CityNews – The annual Vegan Festival has now begun in Chiang Mai, with more than one thousand people participating in the opening ceremony held at the Chiang Mai Buddhist Meeting Hall on October 13.
The festival was officially opened by Mr Boonlert Buranupakorn, Chiang Mai Chief Executive of the Provincial Administration Office. During the ceremony, many shows and events took place including a parade, lion dance, angel dance and several forms of Chinese fish worship ceremonies. There was also free vegan food for all who attended.
The festival will last nine days and nine nights, and encourages all who can to participate in not eating meat for the duration.
This year has seen a rise in participating restaurants and venues, believed to be due to the increased number of Chinese tourists compared to last year.
Many more Thai Chinese teenagers are also partaking in the festival. Many people visited Warorot market the night before the festival began to stock up on vegetables and other vegan foodstuffs.
62-year-old Supanee Nadtrasood or Je Lek, the owner of Jelek restaurant the biggest vegan restaurant in Warorot market, told Citylife that after 16 years she has only become busier. Most people who eat at her restaurant are office workers and civil servants.
The owner of Khao Hor Bai Bua Je, 48-year-old Kamolsak Sriprajan, told Citylife that now his restaurants is often sold out by noon.
