Hundreds of Ma Song (spirit mediums) took part, showing their pain-absolving possession abilities with a variety of implements impaled through their faces, from traditional blessed skewers to Samurai swords, grass shears, tridents and even garden gnome set and handguns.
The biggest street procession scheduled for the festival is to depart Jui Tui Shrine in Phuket Town at 6:45am tomorrow (Oct 7). The procession is expected to feature the largest number of Ma Song and devotees, winding their way through Phuket Town.
The procession will start at Jui Tui Shrine on Ranong Rd and head west onto Wichit Songkram Rd before turning back onto Krabi Rd then turning right onto Thepkrasattri Rd and meandering its way to Saphan Hin and back to conclude at Jui Tui Shrine. (See map.)
Each night, from tonight through to the last night of the festival on Sunday (Oct 9), there will be fire-walking rituals at many shrines across the island.
Also to be held among the night festivities will be bladed-ladder climbing at Bang Neow, Cheng Talay, Jen Ong and Samkong Shrines from tomorrow (Oct 7) through Sunday night (Oct 9).
For the full schedule of events for the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, click here.