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Trevor's Tales

Mor Doo: Psychics or Statisticians?

Contributed by Trevor Ranges

Bangkok expat, Trevor Ranges, visits Mor Doo, or fortune tellers, at Khao Sarn Road, Tha Phra Chan, and Wat Rachanada in search of an authentic reading of his future.

Not long ago, I was walking along Khao Sarn Road, smoking a cigarette, when an peculiar looking Indian man stepped out from the shadows, his mesmerizing eyes burning deeply into mine as he forcefully exclaimed: "If you keep smoking those they will kill you." "Thanks" I replied, thinking sarcastically to myself, "WOW! What psychic insight this guy must have." Nevertheless, I soon found myself sitting cross-legged on the ground of a nearby alley and I was hearing more than I might have been able to predict on my own.

He began by "reading" my mind (after I had written the information down on a half hidden piece of paper, mind you), and he did a bit of fondling of my forehead and ears, all of which seemed oddly appropriate given the circumstances. It really wasn't until he continually asked for money in exchange for more information that my western skepticism won out. Anyway, I thought, who would want to live to the age of 103, as he predicted I would, if they had to give up smoking, drinking, and casual sex?

After I described my encounter to a friend, she explained that while there were certainly many charlatans preying on tourists for an easy Baht, fortune telling, particularly astrology, has been a part of Thai society for centuries. In fact, Wat Pho, which is acknowledged as Thailand's first university, taught Astrology; King Rama I was a practitioner of astrology and predicted the 'rerk', or auspicious date, for the official founding of the city of Bangkok; and Sanam Luang, the public field to the north of the Grand Palace, was chosen by King Rama IV for the Royal ploughing ceremony, celebrated on the most auspicious date each spring as determined by the Royal Astrologer. Even today, in the shade of Sanam Luang's tamarind trees, Mor Doo continue to practice their craft.

A Mor Doo, my friend went on to say, means "a doctor who sees". They employ a variety of skills to forecast an individual's future: astrology, palmistry, card reading (tarot or otherwise), even examining the design of a person's face (ngo heng) or feet. She said that many Thai people visit Mor Doo for guidance and advice about love, health, and business: such as ascertaining the most suitable time for arranging travel plans or getting married. Sensing my skepticism, she also proffered the Thai saying: "Along with a doctor who sees goes a doctor who guesses." I was immediately curious to find out more about this seemingly preternatural occupation.

Our first stop was Tha Phra Chan, the pier immediately to the south of Thammasat University. Along a narrow, dark alley leading out to the Chao Phraya River Mor Doo ply their trade at a half dozen small tables running parallel to an equal number of closet sized booths.

As various Mor Doo beckoned me to come have my fortune told I realized I had no idea what criteria were most important for selecting one: A diploma from a fortune teller university? Recommendation letters from lottery winners? All I saw were elaborately decorated cloths covered with numbers and foreign script; red, wooden framed yin-yang symbols; and curiously, more than a few mirrored disco balls. I was genuinely nervous, wondering if choosing the wrong Mor Doo would relegate me to an unfavorable future. Fortunately, my preconceived western notions of what a fortune teller should look like were met half way in the form of a friendly Thai gold-toothed smile.

Khun Heng began by looking up my birth date in the Astrological Calendar. This book tells you the position of the planets, as well as the moon and the sun, on the day you were born. He recorded this information on a 12 sectored chart, which to me looked like an expanded tic-tac-toe grid. He inquired about the day of the week and time of my birth and then began spinning the wheels of an arcane looking pair of conjoined, flat, metal discs, examining closely the position upon which they aligned. After noting the information gleaned from this final reading he began to tell me his prognosis and I became immediately skeptical.

I have been involved in engineering. (Um…I used to brew beer and teach skiing.) I should not wear the color pink (ummmm…not a problem there.) I am allergic to dust. (I don't like dust, but…) Have I had any influential experiences dealing with snakes? (influential?) I should open a restaurant???

Attempting to maintain my objectivity, I tried to think of an explanation for these peculiar predictions. I was born in an entirely different hemisphere. The planets must have moved a bit during in the 12 hours that passed from my birth time here and my actual birth in the US.

Unfazed, I decide to go in search of a fortune teller that didn't require such extravagances as birthdates and star alignments. Fortunately, this area is also home to several Mor Doo who practice quite a different style of prophesizing. In the courtyard before the pier sat a tanned, grey bearded, crippled man encircled by foot-high stools. Intuitively I knew that this man was a "seer" and sure enough a sign posted to a tree beside him read "accurate fortune teller 39 baht".

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To post your comments, please email trevorranges@gmail.com.


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