Testing Faith: Phuket Vegetarian Festival facing fall in tourism appeal

[rooster59]

Testing Faith: Phuket Vegetarian Festival facing fall in tourism appeal

By The Phuket News

 

A ‘Mah Song’ spirit medium stands amid a street procession during the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. Photo: IMAGE Asia / file
 

PHUKET: The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is facing serious challenges to its appeal as a major tourist attraction as the number of tourists, including Chinese visitors, turning up to witness the events is falling, local tourism experts have acknowledged.

 

This year Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana announced that the nine days of Vegetarian Festival events are expected to generate some B2 billion in tourism revenue for the island (See page 10).

 

However, that number comes despite having more Chinese tourists on the island at this time of year than ever before – regardless of the slew of critical factors deterring tourists from coming to Phuket, or even Thailand in general, in the current economic climate.

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/testing-faith-phuket-vegetarian-festival-facing-fall-in-tourism-appeal-73143.php#6I8aO0pO6l4jK1bU.97

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2019-10-05

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[neeray]

11 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

the number of tourists, including Chinese visitors, turning up to witness the events is falling, local tourism experts have acknowledged.

This statement is quite refreshing. Obviously it wasn't authored (nor approved) by TAT.

[OneMoreFarang]

What is the idea about a vegetarian food festival?

If people want to eat vegetarian food then they can do that every day.

And if others want a bloody steak they can also have it every day.

What's the idea about presenting lots of vegetarian food. It restricts the choices. What's the advantage of that?

[alan grice]

Who wants to go, you can stare At Veggies all day at Macro should you be so inclined.!.????[emoji531]????


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[madmitch]

Instead, Mr Sarayut said, “We want to have fewer tourists who spend more money – to boost tourism revenue in Phuket.”
 

How many times do we hear this, yet still, every month, the arrival numbers are always the figures seen as most important to the TAT and the Tourism Ministry.

 

 

[the guest]

Thailand has the largest Chinese population outside of China. Its run by the Chinese and most of the companies and elite are of Chinese decent. No wonder they bow to Chinese festivals.

 

BTW tourism in Phuket was because of the first Chinese settlers, when the tin started to lose its financial appeal.

[bluesofa]

With the fall in the number of tourists, it's going to make it more difficult to 'meat' the challenge.

[peterb17]

3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

What is the idea about a vegetarian food festival?

If people want to eat vegetarian food then they can do that every day.

And if others want a bloody steak they can also have it every day.

What's the idea about presenting lots of vegetarian food. It restricts the choices. What's the advantage of that?

It’s something to do with a festival for 9 Chinese gods according to the Chinese lunar calendar- I think only a week - unlike the long Buddhist lent. 

 

So you abstain from lots of things, such as alcohol, sex, etc and eat lots of veggies.

Where all that crazy body piercing , walking on hot coals etc comes from- not sure? 

[OneMoreFarang]

1 minute ago, peterb17 said:

It’s something to do with a festival for 9 Chinese gods according to the Chinese lunar calendar- I think only a week - unlike the long Buddhist lent. 

 

So you abstain from lots of things, such as alcohol, sex, etc and eat lots of veggies.

Where all that crazy body piercing , walking on hot coals etc comes from- not sure? 

Ok, I think I prefer the steak on the hot coals instead of my feet.

[mickey rat]

Fortunately MSG is considered vegetarian food as the Chinese version is loaded with it. It makes everything so yummy. ????

[mok199]

All the Chinese are basking in the cool A/C at the mall...why stand in the heat watching the same old same old......but they sure love the all you can eat seafood buffet's ....ya'all come back now real soon

[300sd]

Another reason to stay away from Phuket.

[bluesofa]

4 minutes ago, 300sd said:

Another reason to stay away from Phuket.

You mean to avoid all the vegetables?

 

[300sd]

12 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

You mean to avoid all the vegetables?

 

Impossible

[Stargeezr]

Yep stay away and avoid those Vegans, they are a different lot.

Geezer

[Felt 35]

The Vegetarian Festival is a religious one that originated in China. It honors the nine Taoist emperor gods. During the Vegetarian Festival, Thai people practice jay, or veganism.

This religious event was first observed in Phuket for the first time some 170 years ago. An opera troupe was working in Phuket to entertain Chinese miners who were working in Kathu, a town in Phuket.

After several months of working, however, the troupe was hit by an epidemic, the theater shut down, and many died.

Superstitions arose, and many thought that they were being punished for not performing religious rites while in Thailand. They then decided to abstain from eating meat and animal oil for a period of nine days and nights.

According to the story, many of those Chinese workers who had fallen ill but later abstained from eating meat got better, and Thai people started to take notice.

From then on, the number of people who participated started to gradually rise, and now, it is one of the biggest festivals in Thailand. Even those Thais who have no Chinese background will be celebrating. This is also a popular festival in Burma, Singapore, and Malaysia, as well.

[hotchilli]

22 hours ago, rooster59 said:

the nine days of Vegetarian Festival events are expected to generate some B2 billion in tourism revenue

I find that hard to swallow... excuse the pun !

[Is this real]

Tourism has greatly declined the last few years. 

It's not the Baht, or the sunken boat that has crippled tourism.

 

Thailand has shown, the past few years, that it no longer wants wester tourists or ex-pats.  They will go where they're welcomed.

 

Exactly what does Thailand offer a tourist that they can’t get from Vietnam, Cambodia, The Philippines, or elsewhere?

Beach experience and attractions?  No.

Inexpensive?  No.

Exotic food?  No.

Exotic climate?  No.

Exotic attractions?  No

A safe vacation?  No.

 

So, after one visit, why return?

[Kopitiam]

39 minutes ago, Is this real said:

Tourism has greatly declined the last few years. 

 

It's not the Baht, or the sunken boat that has crippled tourism.

 

 

 

Thailand has shown, the past few years, that it no longer wants wester tourists or ex-pats.  They will go where they're welcomed.

 

 

 

Exactly what does Thailand offer a tourist that they can’t get from Vietnam, Cambodia, The Philippines, or elsewhere?

 

Beach experience and attractions?  No.

 

Inexpensive?  No.

 

Exotic food?  No.

 

Exotic climate?  No.

 

Exotic attractions?  No

 

A safe vacation?  No.

 

 

 

So, after one visit, why return?

 

Thailand/TAT feel that they don't need repeat tourists.  Good example is Immigration stopping repeat tourists with proper visa at the airports.  There are still at least 1 billion tourists who have not visited Thailand.  That will last many lifetimes.

[ylmiri]

On 10/5/2019 at 12:15 PM, OneMoreFarang said:

What is the idea about a vegetarian food festival?

If people want to eat vegetarian food then they can do that every day.

And if others want a bloody steak they can also have it every day.

What's the idea about presenting lots of vegetarian food. It restricts the choices. What's the advantage of that?

Perhaps it is for display of the wide range of vegetarian foods available in Thailand? Normally you wouldn't see such wide range of vegetarian foods on display am I right? I may be wrong.

But the self inflicted (torture?) going on during the festival is not in good taste I think. It is a representation of violence in silence which I think is not compatible with vegetarian ideas of life style. But people do love violence and bloodshed don't they? Even if it is done without doing anyone any harm.

[ylmiri]

On 10/5/2019 at 1:59 PM, the guest said:

Thailand has the largest Chinese population outside of China. Its run by the Chinese and most of the companies and elite are of Chinese decent. No wonder they bow to Chinese festivals.

 

BTW tourism in Phuket was because of the first Chinese settlers, when the tin started to lose its financial appeal.

If you read Amy Chua's(professor in USA)book called "The World on Fire", it tells you the whole of south east asia more or less control by Chinese or descendants of chinese and locals mixed marriage. The prime minister of Singapore Mr Lee Hsien Loong when he went to Bangkok for a meeting with the Thai government officials said most of Thai officials are of Chinese descents and the meeting could be very well be conducted in "Teo Chew" a southern china dialect. He was laughing about it.

In fact Thailand until today is still very much in the hand of China since ancient days (around 1400s was the height of China influence ) China is the big brother of South East Asian countries whether you like it or not.

The Vietnam war was conducted to assess the China's military capacity. USA very much wanted to attack China but hesitated. Vietnam was used instead for test run.