My wifes family occasionally visits a fortune teller/soothsayer for advice and expectations for the months to come. Is this common in Isaan? I refuse to go in the house when they go to see the lady, but they believe in it quite a bit. Does anyone else have similar experiences?

It is indeed very common. The fortune teller usually tells them they will be broke over the coming months, which is not far off the truth, since they were likely broke before and having borrowed money to pay for the fortune teller and all the crap that has to be supplied, they will be broke and in debt forever more!

the fortune telling business is lucrative here in Thailand. I see this all over the place, even on the busy street of Sukhumvit.

its more like a fairy tale - rather an unlicensed business any one can accomplish as long as they have a lot of bull coming from

there mouth, and the funny thing about all of this is that the person(s) listening believes it.

As I wait outside in the truck, I can't help but wonder what goes on inside. Does the teller have some chicken bones scattered out on a cloth or does she use cards to "read" the coming events in others' lives? To me, it is a crock of sh@t, but who am I to say that its crazy? Last year my wife went and we were told that we would have good luck this year and we would be coming in to money. I think to myself, "well, looks like she will be working some overtime. Is this sort of supernatural believing common in your areas?

Oh, I forgot to add that she will on occasions say that she has to do "good luck" for monks or others because she wants something good to happen back to her. I understand making merit with monks, but sometimes she does this out of the blue.

I know that if they can give winning lottery numbers they would play them themselves and get out of the fortune telling business.

why dont u go inside and see for yourself.

i find it fascinating. husband refuses to talk about all the mor pee and other witch doctor types, kataa and all that...

iwish someone would invite me in to see...

you seem really worried about it? its rather commong among thai women, and men; but we have the same stuff here among the morroccan jewish women also, nto to mention astrology and whatever... no different...

men bet on football, women get their fortunes told...

bina

israel

I once started laughing in my sleep - wife woke me to find out what the joke was - I had no idea - so she went out and bought 55 in the then illegal lottery.

And we won!