The Phuket Vegetarian Festival scheduled for 18-26 October this year. Activities include fire walking, the offering of food to the gods and street processions of self-mutilating entranced devotees will also be taking place at different shrines around Phuket. Despite how grizzly it sounds, the festival is expected to attract over half a million spectators this year.

Some of the attendees perform self torture in order to shift ‘evil’ from individuals to themselves and bring the community good luck.

Yuthit Limnakul of the Tourism Authority of Thailand said, “The festival is for everyone and everyone can come and join in and have fun.”

Read more: Phuket Post

Phuket Post