious penance of purification, and can't understand why i can drink alcohol. Secondly, the food, as TaoNow points out, is crap. Stir fried nibbles and little else. People ask me how i can eat that rubbish every day...................well, the answer of course is that i dont !

The permanent veggie restaurants near to the Jui Tui temple serve a huge VARIETY of vegan food every day and it's just a shame that the great majority of people don't see it, but rather see the stir fried finger-food that is on offer only.

The last day's procession can be a bit dangerous as people are throwing fireworks at each other.......

Be careful, be sensible, and enjoy the atmosphere, oh - and try to go INTO some of the veggie restaurants for a sit down meal instead of nibbling veggie street food. You just may be surprised !

[unsuredebra]

Well, tomorrow we may head to Sapam Hin, although this may sound silly, I also feel like I would be intruding, but it is something that I really want to see and who knows could be my last chance just incase we are not here next year.

I like seeing people around enjoying their festivals, not necessary all this body piecing etc, but people, smiling, laughing and happy and talking part in what they believe in, even tho it is a big money maker, a bit like our Christmas!! lol..

If we find out way ok, then we will go for the not to be missed as said in Phuketgazette, the big Shrine in Town.

I did go in the evening one with my daughter in Law and Son two years, and last year we watched the walking on coals, got a bit of a shock as an old man feel on the coals as they were not packed up properly, but never done the procession.

Thank you once again for replying.

And thanks for the link MrJohn

[amyb]

debra, go to surin circle in phuket town. this is where the thick of it is. the phuket vegetarian website isn't as up-to-date as the gazette was this year. check out the events in baan sapam if you can. and saturday night's events at saphan hin are always fun.