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Sirachai Shin
Arunrugstichai
p h o t o j o u r n a l i s t
Phuket Vegetarian Festival
 Devotees from the Chinese Guan Yu shrine with a religious statue among the smoke and debris from exploding firecrackers during the street procession on the streets of Ta Kua Pa, Phang Nga. |  A group of devotees from the Chinese Guan Yu shrine carries a religious statue through barrage of exploding firecrackers during the night on the streets of Ta Kua Pa. |  Devotees gets into the state of trance in front of the worshipping altar in the Jui Tui Chinese shrine of Phuket. |
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 Devotees in the state of trance, which their bodies are traditionally believed to be the vessel called “Ma Song” for the Chinese gods. |  A "Ma Song" of with his cheeks pierced with metal instrument by fellow devotees prior the street procession of the vegetarian festival. |  A "Ma Song" with his mouth pierced with many needles in the Chinese Jui Tui shrine during the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket. |
 Devotees of the Chinese Jui Tui shrine carry a religious statue through exploding firecrackers along the streets of Phuket during the annual vegetarian festival. |  A "Ma Song" of a Chinese shrine with his mouth pierced with 2 umbrellas during the street procession on the streets of Phuket for the vegetarian festival. |  Pedestrians present offerings to a “Ma Song”, one of the devotees from the shrine who are traditionally believed to be the vessels of the Chinese gods, who gives them blessings in return. |
 A female "Ma Song" of the Chinese Sui Bun Tong Shrine with her mouth pierced with needles during the celebration of the annual vegetarian festival. |  A “Ma Song” performs a firewalking ceremony during the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket. |  A Chinese religious statue being carried through exploding firecrackers by the devotees of the chinese shrine along the streets during the annual vegetarian festival. |
Explosion, Mutilation, and Devotion, unusual religious rituals are performed during the annual Vegetarian Festival, which is celebrated by the Thai Chinese community in Phang-Nga and Phuket to display their faith in their beliefs and traditions.
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