Man called in over dam scare
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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.
