Pattaya and Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation officials officially announced the Pattaya Vegetarian Festival, to be held Oct. 4-14 in Naklua.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome, Sawang Boriboon Vice-President Prasit Thongcharoen, and Chefs Association of Pattaya and the Eastern Seaboard President Surasak Pankluab unveiled details of the annual festival to the public at Central Festival Pattaya Beach Sept. 27.
Those attending enjoyed a short performance from students at Sawang Boriboon Wittaya School and a prize drawing sponsored by the Pattaya Independent Artists group and Pattaya Cultural Council.
Chinese acrobats help announce this year’s Pattaya Vegetarian Festival running from Oct. 4-14.
“I am delighted that our city is organizing the festival again as it is well-known,” Itthiphol said. “The vegetarian festival is a big one due to its importance to Thai-Chinese residents.” The mayor said he also appreciated the festival’s effect on the local economy because vegetable merchants hike prices during the event.
Surasak said he is working on menu items and will include healthy items such as jasmine rice, shitake mushroom, gingko and cashew nuts, beans, millet, chestnuts and corn.
A dual-pronged “Kiew Aung Huk Jow” and “Bodhisattva” parade kicks off at 12:19 p.m. Oct. 4 at Bali Hai Pier and runs up Walking Street. The parade group then splits, with half following Beach Road to Central Road and turning right. The second branch travels along Second Road, stopping at Mike Shopping Mall for a dragon show, then meeting the first group at Central Road.
Reunited, the groups move to Third Road and the local TOT Public Co. office where marchers will board buses for Sawang Fah Pritaram Temple where the parade will again set off past Naklua Market, Lan Po Park and finish at the Sawang Boriboon vegetarian hall for ceremonies honoring Chinese gods.
Beach Road will be closed to traffic from 12:30-3 p.m. and Second Road will have one lane removed.
Services, as usual, will be followed by food, a communal meal for 5,000 attendees called “Khao Phad Thip Paed Sien Hongtae” fried up in a giant pan. The dish contains specially ordered Kiam Le drops as well as ginkgo and cashew nuts, bell peppers, shiitake mushrooms, dried bean curd and vegetarian seasoning. It will be served with 5,000 peaches.
This year, however, the Eastern Chefs Association will contribute top cooks from 50 area hotels to prepare a menu of international dishes to complement the traditional Chinese noodle dish.
