Vegetarian Festival Mood Active in Thailand

BANGKOK, Oct 11 (TNA) - Restaurants in several Thai provinces which used to sell non-vegetarian food will start selling vegetarian food from Monday during the annual Vegetarian Festival while prices of vegetable have increased slightly like past years. A street in Hat Yai district of the southern Songkhla province has been decorated with various kinds of vegetable as every restaurant along the street will offer only vegetable dishes from Monday to October 21. The almost one-kilometre long road also organises a fair called the ‘Vegetarian Festival Hat Yai (B.E.) 2558’ with an aim to preserve fine culture and promote tourism in the district. More than 50 restaurant owners in the southern resort of Krabi on the Andaman coast have already started selling vegetarian food in advance to please Thais of Chinese descent who strictly observe the festival once a year. People in the northern province of Phichit early Sunday began buying fresh vegetables at markets as they prepare to observe the festival from October 13 – 21. A random survey found that vegetable prices have risen. Cleaning at Chinese temples and shrines in Phichit is seen with tents erected for the purpose of selling vegetarian food during the festival. A special tent is also installed to offer free vegetarian food to the poor thrice a day, starting from Monday to October 21. General atmosphere at Bangkok’s Yawaraj Road, known as China Town, has been active since early Sunday as people bought vegetables and cooked vegetarian food for consumption. Despite people in Thailand become more cautious in spending due to sluggish economy in the country, shopkeepers on Yawaraj Road said the atmosphere of this year’s festival is active although prices increased slightly. Vegetables may have gained more popularity among people this year and they have decided to visit Yawaraj Road because it offers a large source of vegetarian food, said one shopkeeper. (TNA)