Watch Phuket Vegetarian Festival

It is unclear how self-mutilation became a tradition in the Festival of the 9 Emperor Gods that is only practiced in Phuket's adaptation of the festival. Some believe that it may be borrowed from the Hindu's Thaipusam festival in neighboring Malaysia that also practices piercing and self-mutilation. Others believe that the people of Phuket wanted a way to display their utter devotion to the gods.