Phuket Vegetarian Festival returns October 10

The Phuket Vegetarian Festival, also known as Jia Chai, is scheduled to take place from October 10 to 18, 2026. This nine-day event celebrates the Hokkien Chinese traditions of Phuket through religious ceremonies, street processions, and a strictly vegetarian diet.

Key highlights include the Iw Keng street processions from October 11 to 18, where the Nine Emperor Gods are carried through Phuket City to bestow blessings. The festival features various spiritual rituals, such as the Koi Han bridge-crossing for cleansing misfortune and the Koi Hoi fire-walking ritual for spiritual purification. Participants often wear white to symbolize purification.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is promoting the festival as a distinctive cultural experience that showcases the island's Sino-Thai heritage. The festivities will culminate on October 18 with farewell rituals for the Jade Emperor and the Nine Emperor Gods.