The festival, known for its rich cultural significance and unique rituals, will feature various ceremonies, including a special blessings to His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn on the second day of the festival, next Friday (Oct 4).
The first part of the ceremony will take place at 4pm at the Dragon Statue at Queen Sirikit Park, with Minister of Industry Ekkanat Promphan leading the event. The second part of the ceremony will occur at 6:30pm at the Saphan Hin central stage, with Minister of Culture Sudawan Wangsupakitchkosol presiding.
Preparations extend beyond the main events, Vice Governor Adul explained. Officials have implemented plans for traffic management, security, public health and spirit medium (mah son) control.
Emphasis has been placed on maintaining cleanliness and hygiene at the shrines and food stalls, with strict oversight of fireworks and firecrackers. Businesses across the island are also being monitored to ensure fair pricing, and city officials are committed to keeping the streets clean and organised post-festival.
The festival’s vibrant atmosphere is already taking shape across Phuket, with streets adorned with symbolic yellow flags, shrines undergoing intensive cleaning, and vegetarian restaurants preparing for the influx of locals and tourists. Popular city landmarks, such as the clocktower roundabout and key intersections, have been decorated to provide picturesque check-in spots for visitors.
One of the festival’s iconic traditions, the raising of the Ko Teng pole (the nine lantern poles), will take place at participating shrines at sunset on Wednesday (Oct 2), marking the official start of this year’s festival. Throughout the festival, shrines will host sacred processions and ceremonies, with spirit mediums performing rituals to bless attendees.
This year’s Phuket Vegetarian Festival is expected to attract over 8,000 visitors per day, with nearly 50 shrines across the province ready to welcome participants. Local officials anticipate a significant boost to Phuket’s economy as tourists flock to the island to witness the unique blend of culture, faith, and spectacle that the festival offers, said an official report of the preparations.
The Phuket Vegetarian Festival, which abstains from meat consumption and focuses on purification rituals, has been a cornerstone of the province’s Thai-Chinese heritage for generations. It not only highlights the unity and faith of the local community but also serves as a powerful draw for tourists from around the world, the report concluded.