04:20Thailand: Devotees pierce their flesh with skewers at Phuket vegetarian festival *GRAPHIC*
Devotees could be seen piercing their flesh with skewers, while others beat themselves with axes, at Phuket City's annual Vegetarian Festival on Monday.
The Taoist celebration, also known as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, was granted permission to proceed this year despite the coronavirus pandemic after organisers agreed to enforce social distancing rules.
The festival, currently in its third day, is taking place between from October 17 to October 25.
Participants could be seen taking part in a parade and letting off firecrackers as they headed through the streets of the city.
The celebration marks the start of the 9th lunar month of the traditional Chinese calendar, and is observed by local Chinese communities throughout south-east Asia. The festival is believed to bring good luck to those who participate in the painful rituals, and also sees devotees abstaining from sex, alcohol and meat.
Thailand has seen 101 new COVID-19 infections in the past two weeks, with five new imported cases announced by local health authorities on Monday. The number of infections Thailand has seen to-date is reported to be 3,691 in total, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
04:20Devotees could be seen piercing their flesh with skewers, while others beat themselves with axes, at Phuket City's annual Vegetarian Festival on Monday.
The Taoist celebration, also known as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, was granted permission to proceed this year despite the coronavirus pandemic after organisers agreed to enforce social distancing rules.
The festival, currently in its third day, is taking place between from October 17 to October 25.
Participants could be seen taking part in a parade and letting off firecrackers as they headed through the streets of the city.
The celebration marks the start of the 9th lunar month of the traditional Chinese calendar, and is observed by local Chinese communities throughout south-east Asia. The festival is believed to bring good luck to those who participate in the painful rituals, and also sees devotees abstaining from sex, alcohol and meat.
Thailand has seen 101 new COVID-19 infections in the past two weeks, with five new imported cases announced by local health authorities on Monday. The number of infections Thailand has seen to-date is reported to be 3,691 in total, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.