PHUKET: There is no pain once the gods enter your body, said Jampen Deebuk, after puncturing the cheeks of a young devotee with metal skewers at Thailand’s bloody vegetarian festival.
Bearing fresh wounds from his own act of devotion, Jampen is following an ancient Chinese Taoist ritual on the island of Phuket where celebrants eschew meat and undergo public self-mutilation in search of virtue.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Win a prize this Mother's Day by subscribing to our annual plan now! T&C applies.
Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
