A Thairath poll surveying 5,210 readers of the Thairath online website between 16-21 October 2025 found that most experienced vegetarian food priced higher than usual, with average spending per meal between 51-100 baht. Many admitted to breaking the vegetarian diet before completing the full nine days. Popular dishes were vegetable-based. While some participants intended to observe the full festival, others did not complete all nine days, and breaking the diet was common.
In summary, 39% reported not eating vegetarian, 34.2% intended to observe the full 9 days, and 26.7% ate vegetarian only on some days. Most ate vegetarian for health benefits, body detoxification, and religious merit as a form of making merit.
//Regarding popular vegetarian dishes, 37% preferred vegetable menus such as mixed vegetables, boiled cabbage with shiitake mushrooms, and boiled bitter melon. Following that, 24.7% favored noodle dishes, fried items, fried tofu, and fried spring rolls. Curries like clear tofu soup, gourd curry, green curry, panang, and sour curry accounted for 17.05%, while 13.92% chose other items.
On the cost of vegetarian food during the 2025 festival, 53% said prices were higher than usual, with 50.3% reporting spending 51-100 baht per meal on vegetarian food.
When asked if they ever broke their vegetarian diet during the festival, 65.7% said they occasionally slipped, which they considered normal. The remaining 34.2% said they never broke the diet and completed all 9 days successfully.
Regarding the age of respondents to this Thairath poll on vegetarian food, 61% were aged 45 and older, with the remainder under 35 years old.
The 9-day vegetarian festival in 2025 is a period when many intend to follow the diet for health reasons and see it as a personal challenge to achieve their goals.