A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine pierces a motorcycle handlebar through his cheeks before a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. The festival, featuring face-piercing, spirit mediums and strict vegetarianism celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine pierces a motorcycle handlebar through his cheeks before a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine walks with a motorcycle handlebar pierced through his cheek during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine walks with a motorcycle handlebar pierced through his cheek during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine with knives pierced through his cheeks walks during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine with spikes pierced in his cheeks, pauses during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine walks with guns pierced through his cheeks during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine has his cheeks pierced before a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine walks with guns pierced through his cheeks during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine walks with guns pierced through his cheeks during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine sits with an axe pierced through his cheek during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine with spikes pierced at his cheeks and lips pauses during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine with spikes pierced at his cheeks and lips pauses during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





People look as a devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine with a rifle pierced in his cheek, walks during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





People look as a devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine with a rifle pierced in his cheek walks during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine with umbrellas pierced in his cheeks walks during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine has his cheek pierced before a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine sits with an axe pierced through his cheek during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine cuts his tongue to make it bleed during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine walks with a tricycle pierced through his cheek during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine with a shovel pierced through his cheek walks during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine carries an altar during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)





A devotee of the Chinese Jui Tui Shrine has his face pierced with metal rods during a street procession during the annual Vegetarian Festival in the southern Thai town of Phuket on October 19, 2015. During the festival, which begins on the first evening of the ninth lunar month and lasts nine days, religious devotees slash themselves with swords, pierce their cheeks with sharp objects and commit other painful acts to purify themselves, taking on the sins of the community. (Photo by Nicolas Asfouri/AFP Photo)





A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine with a piece of a car wheel pierced through his cheek pauses during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)