Organisers delighted as veggie festival approved

PHUKET: The island’s famous vegetarian festival will go ahead this year after organisers promised strict enforcement of social distancing principles to help prevent the resurgence of Covid-19.

Provincial governor Narong Woonsiew said the authorities and organisers agreed yesterday the annual celebration could be held from Oct 17-25.

Mr Narong said the event was important among Chinese Buddhists, who worship their nine gods in the ninth month of the lunar year.

He insisted, however, that it would be held under strict measures to curb the pandemic, ensuring a healthy environment for those attending while maintaining a ceremony which has long been part of the province’s identity and a tourist attraction.

The governor has also struck an agreement with the Chinese shrines hosting the festival, asking them to help prevent spread of the communicable disease.

Festival organiser Prasert Fukthongphol thanked the province for giving the green light for the annual procession and fair to go ahead and vowed appropriate measures would be taken.

Thousands of celebrants converge on Phuket each year for the colourful event, one of the most popular vegetarian festivals in the country.

Devotees of the Hindu god Shiva give up meat for the festival and some practise self-mutilation, piercing their cheeks with swords, some walking on hot coals and others climbing ladders made of knife blades.

This year’s celebration will be the first festival to be held on the resort island since the coronavirus pandemic began.

The kingdom has recorded 3,516 cases of Covid-19 and Phuket, with 227, is the second hardest hit, after Bangkok, which has so far registered 1,557 infections.