Por Tor Festival 2013 - เทศกาลพ้อต่อ ภูเก็ต ๒๕๕๖
As always this festival runs for a month and different areas in Phuket Town hold their festival on different days helping to make the festival activities last for around 2 weeks. The Phuket Fresh Market carpark is the main arena for the Ranong Road festival and as you can see below everything looks very traditional except for those numbers! This is where I park everyday to go to the market and for two days my life has got really complicated trying to find a parking space!
Here are my photos from this year's Hungry Ghost Festival known as 'Ngan Por Dtor' by the locals. I missed the procession this year but you can see last year's event on the link above.
This year I enjoyed some free food, which was inevitably very popular with everyone. Just join the queue and help yourself!
But the festival isn't only about food (even if food plays a major part as in all Thai festivals!) The street market if full of stalls and I bought two T-shirts as I couldn't avoid the temptation!
The main purpose of the festival is for the local people to pay respect to the deceased members of their families and to also look after the spirits that may not have any family to provide for them. If you want to join in you can make a small donation and pick up a set of incense sticks, a candle and 'gim' paper. Light your candle first, then pray at the alter then finally burn the paper in the incinerator provided, this is like sending money to your ancestors via a spiritual 'Pay Pal' (if that makes sense to you!).
As always this festival runs for a month and different areas in Phuket Town hold their festival on different days helping to make the festival activities last for around 2 weeks. The Phuket Fresh Market carpark is the main arena for the Ranong Road festival and as you can see below everything looks very traditional except for those numbers! This is where I park everyday to go to the market and for two days my life has got really complicated trying to find a parking space!
Here are my photos from this year's Hungry Ghost Festival known as 'Ngan Por Dtor' by the locals. I missed the procession this year but you can see last year's event on the link above.
This year I enjoyed some free food, which was inevitably very popular with everyone. Just join the queue and help yourself!
Ah but sorry, all the best food is saved for the Hungry Ghosts!
But the festival isn't only about food (even if food plays a major part as in all Thai festivals!) The street market if full of stalls and I bought two T-shirts as I couldn't avoid the temptation!
The main purpose of the festival is for the local people to pay respect to the deceased members of their families and to also look after the spirits that may not have any family to provide for them. If you want to join in you can make a small donation and pick up a set of incense sticks, a candle and 'gim' paper. Light your candle first, then pray at the alter then finally burn the paper in the incinerator provided, this is like sending money to your ancestors via a spiritual 'Pay Pal' (if that makes sense to you!).
Just have to comment on the new school uniform here in Phuket, I'm not sure but I think it may be every Friday, the school children wear the Phuket Batik shirt that has now become the Phuket costume for Government Official's too. So much more fun than the normal white shirts!
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