PATTAYA, Thailand – On the third day of the Vegetarian Festival (Oct 4), a large number of devotees, dressed in white or regular clothing, along with rescue volunteers and staff from the Sawang Boriboon Foundation, lined up at the five-story parking building’s charity kitchen to receive free vegetarian meals prepared by the foundation in Naklua.
The foundation has organized the charity kitchen to serve free vegetarian meals to the public, including foundation staff, throughout the 10-day festival (Oct 2-11). Meals are provided three times a day: breakfast from 8:00-9:00 AM, lunch from 12:00-1:00 PM, and dinner from 5:00-6:00 PM. Ingredients used to prepare the meals, such as rice, vegetables, and seasonings, are generously donated by kind-hearted individuals, with some contributing monetary support for the food preparation.
The dining area is divided into two zones: one for those dressed in white and another for those in regular clothing. However, all meals, consisting of more than 10 different vegetarian dishes per round, are the same for everyone, with both savory and sweet options available. The charity kitchen provides an opportunity not only to make merit but also to help devotees save on food expenses during the festival’s 10-day period.
