Vegetarian Festival opens with invitations to eat

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The Pattaya Vegetarian Festival got underway at Lan Pho Naklua Public Park with an invitation to the gods.
The Pattaya Vegetarian Festival got underway at Lan Pho Naklua Public Park with an invitation to the gods.

The Pattaya Vegetarian Festival got underway with an invitation to the gods and the public to come and eat.

Sawang Boriboon Tham­masathan Foundation President Wisit Chao­wa­­lit­- nittithum kicked off the Oct. 8-18 festival with a parade and ceremony to invite “Kiew Huang Huk Jow” (the nine deities who are the spiritual mascots of the festival) and “Bhodisttava” (also known as Chow Mae Kuan Im, the goddess of mercy, compassion & healing) to reside at the foundation’s Naklua headquarters during the event.

Participants dressed in white paraded from the foundation to the Naklua New Market and Lan Po Public Park before returning to eat.

Free vegetarian meals were served three times a day through Oct. 18.

As usual, vegetable prices in Pattaya spiked, although traders blamed it on flooding upcountry that caused supply shortages, not the desire to gouge people during the annual festival. Even with higher prices, sales remained brisk.

Sprinkling holy water onto people watching the parade.
Sprinkling holy water onto people watching the parade.
Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation President Wisit Chaowalitnittithum leads the dragon and lion parade through Naklua streets,
Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation President Wisit Chaowalitnittithum leads the dragon and lion parade through Naklua streets,
People make merit by donating to the dragon and lion mouths.
People make merit by donating to the dragon and lion mouths.
The event is even fun for the performers.
The event is even fun for the performers.
Residences of Soi Naklua New Market light firecrackers to celebrate vegetarian festival from October 8-18.
Residences of Soi Naklua New Market light firecrackers to celebrate vegetarian festival from October 8-18.
Youths wearing white join the parade.
Youths wearing white join the parade.
The ceremony to invite Nine Emperor Gods and Bodhisattva is a solemn occasion.
The ceremony to invite Nine Emperor Gods and Bodhisattva is a solemn occasion.
Vegetarian food is for sale in front of the Sawangboriboon Thammasathan Pattaya Foundation.
Vegetarian food is for sale in front of the Sawangboriboon Thammasathan Pattaya Foundation.