The Biggest Veggie Festival Of The World

From october 18 to october 26 was the Jay Festival here in Thailand. Its not a festival in a park with groovey people and yoga booths, but it's all over Thailand and many people participate and eat for this period of time only strict vegetarian foods.

"Jay" comes from Chinese Buddhism and is strict veggie food, also garlic and some other spices are not used.
There are two commonly used signs for Jay ; the thai เจ and a chinese caracter that i cant type here, sorry, but you can see it in the photo. Colors for both signs are typically yellow and red.

In a country with 65 million people, it isnt unfair to say that millions of people actively join this festival each year so that this is the Biggest Veggie Festival In The World.

Here are some pics i took in Bangkok.

A week or so before the festival starts, companies advertise their Jay products. Here a bus with a jolly caracter holding a banner with the Jay sign.

Bookshops have made special isles with only Jay books.

Saterday october 16th the festival starts in Chinatown with a colorful parade.
It's crowded with people, food booths and there is also a national bigshot waving a flag in front of the cameras.

For 8 days many restaurants stop selling meat and fish and become totally vegetarian. (after the festival the yellow / red Jay signs will be taken away)

Busy busy busy, the jay restaurants and jay foodstalls outside are doing good business.
Jay (veggie) food stalls are not restricted to Chinatown, they are simply everywhere and in all Thai cities.
All 7-11's have posters advertising their Jay food meals. Inside the 7-11's much yellow and red Jay flags. The Jay food of 7-11 is really tasteless, to say it politely.
After the festival the 7-11 doesnt offer Jay meals anymore. Jay foods are strict vegetarian, besides no meat and no fish, also no milk and no egg.