False Prophecy Leads To US$13m Loss In Tourism Revenues At Tak's Bhumibol Dam

[webfact]

Man called in over dam scare

The Nation

Bhumbibol dam, file photo. Source: wikimedia

Police have summoned a 73-year-old man to face charges of causing public harm by publishing a prophecy that one of the country's largest dams would burst on New Year's Eve, reports said yesterday.

Police in Tak province have given Thongbai Khamsi until next Tuesday to acknowledge the charge or face arrest.

Thongbai last month informed local media of a prophecy made by his late son, a supposed five-year-old psychic, that Bhumibol Dam would burst on December 31, 2011. It did not.

The boy made the prophecy 37 years ago, shortly before his death. Thongbai claimed his son had correctly predicted that a tsunami would hit Thailand in 2004.

Provincial officials said the false prediction caused a drop of 90 per cent in tourist arrivals to Tak during the holiday season, and a loss of Bt400 million (US$13.3 million) in income.

-- The Nation 2012-01-04

[webfact]

Thai police summon soothsayer for false prophecy

Bangkok - Thai police have summoned a 73-year-old man to face charges of causing public harm by publicizing a prophesy that one of the country's largest dams would burst on New Year's Eve, reports said Tuesday.

Police in Tak province, 380 kilometres north of Bangkok, gave Thongbai Khamsi until January 10 to acknowledge the charge or face arrest, the Bangkok Post reported.

Thongbai last month informed local media of a prophecy made by his son, a purported 5-year-old psychic, that the Bhumibol Dam would burst on December 31, 2011.

It did not.

The boy made the prophecy 37 years ago, shortly before his death. Thongbai claimed that his son had correctly predicted that a tsunami would hit Thailand in 2004.

Provincial officials said the false prediction caused a drop of 90 per cent in tourist arrivals to Tak during the holiday season, and a loss of 400 million baht (13.3 million dollars) in income.

In December 2010, a well-known soothsayer in Chiang Mai, 650 kilometres north of Bangkok, predicted that Thailand's south-western sea coast would be hit by another tsunami during the New Year season.

That prediction, which proved false, led to a sharp decrease in tourist arrivals to popular southern beach resorts.

-- Agencies 2011-01-04

[Credo]

I have no idea why people would put much stalk in such nonsense.

Please don't tell anyone about the Mayan Calendar. Heaven only knows what will happen.

[ratcatcher]

Yep, another harmless, possibly deluded 73 year old gentleman faces charges by police. Perhaps they'll chuck him in the slammer for 20 years along with the other old chap who supposedly texted unacceptable SMS messages. Meanwhile the real criminal (The Joker) just laughs.

Amazing really.

[DocN]

I have no idea why people would put much stalk in such nonsense.

Please don't tell anyone about the Mayan Calendar. Heaven only knows what will happen.

+1

[Fookhaht]

As we all know, in most of our homelands, the guy would just be simply dismissed as a lunatic and would not get any attention from even his friends, let alone the media and general public.

It's the gullible "customers" and the indiscriminate media that should be arrested for giving the guy a gram of credibility (hearers) and a platform (the media).

T.I.T.

[DP25]

As we all know, in most of our homelands, the guy would just be simply dismissed as a lunatic and would not get any attention from even his friends, let alone the media and general public.

It's the gullible "customers" and the indiscriminate media that should be arrested for giving the guy a gram of credibility (hearers) and a platform (the media).

T.I.T.

In my country lunatics like this and their predictions are big news and some people take them seriously

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_end_times_prediction

[Tatsujin]

You are forgetting how large a part this "superstitious nonsense" plays in many Thai's lives. For many, when faced with hard concrete, scientific evidence saying that the dam wouldn't break (for example) and this guys "prophecy", they are going to go with the "prophecy" in many cases.

[skippybangkok]

sorry, but sounds pretty spot on. There was massive flooding in BKK recently as a concequence of the dam not being able to hold water as we all know.

Was not exactly 31st December........ but not far off if ti was predicted 37 yrs back

[jbsears]

As we all know, in most of our homelands, the guy would just be simply dismissed as a lunatic and would not get any attention from even his friends, let alone the media and general public.

It's the gullible "customers" and the indiscriminate media that should be arrested for giving the guy a gram of credibility (hearers) and a platform (the media).

T.I.T.

In my country lunatics like this and their predictions are big news and some people take them seriously

http://en.wikipedia....imes_prediction

I'm from the same country and you are wrong. That was a big joke in the news and the public made fun of those who believed the prediction. Further, the state institutions would never (I hope!) endorse such predictions.

[kirk0233]

I watched channel 3 news Monday and it was reported this guy received a thousand baht fine. Seems like old news. It was reported that Thai seem to more readily evacuate when an old man predicts a flood than when the government does.

Edited January 4, 2012 by kirk0233

[whybother]

sorry, but sounds pretty spot on. There was massive flooding in BKK recently as a concequence of the dam not being able to hold water as we all know.

Was not exactly 31st December........ but not far off if ti was predicted 37 yrs back

Spot on .... besides the fact that the dams didn't collapse. But don't let that get in the way of a bit of superstition.

[atyclb]

Developed countries have more sophisticated law suites for allegedly causing harm; Case in point, Pearl Jam being sued for their music/ video "Jeremy"

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1416

With fortune tellers at every corner why would Thai people take it so seriously, or perhaps the issue being they do take stuff like this seriously including the ghosts portrayed in movies.

Or black magic downed those military helicopters. Guess its an easier pill to swallow than owing up to possible incompetence.

Edited January 4, 2012 by atyclb

[laurentbkk]

a 90% drop in tourism ? instead of blaming Mr Looney .... blame to the TAT for letting this rumor being stronger and stronger ... a maze in Thailand

[laurentbkk]

Too bad he didnt predict the flood ,I could have saved my belongings lost during the 5 weeks flood in my house.

[Moruya]

In another case, Paul the octopus, who was used throughout the 2010 FIFA world cup to predict the winner of matches against Germany throughout the tournament, has been summonsed to the Supreme Court of Thailand and stands accused of being unusually lucky. The British born Octopus Vulgaris, who emigated to Germany in his formative years, correctly predicted the winner of 8 matches during the tournament - a 100% record with a probability greater than 256-1. The polyp's keepers at Sea World Centre, Oberhausen, Germany have responded to the summons with a declaration that he unfortunately died on October 26th 2010 and will consequently be unable to attend. Judge Chocdee Plamukyai has received a copy of the death certificate and is considering what action to take next. "I consider it rather unusual that a death caused by shooting in head, sealing in a plastic bag and leaping out of the tank would not be recorded as a suicide as they are in Thailand."

[maswov]

sorry, but sounds pretty spot on. There was massive flooding in BKK recently as a concequence of the dam not being able to hold water as we all know.

Was not exactly 31st December........ but not far off if ti was predicted 37 yrs back

Spot on .... besides the fact that the dams didn't collapse. But don't let that get in the way of a bit of superstition.

Nothing extraordinary there considering there are floods every year.

[Xonax]

Arrest and criminal charges for a prediction? Take a break or catch some real criminals!

Edited January 4, 2012 by Xonax

[Sydebolle]

THB 400 million; how on earth did they accrue this estimate? As far as I am concerned I would say, that THB 400 mio. buys a LOT of Somtam!

[Riely]

So much for Freedom of Speech. Pretty dam lame.

[prvtdetdave]

sorry, but sounds pretty spot on. There was massive flooding in BKK recently as a concequence of the dam not being able to hold water as we all know.

Was not exactly 31st December........ but not far off if ti was predicted 37 yrs back

Bullocks

[anon467367354]

maybe if everybody just shut up and let the government do all the talking, media news and making decisions for the people, they would have nobody else to blame. Get rid of freedom of thought, speech, making one's own decisions, and we'll have the perfect flock of commodities.

[arrowsdawdle]

The BS here is about loss of tourism revenues. First of all, this is hardly big news and largely unheard until after the fact in the reporting of this article. You know it was under-reported and had zero to do with a decline in tourism. If it were reported prior to the 31st, everybody and his brother would have showed up to watch it from a safe vantage point above the dam. Dam breaks, it ain't going upstream that's for sure. If they would have publiicized the prediction better they would have had a New Year's party to end all parties above the dam and media would have been there to cover the partying if not the prediction. Blaming the gent is malarky mired in BS.

[FOODLOVER]

Can you arrest the idiots who believed?

[supaprik]

amazing

[bangkokrick]

Same rules applied Nostradamus, would be right in the shit.

[yougivemebaby]

Such ignorance .. Scary & sad. Sounds like witch hunts are near.

[khaowong1]

I have no idea why people would put much stalk in such nonsense.

Please don't tell anyone about the Mayan Calendar. Heaven only knows what will happen.

Ha ha ha. Now your talking of a prophecy by someone the Thai's have not a clue about. They wouldn't give it a thought. If it's not a Thai prophecy, it's not believable. Nostradamus, never heard of him, does he live in Chiang Mai? :-)

[jacko45k]

My TGF's sister and family all left Tak and went to Korat because of this.

The prophecy was apparently substantiated by the behaviour of turtles in the lake.

[thaikahuna]

I have no idea why people would put much stalk in such nonsense.

Please don't tell anyone about the Mayan Calendar. Heaven only knows what will happen.

They may go looking for the Mayans to reimburse for lost tourism profits......