Thailand grants citizenship to half a million people – but not farangs

[pieandmash]

One of "New Labours" New Brits

[how241]

some very sick people on this Planet................

Crazy stuff.

[jsflynn603]

I agree with a prior poster. The title is way off.

I doubt very much that the foetuses were "roasted." More likely, in the methodology that is usual for enshrining a fetus as an earlier poster wrote, the fetus was dried--a form of mummification.

Black magic? I doubt it--as a matter of fact, these were intended for sale to bring good luck--apparantly by enshrining and honoring with offerings. This is a far cry from killing something to curse another person--that's black magic. And consider...covered with gold leaf? Does this really sound like ooo....scary black magic, or for something to be enshrined.

Ok, it goes against y'all's cultural values but the concept of enshriing a foetus seems logical in a culture heavily into ancestor worship.

Now if, let's say, it's your stillborn child, for instance surgically removed. It's a foetus (fetus) and it's your unborn child. If your religion believes that you should dry it, an enshrine it is that so horrible?

It seems the worst part here is that most likely the foetuses were aborted, and this was done without permission of the parent(s).

Asia is rife with a cultural blend--Animism, Buddhism, Christianity and so forth, often mixed together. Look at Buddist shrines that incorporate Animistic deities. Yeah, the guy did bad, but as posted there seems no fear that he killed anyone and surely there is no "black magic" involved.

[apetley]

I am not defending the guy but let me tell you a little about my Thai inlaws.

Upstairs in the parents old house is a small shrine. At the centre of the shrine sits a tiny human foetus.

It is the result of a miscarriage suffered by my wifes grandmother.

The whole family call him "magic uncle", give him offerings and ask for good luck when they feel the need.

I don't want to give you cause for concern apetely mate but you might well be next on the list.

"Let's all get next month's lottery numbers from "Magic Farang"

Haha.

Near where we live is a huge statue of King Naresuan on the back of an elephant.

It is a Thai habit to stare at the elephant and hope to see numbers they can use in an upcoming lottery.

The last couple of times we visited I joined in and the numbers I 'saw' actually came up!

Don't worry about me mate, I'm best kept alive for the lotto picks:-)

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App

[animatic]

You can never let your amazement get complacent here,

because sometime, some day, it will get topped in the most absurd way.

This is one of those occasions.

RIP the poor little souls,

being abused by the lowest for of greedy turds imaginable.

[bendejo]

I wonder why Thailand?

If the fetuses from abortions were used, why didn't they just produce these in Taiwan, or even PRC?

I'm considering perhaps there is some sort of ritual to the way they are removed from the womb, or something along those lines.

[jerrysteve]

Hard to imagine a British person doing that...I would expect that kind of thing from some Thai people being as superstitious as they are, but from a person from the west...hardly, but then again, the world is full of suprises

[atyclb]

He should face life in the deepest hole one could find.

Are you inferring they take him to?

A) Soi 7 beer garden

Pat pong Road

C) Mariannas Trench

[kerryk]

Hard to imagine a British person doing that...I would expect that kind of thing from some Thai people being as superstitious as they are, but from a person from the west...hardly, but then again, the world is full of suprises

I take it you don't spend much time in Pattaya.

[easybullet3]

SICK!! SICK! SICK!!! SICK!!!!

stupid dumb-ass, idiots who really think that a dead foetus, or a gold cat waving an arm, or hitting your merchandise with a 1000 baht note is going to make an iota of difference to ones wealth.

- if only people would realise the power of themselves in making a prosperous future for themselves.

[OzMick]

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." -Albert Einstein

did Einstein really say that? doesn't sound like his kind of thing

with ref to the tiger part comment, for me trading in endangered species is worse that this. there's plenty of humans and its pretty likely these were aborted or miscarried fetuses and were likely to be thrown away anyhow. killing a tiger on the other hand deserves the death penalty in my book.

Yes. Try google.

[khaowong1]

Using dead baby fetuses powder and oils in making certain lucky amulets goes way back here in Thailand. But because some foreigner trys it, look out louise. There was a high ranking monk in a temple in Bangkok who was famous for it and my understanding is, his student still makes these amulets/statues. They look like a small boy. They are famous here in Thailand. They are very expensive. I forget their name.. I will have to ask one of the Thai monks. They know.

[khaowong1]

Ah, yes, they are called Guman Thong. Just google it and you will see many Thai amulet websites that offer these for sale made by about 5 or 6 different monks here in Thailand as we speak.

[hellodolly]

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." -Albert Einstein

Einstein omitted greed from his list

That is included in stupidity

[RED21]

"Chow Hok Kuen" A classic British name if ever I heard one...! Was it really necessary to have Brit in the headline?

I am sure he technically is British but it seems clear that this fascination with black magic and gold leafing unborn babies is not an inherently British pass time and I'd suggest comes from the same national roots as his name not his adopted nationality...

The first time I read the headline, I thought a 21st century Aliester Crowley had been nabbed. Hahaha!

[phiphidon]

I wonder why Thailand?

If the fetuses from abortions were used, why didn't they just produce these in Taiwan, or even PRC?

I'm considering perhaps there is some sort of ritual to the way they are removed from the womb, or something along those lines.

Abortion is legal in the PRC and Taiwan, I understand. However, I think it would be very difficult to get hold of foetuses from Abortion Clinics. In Thailand abortion is illegal except in very specific circumstances. Consequently there is a demand for illegal abortion. I think the answer to your question lies there.

[moe666]

You donot have to have a foeteus to preform black magic. Aliester Crowley wasn't a black magician

[gand]

This would be a more accurate headline. The media loves to mislead.

"Thai Police Arrest Taiwanese man holding a British passport With Foetuses For Black Magic"

[Crushdepth]

I hope he gets the year in prison. What a piece of crap.

[tomyumchai]

my ex threw her aborted child into some bushes from the back of her honda wave on the way back from the 'clinic' near tabor. she will be kicking herself now if she reads this and would be rooting around in the roadside vegetation whilst phoning her chums in pattaya and asking if theres any taiwanese in town.

[BigSkip]

Story about dead fetuses and then an ad for a cheeseburger and fries

Dam I missed the burger & fries story.........where was it???????

[Kungraham]

A year in prison and 2000 Baht fine, whats that!

[noitom]

The one year in prison and the 2,000 baht fine is quite preposterous and shocking. No further info on the Thai Tawainese man who did the deal. He too should be in the news and his Mr. Bigs. But with The Nation's professional investigative journalism, it's for sure that this will be followed up on.

[HaleySabai]

Is it just me or is Thailand becoming even more weird? Disgusting,

.....it's always been Weird and 'magic-mind(less)ness" is a cornerstone to that weirdness.

[fasteddie]

Just where would one come by deceased human fetuses legally?? Only 1 year in the slammer? Ya gotta be joking!!

Well not legally but he probably got them from an abortion clinic. I doubt he was murdering pregnant women to get them

It's the supply side that is really stomach-turning. People wholesaling aborted fetuses for on-sale, without any compunction. Puts the "frozen tiger parts" story in the shade...

You have to be joking! Foetuses are just rubbish and have never even lived. Tigers are beautiful endangered animals that need our protection at all costs.

[bangkokbruce]

I am not defending the guy but let me tell you a little about my Thai inlaws.

Upstairs in the parents old house is a small shrine. At the centre of the shrine sits a tiny human foetus.

It is the result of a miscarriage suffered by my wifes grandmother.

The whole family call him "magic uncle", give him offerings and ask for good luck when they feel the need.

I don't get it but understand it is their own culture.

It's different of course from profiteering for the sale of foetus's and the thought of where they may have come from is horrifying.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App

Horrifying, yet so true! I have been in Thailand since 1973 after being stationed in Sattahip at U'Tapou and I can write a book about all the horrifying things I have seen and witnessed and this situation is more common than most people think. I too have seen the fetuses in glass jars, as well as coated in gold leaf after being preserved or baked in the shrines of peoples homes and even though I am appalled I keep my mouth shut because frankly the way Thailand is going, I'm not surprised by anything anymore. You can get fetuses quite easily in the China Town(Sampaeng) area of Bangkok because there is a illegal abortion clinic on almost every block in some back soi. They don't take too many risks by throwing them in the trash and since there is a "black market" for anything nowadays they can sell them and make money from them unfortunately. This is Thailand folks and it only gets worse every year. it's not only Thailand but in most every Asian culture that it exist. This is why we keep our house in the states because sometimes me and my Thai wife get so fed up with the filth and disgust of Thailand we just pack our bags and jump on the next plane home to get away from it all for awhile. Welcome to Thailand!

[Colin Yai]

The police should threaten to chop off his fingers unless he reveals where he got the foetuses.

After he provides the required information, the police should chop off his head (IMHO).

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

How do you know he ain't already revealed as to where he got them from and the police are doing a "cover up" as it may cause "embarrassment" in "high places" .

[khaowong1]

I'm thinking we have a couple of Thai's on here.. otherwise, why would some normal, educated person say something like: You just don't understand Thailand or the Thai people.

[NewlyMintedThai]

Wow.

I don't know how many times I've been told by members here that "you may hold a Thai passport, but you'll never be a Thai to the locals -- unlike in America or Europe where once you are naturalized you are instantly an American or Brit to everyone".

I guess this thread puts that little myth to rest once and for all.

[webfact]

Taiwanese man caught with six foetus 'charms'

The Nation

Taiwanese national Chow Hok Kuen, 28, centre, is presented at a police press conference yesterday. Chow was arrested on Thursday for allegedly possessing six foetuses, which police said had either undergone or were to undergo

BANGKOK: --A Taiwanese man has been arrested for allegedly possessing six foetuses that he had acquired illegally and was in the process of getting blessed so they could be sold as charms at a higher price.

Chow Hok Kuen, 28, was arrested at a hotel in Bangkok's Yaowarat district on Thursday, where he was found in possession of six male foetuses, though the police would not reveal how he had obtained them. Chow faces charges of possessing and hiding corpses - an offence that carries a one-year prison term and/or a fine of up to Bt2,000.

Police said the suspect had allegedly been paid by another Taiwanese man who wanted the foetuses to undergo black-magic rituals in Thailand so he could sell them for up to Bt250,000 apiece. Chow said his payment would be based on how much profit his boss, identified as someone with the surname Chen, would be able to make.

The "boss" was later identified as Kun Yi Chen, a frequent visitor to Thailand according to immigration records. Chow, meanwhile, has visited Thailand 12 times so far and occasionally travelled to Laos and Cambodia, police said, without saying whether he had committed similar acts in the neighbouring countries.

Police commander Pol Colonel Wiwat Khamchamanarn later said each foetus cost Chow several thousand baht, but he did not provide details on where he had acquired them. Wiwat said it was obvious that Chow had Thai accomplices, probably people who practised black magic, adding that police had launched a search for them.

The officer explained that charmed foetuses were openly advertised in Taiwan and much sought after by politicians and celebrities.

-- The Nation 2012-05-19