14 insane images from a Thai festival where people pierce their faces with really large objects

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vegetarian festival

REUTERS/Jorge Silva

As far as different cultures' traditions go, the vegetarian festival on the island of Phuket, Thailand, has to be one of the most extreme.

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It is nothing like our vegetarian festivals.

The nine-day event, which first took place in 1825, is the pinnacle of devotion for many Taoist worshippers who celebrate with an elaborate procession and by piercing their faces with a variety of objects - from parts of unused vehicles to machine guns.

The result is an opulent yet somewhat gruesome spectacle that is not for the faint-hearted.

Warning: Graphic images.

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