When you think of Thai street food, it’s highly likely that your mind instantly flutters to stalls loaded with all kinds of meat – from duck, chicken, and mutton to seafood and even frogs and crocodiles! If you’re not someone who enjoys a meat-heavy diet or completely abstains from it, you might think Thailand isn’t the ideal place for you.
However, this culturally diverse country is home to the world’s largest vegetarian festival – Thesakan Kin Che! Yes, you read that right! A country that is most famous for its seafood and meat-heavy dishes hosts an annual vegetarian festival, also known as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, spanning nine days. What is this festival, and why is it so significant in Thailand? Here’s a complete and detailed guide for you!
Thailand Vegetarian Festival 2025: Origins, Rituals, Food Practices, Dates, And More
What Is The Thailand Vegetarian Festival?
Each year, the streets of Thailand erupt in a food festival and a celebration unlike any other during the ninth month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar. Called Thesakan Kin Che, this vegetarian festival is not just any food event, but a nine-day event advocating for self-control, purification, and community bonding.
As the name suggests, people participating in this nine-day festival abstain from all kinds of meat, including eggs, animal products, seafood, as well as alcoholic drinks. They also abstain from negative and inappropriate behavior as well as language.
Shrines are decorated and newly opened with a spirited zeal, welcoming devotees from all over Thailand. Various shrines also host vibrant processions throughout the city/town. In these nine days, followers of this festival pray to their deities for a prosperous, well-balanced, and healthy life.
Origins Of The Thailand Vegetarian Festival
The Thailand Vegetarian Festival, also known as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival 2025, has its roots in the Chinese community of Thailand, particularly that in Phuket.
This ritual reportedly began in the 1800s when a Chinese opera troupe performing for tin miners in Phuket suddenly fell ill with malaria. To get rid of this disease, the troupe performers abstained from meat and alcohol and followed a strict vegetarian diet. They prayed to the Nine Emperor Gods and eventually recovered from malaria.
The local Chinese community in Phuket, particularly the Peranakan Chinese, then decided to adopt this ritual as a way of thanksgiving to the Nine Emperor Gods in Taoist practices. Today, it has blended Taoist rituals with local Thai customs to give rise to a festival that is unique and a one-of-its-kind cultural experience.
Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2025: Key Rituals During The Nine Days
Shrines raise a tall ‘Go Teng’ pole on the first day of the festival, or sometimes in the evening before the festival begins. This pole symbolizes the arrival of the Nine Emperor Gods.
Over the course of the next nine days, devotees dress in pure white – a color associated with purity, divinity, and spirituality.
They completely abstain from meat, seafood, eggs, fish sauce, and even dairy products. They also avoid alcohol and practice good speech and behavior. The diet is so strict that even pungent vegetables like onion and garlic are not consumed during the nine days of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2025.
Devotees visit temples and shrines, offer incense and other offerings, and engage in spiritual activities like meditation, charity, and chanting.
Throughout the nine days, most shrines in Phuket as well as other cities like Bangkok, host colorful processions throughout the city. Devotees participate in these rituals wearing white, singing and dancing, and chanting spiritual mantras in honor of the Nine Emperor Gods.
They also engage in spiritual mutilation, a non-anaesthetic ritual where devotees enter a trance-like state and impale themselves or others through cheeks, arms, tongue, as well as stomach. Some also intentionally remove certain cyst-like tissues and stand near firecrackers as they are lit. The purpose of the same is believed to be to show veneration for their gods and prove their devotion towards them.
On the last day of the festival, devotees engage in a symbolic farewell to the Nine Emperor Gods as they are sent back via waterways.
Vegetarian Food And Food Practices During Nine Emperor Gods Festival 2025 Thailand
The food scene during Nine Emperor Gods Festival 2025 Thailand or Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2025 is simply a notch above the usual food scene in the country.
Vendors and food stall owners display yellow flags with the word เจ (jeh) written on it. This symbol indicates that the food sold there is completely safe for consumption during these nine days.
As mentioned earlier, food made during this festival is completely vegetarian and you’ll find no meat, eggs, or even dairy products! Devotees also abstain from fish sauce, garlic, onions, and strong spices as they’re believed to disrupt spiritual cleansing.
However, that doesn’t mean your taste buds will have to compromise! You’ll find many popular dishes like pink noodle soup, fried tofu, spring rolls, snacks made from taro root, as well as mock-meat dishes made from soy or tofu. Each food stall brims with the irresistible aroma of vegetarian delicacies, most of which are creatively made and served. If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, this food festival is about to be a food haven for you!
Thailand Vegetarian Festival 2025: When-Where And Tips
Dates: October 21 to October 29, 2025, in Phuket.
Key Locations: In Phuket Town, the festival is celebrated at major shrines like Jui Tui Shrine, Bang Neow Shrine, and Kathu Shrine.
Flights to Phuket in October: Direct 4 to 4.5 hour return journey flights starting from INR 20,000
Despite Phuket being the most famous venue for this festival, other cities such as Bangkok, Hat Yai, and Chiang Mai also host related vegetarian food events.
Here are some helpful tips for you if you’re attending this festival in Phuket:
- Begin your day by visiting some of the above-mentioned shrines. Try to visit them early in the morning as you’ll find fewer crowds compared to daytime and noon.
- Then you can sample delicious vegetarian food along the many street stalls and restaurants. Some shopping malls and stores also have vegetarian food festivals in Phuket, so watch out for those!
- Visit tourist attractions in Phuket like the plenty of beaches, the Big Buddha, Wat Chalong temple, and Old Phuket Town during your stay here.
- Use rented bikes, bike taxis, or cabs to commute in and around Phuket. However, if you’re navigating within temple complexes or street food lanes, walking is the best option.
- Keep cash in local currency handy with you at all times. Even though digital payments are quite commonplace, it is better to be on the safe side and have cash handy.
- Processions can attract large crowds, so if you’re not comfortable with large crowds, make sure to enjoy the processions from a distance or from a safe and spacious area such as a hotel rooftop.
- Adhere to local customs and wear appropriate attire to show your respect towards the traditional rituals and practices.
Summing Up
For Indians traveling to Thailand, especially those who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, the Thekasan Kin Che/Phuket Vegetarian Festival/Nine Emperor Gods Festival 2025 is a great way of exploring Thai food. The nine-day festival isn’t just about culinary indulgence; it’s also about spiritual cleansing, devotion, and community service. Hurry up, book your tickets to Phuket, and immerse yourself in a unique spiritual and gastronomical experience in Southeast Asia!
