Phuket: Many people participated in the fire-walking ceremony during the Phuket-Betong Vegetarian Festival, a key part of the festival. It is believed that fire will cleanse the body and mind of evil, ward off misfortune, and bring good fortune.
According to Thai News Agency, on the lawn of Luang Pho Road in Mueang District, Phuket Province, the Jui Tui Tao Bo Keng Shrine performed the "Koi Hoi" or fire-walking ceremony, a key part of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2025, held from October 21-29, 2025. The shrine's committee, the public, and tourists, both Thai and foreign, attended the ceremony. Most wore white, expressing their faith in this sacred ritual.
The fire-walking ceremony is an important and long-held ritual that represents the display of supernatural powers of the medium, who is able to control the fire so that it is not hot. It is considered "divine fire" that helps cleanse the body of evil spirits and purify the body. Participants in the fire-walking ceremony include the medium and members of the public who are confident that they are clean in body, speech, and mind. They walk or run through the hot coals with faith.
Before the ceremony began, the spirit of Kiew Ong Tai Te was invited from the Jui Tui Tao Bo Keng Shrine to the ceremony area to bestow blessings upon the spirit mediums and all fire walkers, wishing them good fortune, safety, and prosperity.
In Betong District, Yala Province, a large number of people have gathered to reserve their spots to watch the more than 20 male and female spirit mediums and the palanquin bearers of various deities perform the ritual of walking through tiles and fire during the annual Vegetarian Festival 2025 at the Bodhisattva Guan Yin Betong Temple, or Guan Yin Temple, after the morning parade around Betong town.
For the tile-walking ceremony during the Vegetarian Festival, the spirit mediums first perform various rituals. Then, they walk on the tiles. Some walk normally, while others sit, lie down, and jump and rub against the tiles, creating a frightening experience for onlookers. People often take out their mobile phones to take photos and videos, amazed by the spirit mediums' tile-walking. Then, ten deities are followed by those carrying palanquins of various deities, including the Goddess of Mercy, Guan Yin, Guan Yu, Phra Mor, and Na Zha, who walk on the tiles. Vegetarians, both men and women, follow suit.
Following the tile-walking ceremony, spirit mediums, the various palanquins carrying the deities, and those observing the vegetarian precepts proceeded to perform a fire-walking ceremony. In addition to the spirit mediums and disciples carrying the palanquins carrying the deities, a long-standing practice during the Vegetarian Festival, members of the public with faith, courage, and belief also participated in the fire-walking ceremony, believing it to purify oneself of ill will and to bring good fortune.