Every year, when the 7th lunar month of the Chinese calendar arrives, the Thai-Chinese communities in Phuket begin their preparations for one of the most meaningful festivals of the year — Por Tor Festival, also known as the “Hungry Ghost Festival.”
This sacred event honors ancestors and wandering spirits through rituals of merit-making, communal unity, and gratitude. It’s not just about food offerings, but about respecting lineage, restoring balance, and passing on cultural values.
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🧧 What is the Por Tor Festival?
The name Por Tor (from Hokkien Chinese) can be translated as “apology” or “atonement.” In Phuket, however, the term represents something deeper — a compassionate ritual to honor ancestors and lost spirits who may have no descendants to care for them.
Por Tor is a symbol of collective kindness, where entire communities make merit not only for their own family spirits but for others as well, promoting generosity without expectation.
📜 Rituals and Beliefs
Por Tor Festival ceremonies vary across households and communities, but common rituals include:
- Setting up altars and offering food: rice, duck, pork, chicken, fish, traditional Chinese sweets, incense, candles, and fruits
- Burning gold and silver joss paper: symbolic money and goods for the afterlife
- Inviting monks to chant blessings: to dedicate merits to the spirits and protect families from misfortune
- Distributing food to the public: as a way of sharing luck and goodwill
One of the most prominent and cherished items on the offering table is the red turtle cake, known locally as “Ang Ku.”
🐢 The Red Turtle Cake (Ang Ku): Symbol of Longevity
This signature item of the Por Tor Festival is made from sticky rice flour and shaped like a turtle, colored in bright red and filled with sweet mung bean paste.
Why a turtle? In Chinese culture, the turtle is a symbol of longevity, strength, and good fortune.
The red color represents happiness, prosperity, and protection.
Giving or receiving Ang Ku during the festival is believed to bring blessings and long life. Many families also distribute these cakes to neighbors or passersby after rituals as an act of sharing joy.
🏮 A Festival of Community Spirit
Por Tor is more than a household affair — it is a community-wide celebration. In Phuket, entire neighborhoods gather to build altars, decorate streets, and prepare food offerings together.
In some areas, large-scale events are held at Chinese shrines, with processions, performances, and public feasts. Elders teach children the importance of honoring ancestors and remembering one’s roots, making it a living classroom of heritage.
🏙️ Por Tor in the Modern World
While traditions evolve, the essence of Por Tor remains strong. Many local shrines in Phuket have adapted the event to fit modern lifestyles by using social media to promote awareness, displaying cultural stories via QR codes, and creating activities for youth participation.
This shows that tradition isn’t just about repeating old ways — it’s about preserving the meaning behind them.
✨ Why Por Tor Matters
Por Tor Festival isn’t just about feeding spirits or burning joss paper. It’s about keeping a living connection with those who came before us, showing that gratitude transcends time, and that compassion is the foundation of community.
So next time you walk past a table filled with incense, Ang Ku cakes, and colorful offerings — you’re witnessing a quiet act of devotion passed down through generations.
📞 Contact Us
Would you like to experience authentic local traditions like the Por Tor Festival while traveling in Phuket?
Let Love Andaman help you explore the cultural and natural wonders of the island — from festivals to floating shrines.
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