Thailand holds grand celebrations of Vegetarian Festival across the country today

[rooster59]

Thailand holds grand celebrations of Vegetarian Festival across the country today

 

Thailand today started celebrating the 9-day vegetarian festival with several provinces making the event colourful and impressive to attract tourists.

 

Highlight of the festival celebration in Bangkok is at Yaowarat or Chinatown where there will be dragon dance, and processions of divine images from 22 Chinese shrines in the capital.

 

This spectacular procession will comprise floral floats and divine images that marks the grand opening of the festival along Yaowarat road in Bangkok’s Chinatown.

 

There is also a colourful ceremony to choose a local girl to represent Guan Yin or the Goddess of Mercy.

 

According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Yaowarat vegetarian festival showcases the traditional vegetarian diet for the purposes of spiritual cleansing and gives the chance to do some merit-making with the locals.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/thailand-holds-grand-celebrations-vegetarian-festival-across-country-today/

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2016-10-01

 

[clockman]

With a side dish, care of Monsanto!

[Brer Fox]

I expect many people will have a great time at this festival. However for me, as much as I like most of Thai culture, the last thing on earth I would want to attend is a vegetarian feed with dancing dragons and images of 22 temples. The only reason I might be tempted to front up would be if I had the job of choosing the local goddess, even then I doubt that would be enough to get me there. I don't want to sound a spoil sport and I hope everyone who attends enjoys themselves. Each to their own.

[SaintLouisBlues]

Frankly I thought this festival was what was being meant when I read about "organic" laws in other posts

[eliotness]

Very trendy for the Bangkok elite, but for the ordinary people it's not something that is even considered.  Not only in Thailand, but everywhere in the world what you eat depends on available income.

[HerbalEd]

23 minutes ago, eliotness said:

Very trendy for the Bangkok elite, but for the ordinary people it's not something that is even considered.  Not only in Thailand, but everywhere in the world what you eat depends on available income.

You obviously know nothing of Indian culture. There are millions of multi-generational vegetarians there ... and most of them are poor.

[fruitman]

26 minutes ago, eliotness said:

Very trendy for the Bangkok elite, but for the ordinary people it's not something that is even considered.  Not only in Thailand, but everywhere in the world what you eat depends on available income.

 

Is this the same as the buddhist vegetarian days? When that's going on my favorit take-away restaurants won't even sell any meat at all so i won't visit them next 2 weeks to be sure.

[HerbalEd]

40 minutes ago, fruitman said:

 

Is this the same as the buddhist vegetarian days? When that's going on my favorit take-away restaurants won't even sell any meat at all so i won't visit them next 2 weeks to be sure.

Are you unable to eat a non-meat meal? Not that you have to eat veggie for the two weeks, but I'm betting your favorite take-away restaurant is putting out some great veggie dishes during that time. Open your mind a bit, and then open your mouth to something new. You may actually like it.

[fruitman]

48 minutes ago, HerbalEd said:

Are you unable to eat a non-meat meal? Not that you have to eat veggie for the two weeks, but I'm betting your favorite take-away restaurant is putting out some great veggie dishes during that time. Open your mind a bit, and then open your mouth to something new. You may actually like it.

 

I just don't like vegy meals and want meat or fish. During that buddhist vegyperiod they don't sell any meatdishes so i go boycot them. I am old enough to make my own decions and need meat for energy because i don't sit on my butt all day.

[KMartinHandyman]

Very trendy for the Bangkok elite, but for the ordinary people it's not something that is even considered.  Not only in Thailand, but everywhere in the world what you eat depends on available income.

It's 10:30 at night and 2 shops over a local entrepreneur is putting more touches on a pop-up shop he opened this morning solely to sell this food to normal, non-elite Thais who observe this 9 day period. It was quite busy today and we're in a small city in Issan.