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Farewell Procession in Phuket Old Town
Local culture
Free entry
Crowded
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Family
Sun, 18 October · from 22:00
Phuket Town time (UTC+7)
Phuket Old Town
Phuket Town
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Thailand · Phuket · Phuket Town
About the event
The Vegetarian Festival closes tonight. On the ninth and final evening the shrines' processions carry their gods through Phuket Town to be sent back to heaven: as a procession leaves, the shrine switches off every light and shuts its main gate. By tradition the Jade Emperor is seen off at around 22:30, and the Nine Emperor Gods, Kiu Ong, are escorted toward Saphan Hin for the final ritual near midnight. In town, crowds gather along Thalang Road, Phuket Road and around the Surin Circle clock tower. Every procession is greeted with firecrackers, so earplugs help. Keep a respectful distance, never cross a procession's path, and ask before photographing. Timing differs from shrine to shrine, so arrive a little early.
From the editors
The farewell (song phra in Thai) closes the nine-day Vegetarian Festival, the Phuket Chinese community's celebration during which the Nine Emperor Gods are believed to visit the island. On the last night the shrines' processions escort the gods back to heaven and gather at the Saphan Hin waterfront. Phuket Old Town is the historic part of Phuket Town, lined with Sino-Portuguese shophouses, and Thalang Road there is one of the spots TAT names for watching the processions.