Famous Thai Fortune Tellers Spark Idea To Draft Law On Telling The Future

[webfact]

Famous Fortune Tellers Spark Idea to Draft Law on Telling the Future

After last year's fiasco about Dek Chai Pla Boo, the country's leading fortune tellers are now asking the government to draft a law to govern the art of fortune telling. They say non-credited tellers of the future should be barred from causing widespread panic with their predictions.

Late 2011, the story of Dek Chai Pla Boo took over Thai media reports and social network circles. It tells of a boy who could predict the future, occurrences which would happen decades after his death. His father was the one who told his story, claiming that his son's predictions, made 37 years ago, all came true. He went on to say that his son predicted that the Bhumipol Dam in Tak Province would collapse on December 31, 2011 and would kill hundreds of people.

Although the general public listened to the story with skepticism, many avoided traveling to Tak Province for the holidays just in case the prediction were to come true. The New Year's Eve came and went and the Bhumipol Dam still stands. The phenomena caused local administrative officials to file charges against Dek Chai Pla Boo's father for causing panic and damaging the province's tourism industry. The father was later sentenced by a local court to a suspended jail term of five months.

As a result of the story, the nation's leading fortune tellers are now calling upon the government to draft and pass some sort of law to keep amateur fortune tellers from causing a repeat of Dek Chai Pla Boo. They say that people should not be allowed to claim to be fortune tellers if they cannot based their predictions on a trusted form of astrology or a credited organization.

Pinyo Pongchareon, the chairman of the International Astronomers Association, said he had previously tried to register all existing astronomers and fortune tellers in Thailand, but was unsuccessful because he was not backed by the government. He now says that if he is able to cooperate with the Culture, Education, and Human Development ministries, he will be able to prevent fraudsters from making wild, violent predictions and causing panic amongst the general public.

Pinyo suggested that the nation's leading fortune tellers should come together and submit a draft to the government. They should be responsible for 80 percent of the law's content, while the administration should offer the remaining 20 percent.

The leading astronomer went on to say that Dek Chai Pla Boo's prediction about the Bhumipol Dam was not based on any form of astrology or any known science. It was merely a thought in an average boy's head and was blown completely out of proportion.

Pinyo added that the proposed law should also include clauses on ethics and make sure that fortune tellers are prohibited from making violent, unsubstantiated predictions which would cause widespread panic.

Pinyo is joined by at least four other famous fortune tellers in his bid to draft a law governing the practice. They say the average Joe should not be allowed to shout out ridiculous claims in an effort to make a name for themselves.

www.thairath.co.th

-- Tan Network 2012-01-13

[pedro01]

"They say that people should not be allowed to claim to be fortune tellers if they cannot based their predictions on a trusted form of astrology or a credited organization."

So only real seers of the future are allowed?

The mind boggles

[OzMick]

" Pla Boo's prediction..... was not based on any form of astrology or any known science."

OR being the important word, excluding asstrology from any known science.

Why do fortune-tellers have door-bells?

[Reasonableman]

In future, they will need to be accredited by the International Navel Gazer Association and Ouija Board. But what of those lucky lottery ticket numbers that sometimes magically appear on tree bark?

[DP25]

Pinyo Pongchareon, the chairman of the International Astronomers Association, said he had previously tried to register all existing astronomers and fortune tellers in Thailand, but was unsuccessful because he was not backed by the government.

I hope they mean International Astrology Association

[Reasonableman]

Pinyo Pongchareon, the chairman of the International Astronomers Association, said he had previously tried to register all existing astronomers and fortune tellers in Thailand, but was unsuccessful because he was not backed by the government.

I hope they mean International Astrology Association

[DocN]

"...the nations leading fortune teller..."

'nuff said!

[necronx99]

Shouldn't they know the outcome of this request already?

[DocN]

Shouldn't they know the outcome of this request already?

classic!

[Moruya]

Draft a law on hocus pocus?

Splendid.

[sysardman]

Shouldn't they know the outcome of this request already?

They should have at least seen this guy's prediction coming and put out counter-predictions

[haveaniceday]

Is this a satire story?

[sysardman]

Is this a satire story?

I knew you were going to say that!!!

[ballpoint]

This government will never enact any law that won't bring a prophet to themselves.

[sysardman]

This government will never enact any law that won't bring a prophet to themselves.

Looks like this is the topic for bad jokes.

By the way, I started out with nothing and I've doubled it.

[BookMan]

Almost surreal

[mightyharriss]

555555555555

[bangon04]

"They say the average Joe should not be allowed to shout out ridiculous claims in an effort to make a name for themselves."

Then this is unlikely to be passed - it could stunt the careers of many Thai government ministers and politicians.....

[SunDaRi]

There actually are.certifications for fortune telling in Thailand, accreditated ones are not common because there is just so much more unaccreditated ones.

Some are good cold readers while some puts your date of birth, time of birth into a computer and generates a data according to their school of astrological knowledge.

This must be a joke to put it into law, i just hope fortune tellers will be kinder with their words. It may happen is better then it will happen.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[Payboy]

he had previously tried to register all existing astronomers and fortune tellers in Thailand, but was unsuccessful because he was not backed by the government

Too bad he didn't see that coming.

[thequietman]

Once upon a time a man called Shinawat went to the fairground in Bangkok. He came upon a tent advertising fortune telling and so, for a laugh, he went in.

Hello deary, "said the Fortune Teller " cross my palm with purple paper with a picture of the King on and I'll tell you your fortune." "You what? 1000 baht??" said Shinawat "What happened to silver then?" "Doesn't buy much these days." said the Fortune teller.

So money changed hands and the gypsy gazed into her crystal ball. "The clouds are parting, " she said, "I can see, I can see, a career in the armed forces, and also , I can see, I can see OOOH!!!! AAAAH EEEK!!!" and she looked quite faint.

"What is it?" asked .Shinawat "I cannot tell you." replied the gypsy"but for another 1000 baht I will sell you this locket, and I will write what I have seen on a piece of paper, and I will place this paper in the locket, and you must not cast your gaze onto this paper until your last, dying day."

"OK then." said Shinawat and did as he was asked.

Now it just so happened that Shinawat was about to go into basic training in the Army, so he believed everything that the fortune telling gypsy had to say.

Shinawat got through his basic training with no problems, but on his last day before being transferred to a unit, his commanding officer asked him what was in the locket.

"I really don't know, "replied Shinawat " It is my fortune, written down there by a gypsy Fortune Teller and I may not look at it until my last dying day."

"May I have a look though?" asked the CO. "I suppose so." said Shinawat.

The CO opened the locket and unfolded the piece of paper "OOOH!! AAAH!! EEEK!!" he said. "We can't have people like you in the Army I'm afraid." and sure enough, within 2 days he was discharged with no explanation.

"How very strange." thought Shinawat "Never mind, I was growing to dislike the army anyway, I always wanted to be a fighter pilot! I'm going to join the RTAF!!" and so he did.

As before, he got through his basic training with flying colours and he was about to be transferred to an air base when the CO asked to see him."It's always been a subject of much curiosity," said the CO, "as to what is in that silver locket that makes such green marks upon your neck. You always try to hide it beneath your dog tags but I must know what is inside."

Shinawat said " It is my fortune, placed in there by a gypsy Fortune teller, and I don't know what it says. I'm not allowed to see it until my last dying day, but I suppose you may look if you really must."

Sure enough, the CO opened the locket and carefully unfolded the piece of paper. As he looked at it, his face paled and he spluttered "OOOH!! AAAH!! EEEK!!" and he took a step back. He carefully folded up the piece of paper and put it back into the locket. "I see." is all he said. "That'll be all."

The next day, Shinawat got an official letter discharging him from the RTAF, saying he was colour blind, had a square head and had 2 left feet. And many other spurious excuses.

"bahulleyang!!" thought Shinawat , "I always wanted to fight for my country. Now there's just the Navy left and I didn't want to wear a hankie round my neck."

So Shinawat joined the Navy. They were a little concerned that he had been discharged from both the Army and the Air Force, but as they both just said he was unsuitable, they didn't know why and let him in.

He breezed through the basic training and this time, he didn't have a nosy CO so he was transferred to HMS Thairakthai and sent to the Gulf of Thailand.

One day, while he was swabbing the deck, as it was the powder monkey's day off, his locket, which still made him very green about the neck (but what do you expect if you buy cheap jewellery from a fairground in Bangkok) was glinting in the sun. The captain happened to spot this and asked what it was.

"Here we go again." thought Shinawat. "It is a locket, within which is a piece of paper, upon which is written in the hand of a fairground Fortune Teller, that which she saw in the crystal ball. I have been forbidden to look at it until my last dying day, and if it's all the same to you, I'd really rather not let anyone else see it either."

"Oh go on," said the Captain " I'll be your best friend and everything." "What will that entail exactly?" asked Shinawat who thought that if he played his cards right he could get promoted to officer and stop wearing hankies round his neck.

"Well, for a start " said the Captain " I'll let you into a secret. The Thai Royal Navy hasn't had powder monkeys for at least 10 years.And I'm not totally sure we even still swab the decks any more either. You could do some cushy job round here like cook. Then you'd only have to really work if terrorists took over the ship trying to steal nuclear weapons and we're not as careless as the yanks."

"Oh alright then, "said Shinawat , taking leave of his senses, "You can look."

The captain opened the locket and carefully unfolded the piece of paper and read it. "OOOH!! AAAAH!! EEEEK!!" he said, tripping over on the wet deck (so I suppose they do swab them after all)"Oh no no no, we can't have you in the Navy, that would never do." "Why not?" said Shinawat, "Please tell me."

"I can't!" Said the Captain "It's too horrible. Put on this life jacket."

Shinawat put on the life jacket and was unceremoniously pushed over board. He was washed up on a desert island but unfortunately, it was not even a typical cartoon joke desert island. It didn't even a a single coconut palm on, just sand. And no fresh water.

"What a to do. " said Shinawat aloud.

Days past, and Shinawat got more and more tired, and weaker and weaker.When things got really bad, Shinawat decided this must surely be his last dying day.

He very carefully opened the locket and gingerly, religiously took out the piece of paper inside. Very slowly he unfolded the piece of paper and brought it forward to his dying eyes to see, finally what was on it.

It was blank.

"Hang on, I'm looking at the wrong side." he thought.

He slowly, carefully turned the piece of paper over and....

wait for it

A gust of wind blows the piece of paper away.

Edited January 13, 2012 by thequietman

[sysardman]

Once upon a time a man called Shinawat went to the fairground in Bangkok. He came upon a tent

blah blah blah blah

A gust of wind blows the piece of paper away.

I think you just made that up!!! - and where's the punch line?

[thequietman]

Once upon a time a man called Shinawat went to the fairground in Bangkok. He came upon a tent

blah blah blah blah

A gust of wind blows the piece of paper away.

I think you just made that up!!! - and where's the punch line?

it'll come to you. take a moment. are you there yet ?

[sysardman]

Once upon a time a man called Shinawat went to the fairground in Bangkok. He came upon a tent

blah blah blah blah

A gust of wind blows the piece of paper away.

I think you just made that up!!! - and where's the punch line?

it'll come to you. take a moment. are you there yet ?

Thing is I didn't read it all, I was dozing off half way through, I can't really believe you sat down and typed all that. Stick to one-liners

[thequietman]

Once upon a time a man called Shinawat went to the fairground in Bangkok. He came upon a tent

blah blah blah blah

A gust of wind blows the piece of paper away.

I think you just made that up!!! - and where's the punch line?

it'll come to you. take a moment. are you there yet ?

Thing is I didn't read it all, I was dozing off half way through, I can't really believe you sat down and typed all that. Stick to one-liners

copy and paste is our friend.

[OzMick]

They should establish an Office of Seers where all fortune tellers, mystics, etc must be reistered, certified and licenced or otherwise face heavy prosecution. The office should be located in a broom cupboard in a basement of some building in an undisclosed location. If they're good enough for a licence, they should be good enough to find it.

[Theo007]

Sorry, still don't get it!

[HarrySeaman]

What worries me about the whole article is that there are apparently certified fortune tellers in Thailand.

If they are good enough at telling the future to be certified, why is the country in the mess it is in now?

Are they traitors for not warning the country of little things like floods before they occur?

[anterian]

So if Pinyo is successful Thailand will become a hub of prophecy.

[KRS1]

What worries me about the whole article is that there are apparently certified fortune tellers in Thailand.

If they are good enough at telling the future to be certified, why is the country in the mess it is in now?

Are they traitors for not warning the country of little things like floods before they occur?

Fortune tellers dont have visions, psychics do. True psychics know what they say has an affect on lives, so they choose not to say much because the weight will be on them.

IMO the boy that said the dam_n would burst was half right, Thailand just went through a disastrous flooding, and the dam_n was probably the largest water retaining structure he could think of that could cause damage on that scale. The South also started to flood during his time of prediction.

Probably too much red/yellow turmoil to get a clear vision.