The word "jay" indicates vegan food, following Buddhist traditions that exclude all animal products including fish sauce. "Mangsawirat" means vegetarian but may still include fish sauce, so clarify if this matters to you. Restaurants catering to tourists are generally accustomed to vegetarian requests.
Many Thai dishes can be prepared vegetarian on request. Specify "mai sai nam pla" (no fish sauce) and "mai sai sauce-hoi" (no oyster sauce) for stricter vegetarian preparation. Tofu is widely available and can substitute for meat in most dishes.
During the annual Vegetarian Festival in October, particularly in Phuket, vegetarian and vegan food becomes widely available. Yellow flags indicate "jay" food vendors during this period. Upscale restaurants and international hotels are well-equipped to accommodate vegetarian and vegan diets year-round.
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