UPDATING All Day, Every Day
Phuket Public Health reported 65 people have been treated at hospitals for festival-related injuries, with seven admitted for eye, arm and leg wounds associated with firecrackers. Twelve warriors were treated for cuts to the face and nine for walking-on-fire injuries.
Original Report
PHUKET: Two Malaysians were admitted for treatment to a Phuket City hospital last night with injuries after firecracker mayhem marked the end of the annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival.
A spokesperson for Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket City today confirmed that two Malaysians had been admitted but could not be more specific about their injuries.
''They have at least one relative on Phuket with them to help,'' the spokesperson said. It is believed the Malaysian Embassy has been contacted.
Police and health officials have become concerned this year about the number of teenagers throwing fireworks into the crowds. Several arrests have been made.
Police motorcycle patrols were out in force last night as parades of devotees from all of Phuket's Chinese shrines converged on Old Phuket Town to bring the festival to a noisy and spectacular end.
Thousands of people, many dressed in white as a sign of purity that marks the nine-day festival, looked on.
Fireworks are traditionally thrown under the feet of the possessed mah song warriors, who say they feel no pain. Firecrackers are believed to drive the invading spirits back out to sea.
But with more international tourists attending this year than ever before, safety has become a greater concern.
I was there on 10-11pm with my thai family.
We decide to move out after a few minute as many young men were throwing fireworks in to the crowd or totally in the wrong direction. My young daughter was really shocked, she got one under her feet and we were 30m away from the crowd...
Posted by Vermor on October 14, 2013 12:25