Best-said sooth is always flexible

That ought to be enough to discount some dusty old fortune telling, but the boy, Pla Boo, who died the same year he made his forecasts, will linger to see another scare.

His 73-year-old father Thongbai Kamsee kept the faith alive on yesterday’s “Woody Talk” show, saying his son didn’t mean January 1 – he was talking about the Thai New Year in April. That’s when the dam comes down.

Thongbai claimed that Pla Boo foretold the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the 2004 tsunami and last year’s disasters in Japan. “My intention is to warn people, not to get any fame or money,” Dad said. However, he made a bet with host Woody Militajinda. “If the dam collapses, you give me one baht of gold and if not, I will give the same to you.” 

A little gambling with a bit of glitter is certainly one way to guarantee continued public interest.

 

 

Babes in a rush

Channel 3 has moved up this year’s Miss Thailand World pageant and the deadline for entering because the Miss World contest itself has been rescheduled, as organiser Nawat Issarakraisin explains in his column for Thai Rath.

The Miss World preliminaries usually start around mid-year in Thailand and afford plenty of time to pick a representative. That decision now has to be made by March 24, so wannabes have to show their stuff from January 31 to February 5. 

“Stuff”, in this context, includes plastically enhanced body parts, but Nawat warns there will be rigorous “physiological” scrutiny, and finalists will also have to get out there and help society with some volunteer work. 

Then there’s the new “fast track” procedure, by which local organisers aim to ensure that the Thai contestant makes it to the global final round. Basically, they’re looking for mega-looks and mega-talent.