Bangkok:A female fortune teller has filed a complaint with the Crime Suppression Division, seeking an investigation into amulets she sold to clients which might contain over 30 pieces of human remains. Phra Payom, a Buddhist monk, has cautioned those who believe in such objects that they may end up paying for their misfortune.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Ronnarong Kaewpetch, president of the Foundation for the Campaign to Reclaim Justice in Society, accompanied the fortune teller known as Mint to file the complaint. They are requesting a thorough investigation into the suspicious amulets, which reportedly contain skulls, teeth, jawbones, fingers, and bones, to ascertain if they are indeed human remains. Customers of Mint's fortune-telling business, who were dissatisfied with the results of the amulets, are demanding refunds totaling nearly 3 million baht.
Fortune teller Mint confessed she was unaware if acquiring the human remains was illegal, as the individual who conducted the ritual claimed they were obtained legally from areas such as Bangkok, Suphan Buri, Ang Thong, and Buriram. However, her uncertainty has led her to seek police intervention, suspecting the possibility of a coordinated effort involving human organ trafficking. The complaint was filed after a group of gurus and intermediaries, who had promised to share compensation, vanished, leaving her with the financial burden.
Mr. Ronnarong suspects an organized operation might be at play, given the substantial number of human skulls used in the amulets. He believes that corpses from Buriram and other provinces may have been collected and sold. Legally, selling amulets containing bone powder is permissible, even in large department stores in Bangkok, leading many, including fortune tellers, to believe it is legal, thereby deceiving them.
Ownership of human remains is considered property that passes to rightful heirs, and selling skulls or body parts requires legal consent from the heirs. Unlawfully excavating a corpse or obtaining a body without consent is a serious offense. Undertakers at any temple involved in providing corpses for amulets are also committing a crime. Coordination with police will continue to investigate these amulet-making centers and take appropriate legal actions.
Phra Payom Kalyano, the abbot of Wat Suan Kaew, remarked that the incident highlights how fortune tellers cannot manage their own lives, leading to mistakes. He warned those who believe in superstitions that they would only "pay the price for their foolishness," whether from fortune tellers, soothsayers, or shamans. He advised living life cautiously and embracing the teachings of the Buddha, following the "path of wisdom."