20 Photos of Thailand’s Vegetarian Festival in Bangkok

By Mark Wiens 4 Comments
Vegetarian Festival in Thailand
There was so much amulet and good luck decoration in this taxi that I actually feared for the drivers visibility

1. Decorated Taxi

Unlike last year, when I was able to eat exclusively vegetarian for the entire festival, this year I simply had too many things going on to commit to the 9 day challenge.

However, I was able to get out a few times in Bangkok’s Chinatown to take some photos, two videos that you may have already seen, and to eat some vegetarian Thai food.

Here are 20 of my favorite photos from Thailand’s Vegetarian Festival 2012. Most of them are from exploring the temple near on the banks of the river.

Vegetarian Thai Food
A cart full of steaming peanuts, sweet potatoes and pods flowers

2. Steamed Snacks

Thailand Vegetarian Festival 2012
We arrived at about 7 am to see many monks collecting their daily food

3. Monk on the Street

Chinese temple in Bangkok, Thailand
One of the main temples where festivities in Bangkok took place during the festival

4. Chinese Temple in Chinatown, Bangkok

Thailand Vegetarian Festival 2012
Within the temple, one is only permitted to wear fully white clothing

5. Inside Chinese Temple

Vegetarian Thai Food
Awesome street restaurant packed with vegetarian street food

6. Vegetarian Restaurant in Chinatown

Vegetarian Festival
One of my favorite vegetarian Thai dishes is stewed bean curd

7. Dishing Up Bean Curd

Vegetarian Thai Food in Yaowarat
First vegetarian meal during the festival

8. Vegetarian Meal

Bangkok vegetarian festival 2012
Some people that participate in the festival purchase huge sticks of incense to burn

9. Giant Torches

Thailand vegetarian festival 2012
Similar to buying incense, others light giant candles within the temple

10. Lighting Candles

Thailand Vegetarian Festival
There’s a crew on standby waiting for people to buy candles or torches and these guys do all the sweaty work setting things up

11. Temple Workers

Thailand Vegetarian Festival 2012
Thailand Vegetarian Festival 2012

12. Crew Member

Lighting incense within the temple
Lighting incense within the temple

13. Lighting Incense

IMG_5564

14. Candles and Lady

Hard labor and near flames, it's not easy work
Hard labor and inches from flames, it’s not easy work

15. Setting Up Torches

Vegetarian Festival 2012 in Bangkok
This guy made rounds clearing out the old incense that had burned through

16. Cleaning Out the Incense

Bangkok vegetarian festival
Sticky, crunchy, and filled with mushrooms and cabbage, these fried dumplings were delicious!

17. Fried Dumpling Stall

It was extremely tasty!
It was extremely tasty!

18. Fried Dumpling

Using wooden hammers, these guys alternate taking hits to crush peanuts into peanut candy
Using wooden hammers, these guys alternate taking hits to crush peanuts into peanut candy

19. Pounding Peanut Candy

One of my favorite vegetarian Thai dishes during the festival was this plate of stir fried tofu with holy basil
One of my favorite vegetarian Thai dishes during the festival was this plate of stir fried tofu with holy basil

20. Stir Fried Tofu

The annual Thailand vegetarian festival is most famous in Phuket where you can see rituals of self-flagellation, but in Bangkok there are still some interesting (and less violent) festivities and food to eat.

If you missed the vegetarian festival videos watch them here!