1. The astonishing Phuket Vegetarian Festival runs from September 27–October 5.
2. The celebrations, which coincide with the first days of the ninth Chinese lunar month, attract thousands of attendees every year.
3. Participants in the festival perform acts of body piercing as a means of shifting evil spirits away from individuals and on to themselves, bringing the community good luck.
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6. The ceremonial events happen in the areas around six Chinese temples in the Thai province.
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8. The ritualised mutilation is performed under a trance-like state and is carefully supervised.
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12. Meanwhile, markets put on a vast range of vegetarian food.
