Yaowarat Vegetarian Festival Kicks Off
Bangkok's Chinatown goes vegan for 10 days as annual Kin Jay festival begins; check dates for road closures and key parades
- The Yaowarat Vegetarian Festival is taking place in Bangkok's Chinatown from October 20 to 29, featuring religious observances and over 120 vegetarian food stalls.
- The festival includes several major processions, with an official opening ceremony and floral float parade scheduled for the evening of October 21.
- A section of Yaowarat Road will be closed to traffic from 16:00 to 21:00 on Tuesday, October 21, for the opening ceremony.
- A key culinary highlight is the ceremonial cooking of an auspicious dish, the "50 Years Thai-Chinese Unity Fried Noodles."
The Yaowarat Vegetarian Festival 2025 begins today, Monday, 20 October, transforming Bangkok's Chinatown into a vibrant hub of religious observance and vegetarian cuisine until 29 October.
For the ten days and ten nights of the annual tradition, visitors flock to Yaowarat Road to observe the religious abstinence and sample meat-free dishes from hundreds of vendors.
Those planning to attend should take note of the schedule for the major processions and associated traffic disruption.
Procession Schedule and Traffic Disruption
The festival features several significant religious and cultural processions honouring the deities, primarily culminating at the Commemoration Arch (Odeon Gate):
- 20 Oct 14:00 – 16:00 Deity Enshrinement ProcessionTue
- 21 Oct 16:00 – 22:00 Official Opening Ceremony and Floral Float Parade
- 26 Oct 14:00 – 21:00 Sin-Cleansing Lantern Parade
- 29 Oct 17:00 – 19:00 Deity Return Procession
The public is advised that the main artery of the festival, Yaowarat Road, will be closed to all traffic for the official opening ceremony:
Date: Tuesday, 21 October 2025
Time: 16:00 – 21:00
Closed Section: From the King’s 6th Cycle Commemoration Arch (Odeon Gate) to the intersection with Lamphun Chai Road.
Culinary and Cultural Highlights
A key feature of the 2025 festival will be the ceremonial cooking of an auspicious vegetarian dish: the "50 Years Thai-Chinese Unity Fried Noodles," prepared in a large wok by master chefs from the Grand China Bangkok Hotel.
Beyond the religious parades, the festival offers an unparalleled culinary experience, with over 120 stalls selling a variety of vegetarian street food lining both sides of Yaowarat Road throughout the period.
Attendees can also visit a special sales zone from event sponsors, which will offer promotions and a lucky draw.
Customers spending 100 ิaht will receive a coupon for a chance to win prizes such as home electronics, with a grand prize of free food for a year from the sponsors.
Dedicated photo corners and the best viewpoints to capture the decorative lights of Yaowarat will also be available for visitors.
Source: Plubplachai 2 Metropolitan Police Station
