A devotee of Ban Tha Rua Chinese shrine with his cheeks pierced works himself into trance before a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 28, 2014. 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 Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Devotees of Ban Tha Rua Chinese shrine react amidst exploding firecrackers during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 28, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

A devotee of Ban Tha Rua Chinese shrine with his cheeks pierced gets ready for a street procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 28, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Devotees of Ban Tha Rua Chinese shrine carry a statue during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 28, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

The piercings on the arm of a devotee of the Ban Tha Rua Chinese shrine are checked during a street procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 28, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

People react as devotees of the Ban Tha Rua Chinese shrine walk past amidst exploding firecrackers during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 28, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Devotees of the Ban Tha Rua Chinese shrine carry statues during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 28, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Devotees of the Ban Tha Rua Chinese shrine react amidst exploding firecrackers during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 28, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Devotees of the Ban Tha Rua Chinese shrine works themselves into trance before a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 28, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

A devotee of the Ban Tha Rua Chinese shrine is helped with a spike pierced through her cheeks during a street procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 28, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

A devotee of the Ban Tha Rua Chinese shrine with his cheeks pierced with different spikes takes part in a street procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 28, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Devotees of the Ban Tha Rua Chinese shrine react amidst exploding firecrackers during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 28, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)