A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine, with two plastic guns pierced through his cheeks, takes part in a street procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 29, 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)

People take pictures as a devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine is helped to insert more spikes through his cheeks before a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 29, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine is seen in trance as more spikes are put through his cheeks and lips before a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 29, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Devotees of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine with umbrellas pierced through their cheeks get ready for a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 29, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

A man speaks on a mobile phone as he puts another sword through a cheek of a devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine before a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 29, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine with spikes attached to plastic pistols pierced through his cheeks takes part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 29, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine is helped to put more spikes through his cheeks before a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 29, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Devotees of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine covered in tattoos react amidst exploding firecrackers during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 29, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine with more than ten pineapples mounted on a long spike pierced through his cheeks takes part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 29, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Devotees of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine work themselves into trance before a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 29, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine who cut himself with an axe, takes part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 29, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine with many spikes pierced through his cheeks and skin, takes part in a street procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 29, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Devotees of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine cut themselves with swords and other sharp objects during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 29, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Cuts made by an axe are seen on the tattooed back of a devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine, taking part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 29, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Devotees of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine carry a religious statue back to their shrine at the end of a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 29, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Devotees of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine with decorated spikes pierced through their tongues, take a part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 29, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

A couple takes pictures of themselves as devotees of the Chinese Bang Neow Shrine take part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket September 29, 2014. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)