Phuket Vegetarian Festival Sets Record with More Than 1,000 Spirit Mediums in Night Parade

Phuket’s 2026 Vegetarian Festival featured an unusually large nighttime procession, bringing together more than 40 Chinese shrines and over 1,000 spirit mediums in the streets of Phuket Town. Tens of thousands of residents and international visitors gathered along the route to witness the annual religious celebration.

The procession transformed the provincial capital into a scene of incense smoke, ceremonial flags, drums and firecrackers. Sacred images were carried through the streets alongside mah song — male and female spirit mediums who play a central role in the festival’s traditional rituals.

Organizers described the scale of the event as unprecedented. More than 40 shrines took part, while the number of participating mediums exceeded 1,000 for the first time. Their involvement highlighted the continuing importance of the Taoist-influenced Chinese-Thai traditions that have shaped Phuket’s cultural identity for generations.

The nighttime parade served as one of the main highlights of the multi-day festival, offering residents and tourists an opportunity to experience the island’s religious and cultural heritage on a large scale.

Spectators filled the streets of Phuket Old Town as the procession moved through the city, accompanied by the sounds of drums and firecrackers. The event once again placed Phuket in the spotlight as a major destination for one of southern Thailand’s most distinctive cultural celebrations.