Culture & Religion

Like other regions of Thailand, Theravada Buddhism is the dominant religion in Phuket. The people practice Buddhist rites similar to people in other regions. But Phuket also has a large number of Chinese descendants who profess Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism, with their distinct culture. For Phuket people, Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism are intertwined.

There are a large number of Chinese Buddhist temples and shrines in Phuket town. The most sacred and the oldest Chinese Taoist temple is Put Jaw temple, which is dedicated to Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy. Other Taoist temples are Jui Tui temple, dedicated to Kiu Wong In, a vegetarian god (it is the temple where the Vegetarian festival is celebrated) and Sam San shrine which is dedicated to the Goddess of the Sea. They present strong Chinese-style architecture.

The famous 9 day Chinese Vegetarian Festival celebrated annually during October indicates the deep roots that the Chinese culture has in Phuket. Each year the event attracts vegetarians from around the nation to Phuket to celebrate the practice of abstaining from eating meat in order to purify the mind and body.

Touring old Phuket town you can also see Sino-Portuguese architecture which is now in the preservation area of the town. They are a blend of the influences of the Chinese and the western colonialists who ruled Phuket town during the height of the tin mining industry. There are also Sikh and Hindu temples to serve the small number of followers residing in Phuket town.

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