Phuket Vegetarian Festival draws more than 650,000 and B9 billion in spending
Tourism Authority of Thailand data cited in a 23 October report showed strong tourism and retail activity during Phuket’s nine-day Vegetarian Festival.
The Phuket Vegetarian Festival (เจี๊ยะฉ่าย) attracted more than 650,000 participants and generated over B9 billion in spending during its nine-day run, according to Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) data cited in a report published on 23 October 2026.
Thai visitors contributed an estimated B1.43 billion to B2.339 billion, while hotel occupancy across Phuket reached 81%. Retail activity also increased, with major brands competing in the frozen vegetarian-food market and street-food vendors operating near major shrines, including Jui Tui Shrine.
Visitors from Malaysia and Singapore accounted for 82% of foreign attendees, according to the report. It also noted participation by foreign visitors staying in Phuket for about two weeks to one month.
The festival is regarded as an important source of tourism revenue as Phuket enters the fourth quarter, traditionally the start of the high season. Its religious ceremonies and processions have also helped establish it as a major cultural attraction.
The tradition is traced to the reign of King Rama III at Kathu Shrine, when the area was associated with tin mining. According to local legend, a Chinese opera troupe fell ill with a tropical disease and held a nine-day vegetarian observance dedicated to the Nine Emperor Gods. The performers recovered, and the practice was later continued as an annual tradition.
Key ceremonies include the raising of the Go Teng pole, fire-walking and the Go Han ritual. The festival concludes with a ceremony sending the gods back at Saphan Hin, accompanied by firecrackers. Processions, known as Iu Keng, vary between shrines and form a prominent part of the event.
Separate figures from the TAT Phuket office showed that the province received 10.25 million visitors from January to September 2026, a decrease of 1.57%. Thai visitors numbered 2.64 million, up 0.89%, while foreign visitors totalled 7.60 million, down 2.40%. Tourism revenue for the period was B399 billion, a decrease of 1%.
The TAT Phuket office said Phuket remained a popular destination despite the slight slowdown in overall visitor numbers.
