Phuket Vegetarian Festival processions draw crowds on day eight
Processions from Kathu and Yok Ke Keng shrines set out early on 17 October, drawing residents and tourists along the route to Laem Saphan Hin.
Processions from two Phuket shrines drew residents and Thai and international visitors on 17 October as the 2026 Phuket Vegetarian Festival entered its eighth day.
The Iw Keng ceremony, also known as the procession of the deities around the city, was held by Kathu Shrine and Yok Ke Keng Shrine, also known as Soi Phaniang or Sam Kong Shrine.
The Kathu procession left at 6.30am, followed by the Yok Ke Keng procession at 6.45am. Both travelled through Phuket town towards the Laem Saphan Hin area.
The processions included flags, shrine-name banners, palanquins carrying images of deities, Chinese parasols and a large palanquin described as the seat of Kiu Ong Tai Teh. Ma song participants also took part in the rituals.
Residents and tourists gathered along the route, while homes and businesses prepared offering tables for the procession. Participants knelt to receive blessings and set off firecrackers as the parade passed.
The Iw Keng ceremony is traditionally understood by devotees as a journey by Kiu Ong Tai Teh to visit and bless the people, bringing happiness and prosperity.
Kathu Shrine, in Kathu district, is regarded as the birthplace of Phuket’s Vegetarian Festival. A historical account passed down about the shrine places its origins around 1825, during the reign of King Rama III, when tin mining was widespread in Kathu. The account says a Chinese opera troupe fell ill during an outbreak of disease, then held a vegetarian ritual after recalling that it had not followed the custom. The troupe and local residents were believed to have recovered, and the practice was continued.
Yok Ke Keng Shrine is at 109/99 Moo 5 in Ratsada, Phuket district. The site was formerly low-lying farmland and a raised area beneath a banyan tree before the Soi Phaniang community expanded and local Thai-Chinese residents developed the shrine as a centre of worship.
The next Iw Keng procession identified in the report is scheduled for 18 October and will be held by Sui Boon Tong Shrine, also known as Lor Rong Shrine.
