New Book Project

Phuket: The Vegetarian Festival Guide

Available from June 2024

The Vegetarian Festival in Phuket: Theatre of Redemption. Part 1 begins with the history and purpose of the festival, the ritual objects to look out for and their meaning, the main shrines and key deities, as well as practical information including: Festival Dates – When to arrive – To stay downtown or by the beach -Where to stay downtown – Beach options – What and where to eat and shop in Phuket – Night Markets – Shopping Malls – Vegetarian dishes for the festival – Temples to visit and elephant sanctuaries not to visit on Phuket island, and Vehicle rental from cars to safety tips for scooters and motorcycles.

Part 2 details all the key rituals that you can go see from cutting the giant bamboo in the islands interior jungle – Raising the Nine Emperor God’s lantern – Inviting the deities – Extreme piercings – Fire walking – Parades and parade routes – Crossing the Ping’an Bridge for good luck, and sending the deities back from the beach on the final day.

Dr Fabian Graham has been a professional academic researcher since 2007, and this is his first non-academic book written as a guide book for tourists and the general public. He has previously worked at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity and the National University of Singapore. He holds two master’s degrees from Taiwan and Cambridge, UK, and a PhD in social anthropology from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. ‘Vegetation Festival Guide, Phuket is the most detailed guide with the most amazing photos available on the market for those interested in learning about the festival, visiting the festival, or wanting to actively participate.