Vegetarian Festival Delicacies

Most of the Thai-Chinese population (and plenty of other people) are celebrating the Vegetarian Festival this week. Many will refrain from eating meat and dairy during the festival. In Bangkok, the festival is celebrated primarily with food and extra market shopping.

However, if you are curious, be careful googling images of "Vegetarian Festival Thailand." In Southern Thailand the festival is celebrated with big swords and other pointy objects being stuck through people's mouth or other body parts. People have tried to explain to me the reasons and purposes of it, but I'm still far from understanding it all.