Veggie fest a hit with Bangkokians

Nearly 70 per cent of Bangkok residents are determined to stick, at least in part, to a vegetarian diet during the 10-day vegetarian festival, a Bangkok Poll revealed yesterday.
Taken from last Friday through Sunday, the poll of 1,243 Bangkok residents revealed that 69 per cent would take part in the vegetarian festival. Of that number, 31.7 per cent said they would have the vegetarian dishes for some meals, while 22.9 per cent would go veggie every meal throughout the festival; 7.2 per cent said they would eat vegetarian for three days.
As for reasons for taking part in the festival, 40 per cent said they ate vegetarian to make religious merit; 24.6 per cent for their health and 12.7 per cent said they followed the practice every year.
Asked what symbol best represents the festival, 69 per cent mentioned vegetarian food, 26.4 per cent the yellow jae flag and 2.4 per cent mentioned the fire-walking ceremony.
Regarding prices, 57.4 per cent thought the costs of vegetarian dishes and raw materials had increased from the previous year while 39.9 per cent felt prices were the same; 2.7 per cent believed prices were lower.
As for where vegetarian food would be purchased, 67.5 per cent said they would buy it from shops and restaurants; 25.7 per cent would make the meals at home and 3.4 per cent would buy frozen veggie meals from convenience stores.
In Ranong, authorities instructed 23 Chinese shrines celebrating the vegetarian festival to strictly oversee performances after spirit medium Thawatchai Kuchanan, 22, fell to his death from the 36th step of a 39-knife ladder during a performance on Monday night.