Yesterday was a national holiday in Thailand to honour the date revered King Chulalongkorn died.

In Phuket it was also the conclusion of the annual Vegetarian festival, which lasts 9 days.

We didn't go, though I did accidentally see a couple of the processions when traffic was halted to let them pass.

Could certainly hear it going on last night too, there were thousands of firecrackers.

If I hadn't had such a comfortable mattress I doubt I would have been able to sleep through it all

The following link includes some pictures from the festival, they aren't for the faint hearted; part of the festival is about suffering pain to cleanse the soul and many people pierce them themselves with some quite large, and strange, items.

http://www.ibtimes.com/phuket-vegetarian-festival-2012-where-purity-painful-photos-850829

Andy