That time of the year has come— when the devoted, the curious and followers of anything trendy purport to be vegetarian. The annual jay festival makes a return from 9 to 17 October, prompting disciples to abstain from meat and animal products (including fish sauce, milk and oyster sauce). The main opening ceremony, hosted by the Department of Religious Affairs and The Council of Artists for the Promotion of Buddhism, is set to take place in Yaowarat on 9 Oct, and will feature activities like a flower procession, a beauty pageant and free vegetarian meals. Most street carts and eateries dotting Bangkok’s streets will be serving Chinese-style vegetarian meals. If you want to take it up a notch, fine-dining establishments like Haoma and The China House at Mandarin Oriental will be serving fancy, jay-guaranteed fare.
9-17 Oct