Hundreds of men in Thailand try and outdo each other by forcing huge knives, countless sharp spikes and even a trident through their cheeks as part of a ritual to celebrate being vegetarian
- WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: Hundreds of Thai men can be seen taking part in an annual vegetarian festival
- It sees followers piercing their cheeks with spikes, giant knives and even guns during the nine-day celebration
- Devotees of the Chinese Samkong Shrine in Phuket believe body piercing can help them to get rid of evil spirits
Forcing
countless spikes, giant knives and even guns through their cheeks,
these eye-watering pictures capture the moment hundreds of Thai men
celebrated their annual vegetarian festival this weekend.
Those
taking part in the nine-day festival in Phuket, southern Thailand,
believe the act of body piercing helps to shift evil spirits.
The celebration features devotees of the Chinese Samkong shrine and the Chinese Ban Tha Rue shrine and sees followers give up various products during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar.
It involves a procession that worships abstinence from meat, while mediums also attempt to call on spirits.
Many believe their abstinence will help them obtain good health and peace of mind.
The men can be seen with
dozens of silver spikes pierced through their lips and cheeks, while
others shoved serrated metal bars and poles through their skin.
Ritual vegetarianism in Phuket is believed to have started in the early 1800s.
Ouch! This
eye-watering photo shows a Thai man celebrating a vegetarian festival by
forcing countless spikes through his cheeks and lips
Tradition: Those taking part in the
nine-day festival in Phuket, southern Thailand, believe the act of body
piercing helps to shift evil spirits
Procession: The celebration features
devotees of the Chinese Samkong shrine and the Chinese Ban Tha Rue
shrine and sees followers give up various products during the ninth
lunar month of the Chinese calendar. A man is pictured here with a gun
through his cheek
The
festival involves a procession that worships abstinence from meat, while
mediums also attempt to call on spirits. A man is pictured left with
spike through his tongue and cheeks, including one which has a mobile
phone on the end of it. Another is right psyching himself up
Look out! The men can be seen with
dozens of silver spikes pierced through their lips and cheeks, while
others shoved serrated metal bars and poles through their skin. This
devotee has taken things even further by piercing his cheek with a
trident
What a mouthful: Many of those taking
part in the festival believe their abstinence will help them obtain good
health and peace of mind. This man has fitted 13 knives through his
cheek
Pain: Men at the annual festival in
Phuket, southern Thailand, force countless spikes, giant knives and even
guns through their cheeks
This follower poses for the camera
with two guns wedged into his cheeks. Many believe the act of body
piercing helps to shift evil spirits
Ritual vegetarianism in Phuket is
believed to have started in the early 1800s. One devotee is pictured
having his cheek pierced with swords
Devotees of the Chinese Samkong shrine
and the Chinese Ban Tha Rue shrine walked through Phuket yesterday in a
procession that worships abstinence from meat
The festival, where mediums also
attempt to call on spirits, sees followers give up various products
during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar. Above, two of the
men - including one with an axe - walk through the streets in Phuket
