Mah Song and devotees from the shrine assembled in front of Makro on Wichit Songkram Rd in Kathu before heading east towards and into the heart of Phuket Town.
Thousands of people turned out to watch the event, with the processions especially welcomed to the Phuket Old Town area as it made its way along Phang Nga Rd, Ratsada Rd, Thalang Rd, and Phuket Rd, before it continued to Saphan Hin.
Other shrines observing street processions today included:
- Yok Kae Keng Shrine (Soi Paniang - Samkong/Ratsada) - 6am
- Guan Yu Shrine (Baan Nabon) - 7am
- Hai Yian Geng Shrine (Baan Mai Khao) - 7am
- Jong Nghi Tong Shrine (near Tonsai Waterfall, Pa Khlok) - 8am
- Lee Ong Tong Shrine (Tha Chatchai) - 3pm
The last of the daily street processions will be held tomorrow (Oct 4), as follows:
- Ngor Hian Tai Tae Shrine (Baan Kian) - 7:45am
- Sui Boon Tong Shrine (Lorong shrine, Phuket Town) - 8am
- Bang Koo Shrine - 8am
The Phuket Vegetarian Festival will conclude with a mass ceremony at Saphan Hin at midnight tomorrow night.
From 10pm all the main shrines taking part in the festival will stage their final processions along the streets of Phuket Town as they head to Saphan Hin, with the main streets near Saphan Hin closed to traffic while the processions continue.
The final ceremony, marked by a blaze of firecrackers and concluding with a hail of fireworks at midnight, marks the call for the Jade Emperor to return to the heavens as the annual festival nears its conclusion.
All participating shrines will lower their Go Teng poles at sunset on Wednesday (Oct 5), marking the end this year’s festival.