Vegetarian Festival Is Quite Meaty
The 2016 Vegetarian Festival was held from 30 September to 10 October 2016. The dates change every year, as it’s based on the Chinese lunar calendar. In 2017 the date will be 19–29 October.
Swords, axe handles, kebab skewers and even a model boat were among the bizarre array of objects pushed through devotees’ cheeks as southern Thailand’s gruesome vegetarian festival got under way. Many Chinese communities across Southeast Asia go vegetarian this week for the annual Taoist “Nine Emperor Gods” festival but few do it with quite the gusto and shock factor of Phuket’s inhabitants.
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A devotee of the Chinese Ban Tha Rue takes part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 5, 2016. REUTERS/Jorge Silva[/caption]
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A devotee of the Chinese Ban Tha Rue shrine with piercings of stems at her face take part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 5, 2016 . REUTERS/Jorge Silva[/caption]
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A devotee of the Chinese Ban Tha Rue shrine with tongue and face pierced takes part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 5, 2016. REUTERS/Jorge Silva[/caption]
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A devotee of the Chinese Ban Tha Rue shrine with piercings at her face takes part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand, October 5, 2016 . REUTERS/Jorge Silva[/caption]
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Devotees of the Chinese Ban Tha Rue shrine react while firecrackers explode behind them as they take part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand, October 5, 2016 . REUTERS/Jorge Silva[/caption]
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A devotee of the Chinese Samkong Shrine walks with two umbrellas pierced on his face during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 4, 2016. REUTERS/Jorge Silva[/caption]
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A devotee of the Chinese Samkong Shrine walks with piercings on his mouth during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 4, 2016. REUTERS/Jorge Silva[/caption]
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A devotee of the Chinese Samkong Shrine walks with a bike pierced on his mouth during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 4, 2016. REUTERS/Jorge Silva TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY[/caption]
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A devotee of the Chinese Samkong Shrine walks with two revolvers pierced in his mouth during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand Octuber 4, 2016. REUTERS/Jorge Silva TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY[/caption]
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A devotee of the Chinese Samkong Shrine with spikes pierced through his cheeks takes part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand, October 4, 2016 . REUTERS/Jorge Silva[/caption]
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A devotee of the Chinese Samkong Shrine pierces his tongue during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 4, 2016. REUTERS/Jorge Silva[/caption]
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Devotees of the Chinese Ban Tha Rue take part in celebrations of the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 5, 2016 . REUTERS/Jorge Silva[/caption]
