A man walks at the Sapam shrine with piercings on his tongue as a purification ritual during the annual vegetarian festival observed by Taoist devotees from the Thai-Chinese community in the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, in Phuket, Thailand September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Jorge Silva 

People celebrate the annual vegetarian festival, observed by Taoist devotees from the Thai-Chinese community in the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, in Phuket, Thailand September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Jorge Silva 

A woman participates in the annual vegetarian festival, observed by Taoist devotees from the Thai-Chinese community in the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, in Phuket, Thailand September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Jorge Silva 

A man gets piercings on his arm during the annual vegetarian festival, observed by Taoist devotees from the Thai-Chinese community in the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, in Phuket, Thailand September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Jorge Silva 

People attend a ceremony at a shrine, during the annual vegetarian festival, observed by Taoist devotees from the Thai-Chinese community, in the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, in Phuket, Thailand September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Jorge Silva 

People attend a ceremony at a shrine, during the annual vegetarian festival, observed by Taoist devotees from the Thai-Chinese community, in the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, in Phuket, Thailand September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Jorge Silva 

A man participates in the annual vegetarian festival, observed by Taoist devotees from the Thai-Chinese community in the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, in Phuket, Thailand September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Jorge Silva 

People attend a ceremony at a shrine, during the annual vegetarian festival, observed by Taoist devotees from the Thai-Chinese community, in the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, in Phuket, Thailand September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Jorge Silva 

A woman with a piercing on her cheek participates in the annual vegetarian festival, observed by Taoist devotees from the Thai-Chinese community in the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, in Phuket, Thailand September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Jorge Silva 

People celebrate the annual vegetarian festival, observed by Taoist devotees from the Thai-Chinese community in the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, in Phuket, Thailand September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Jorge Silva 

People attend a ceremony at a shrine, during the annual vegetarian festival, observed by Taoist devotees from the Thai-Chinese community, in the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, in Phuket, Thailand September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Jorge Silva 

A man with piercings on his cheek and mouth participates in the annual vegetarian festival, observed by Taoist devotees from the Thai-Chinese community in the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, in Phuket, Thailand September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Jorge Silva 

Devotees wait for the start of the procession before sunrise, during the annual vegetarian festival, observed by Taoist devotees from the Thai-Chinese community in the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, at Sapam shrine in Phuket, Thailand September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Jorge Silva 

People attend a ceremony at a shrine, during the annual vegetarian festival, observed by Taoist devotees from the Thai-Chinese community, in the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, in Phuket, Thailand September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Jorge Silva