Extreme acts of self-mutilation in Thai vegetarian festival
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A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine with two guns pierced through his cheeks takes a part in procession during the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket on Oct 20, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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A devotee of Ban Tha Rua Chinese shrine holds a line of exploding firecrackers during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket on Oct 19, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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A devotee of Ban Tha Rua Chinese shrine with her cheeks pierced takes part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket on Oct 19, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Devotees of Ban Tha Rua Chinese shrine are offered fruits from residents during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket on Oct 19, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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A devotee of Ban Tha Rua Chinese shrine with a gun pierced through his cheek takes a part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket on Oct 19, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine has his cheeks pierced while taking part in a street procession marking the annual Vegetarian Festival in the southern town of Phuket on Oct 20, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Devotees in trance stand around a table with fruits outside a shrine during the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket on Oct 19, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine has his cheeks pierced prior to taking part in a street procession marking the annual Vegetarian Festival in the southern town of Phuket on Oct 20, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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A devotee of Chinese Jui Tui shrine walks on live coals during a ceremony marking the annual Vegetarian Festival in the southern Thai town of Phuket on Oct 20, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine has his arms pierced prior to taking part in a street procession marking the annual Vegetarian Festival in the southern town of Phuket on Oct 20, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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A devotee of the Chinese Jui Tui Shrine carries a pole with exploding firecrackers during the annual vegetarian festival procession through central Phuket on Oct 21, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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People take pictures as a devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine is helped with piercing before a street procession during the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket on Oct 20, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine with two guns pierced through his cheeks takes a part in procession during the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket on Oct 20, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
A devotee of Ban Tha Rua Chinese shrine holds a line of exploding firecrackers during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket on Oct 19, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
A devotee of Ban Tha Rua Chinese shrine with her cheeks pierced takes part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket on Oct 19, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Devotees of Ban Tha Rua Chinese shrine are offered fruits from residents during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket on Oct 19, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
A devotee of Ban Tha Rua Chinese shrine with a gun pierced through his cheek takes a part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket on Oct 19, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine has his cheeks pierced while taking part in a street procession marking the annual Vegetarian Festival in the southern town of Phuket on Oct 20, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Devotees in trance stand around a table with fruits outside a shrine during the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket on Oct 19, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine has his cheeks pierced prior to taking part in a street procession marking the annual Vegetarian Festival in the southern town of Phuket on Oct 20, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
A devotee of Chinese Jui Tui shrine walks on live coals during a ceremony marking the annual Vegetarian Festival in the southern Thai town of Phuket on Oct 20, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine has his arms pierced prior to taking part in a street procession marking the annual Vegetarian Festival in the southern town of Phuket on Oct 20, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
A devotee of the Chinese Jui Tui Shrine carries a pole with exploding firecrackers during the annual vegetarian festival procession through central Phuket on Oct 21, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
People take pictures as a devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine is helped with piercing before a street procession during the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket on Oct 20, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
THAILAND - Religious devotees slash themselves with swords, pierce their cheeks with sharp objects and commit other painful acts to purify themselves in the annual vegetarian festival in Thailand.
The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind.
