Sapa Temple Kathu

The Kathu Shrine, formally known as the Kathu Sam Kong Shrine or Sapa Temple, is a Taoist place of worship in Kathu village that holds particular historical significance as the site most closely associated with the origin of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. According to local tradition, the festival began in 1825 when a Chinese opera troupe visiting Kathu fell ill and appealed to the Nine Emperor Gods for protection, initiating a period of ritual fasting and purification that developed into the modern festival observed across Phuket and southern Thailand each October. The shrine is smaller and less visited than the city shrines, but its role in the festival's founding gives it a unique cultural importance. The surrounding Kathu area retains its mining-era character, with temple compounds, traditional wooden houses, and strong community ties to Chinese immigrant heritage.