The procession, which began at 7am, is a key event of the festival, known as "Iu Keng," where participants honour the Nine Emperor Gods by parading images of the deities through the streets.
The Jui Tui Shrine, located on Ranong Rd, is one of the most prominent Chinese Shrines in the province and boasts the largest number of spirit mediums, both men and women, who participate in the festival’s rituals.
The streets were lined with spectators eager to receive blessings and witness the dramatic displays. Spirit mediums, in a show of faith, pierced their cheeks and tongues with sharp objects, including blessed knives, swords and skewers, and legendary weapons. Some participants also bathed in oil, a ritual believed to transfer bad luck away from those observing the festival’s vegetarian principles.
The procession wound along various roads in Phuket Town, eventually reaching Saphan Hin, where a ceremony using incense and candle smoke was held to invite the gods back to the shrine.
At Suriyadet Circle, local residents and tourists added to the spectacle by setting off firecrackers, a traditional gesture to welcome the gods.
The procession included various palanquins carrying images of gods, led by flags and ceremonial signs, as well as Chinese umbrellas.
The street processions continue tomorrow (Oct 10) with another major procession set to take place from Kathu Shrine, the oldest shrine in Phuket and the historical origin of the annual Vegetarian Festival, starting at 6:45am.
Other street processions to be held tomorrow include:
- Thung Thong Shrine, 6:45am
- Jong Nghi Tong Shrine, 8:00am
- Lee Ong Tong Tha Chatchai Shrine (moo baan), 3:15pm
- Ngore Choon Gend Baanya Shrine (moo baan), 4:30am
The day will conclude with a Koi Han ceremony at Jui Tui Shrine to ward off bad luck.
The fire walking rituals and ‘bridge crossing’ rituals will also continue, as follows:
Bridge crossing ritual:
- Baan Kian Shrine, 7:45pm
- Thung Thong Shrine, 7:45pm
- Jui Tui Shrine, 8:00pm
- Bu Seng Toon Shrine, 8:30pm
- Giw Aong Tai Tea Shrine, 8:39pm
Fire walking:
- Bang Liao Shrine, 8:00pm
- Lim Hu Tai Shrine, 8:15pm
- Jchoor Su Gong Naka Shrine, 8:30pm
- Seng Leng Tong, 8:30pm
- Cherng Talay Shrine, 8:30pm
- Tae Gun Tai Tae Shrine, 8:30pm
- Gim Su Ong Kang Shrine, 9:00pm
- Tai Seng Oud Jor Shrine, 9:00pm
- This year’s festival will draw to a close on Friday (Oct 11) with the traditional farewell ritual at Saphan Hin at midnight to invite the Jade Emperor and the Nine Emperor Gods to return to the Heavens.
Thousands of people line the streets of Phuket Town each year for the final night of the nine-day festival as each participating shrine carries the images of their respective gods to the farewell ritual, complete with a blaze of firecrackers to ward off evil spirits en route.
Traffic is diverted away from all procession routes as the final parades take place.
The festival will conclude with the lowering of the Go Teng poles on Saturday (Oct 12).
For the full ‘Official schedule for the Phuket Vegetarian Festival’, click here.