Por Tor, commonly known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, is one of the most significant holidays in the lunar calendar. The festival, which usually falls on the 15th day of the seventh waxing moon, is celebrated for two weeks in temples and shrines of the Chinese communities throughout the Southeast Asia. The festival shows respect and gratitude to ancestors.
The main attribute of the festival is the Red Turtle cake - Ang Ku (small turtle) and Tua Ku (big turtle). The locals bring turtle cakes as well as flowers and fruit to the temples as offerings. The animal is a symbol of longevity and good health, whereas the red color represents joy, welfare, and prosperity.
The celebration continues until 9 September. A festival procession can be seen on 29 August in Phuket, starting at 5:19 pm at Queen Sirikit Park and ending at the Bang Neow Shrine on Phuket Road.
Other festivities on the island:
- 30 August — at the Thai Hua Museum;
- 31 August — Along Takua Pa Road, Phuket Town.