A popular Thai fortune teller may face criminal charges after she predicted a border clash that never materialized, yet sparked something of a panic in the country. The peculiar case reportedly began last Saturday when self-proclaimed mystic Plai Prai Krasip provided a forecast to a media outlet. During the interview, she warned that there would be a "big attack within the next one to two days" along the Thailand-Cambodia border, which has been the site of several armed skirmishes between the two countries over the last few months. "From what I've seen," she claimed, "something large and destructive will be used."

While believers in the fortune teller's alleged abilities were understandably concerned about her forecast, more skeptical residents criticized the mystic for what they saw as a prediction designed to prey on the public's fears over the ongoing conflict. When a day passed without Krasip's prognostication coming to fruition, former government official Rewat Klinkaysorn lambasted the psychic on social media. Noting that the proverbial clock was ticking on her prediction, he asked, "how are you going to take responsibility if it doesn't happen?" To that end, Klinkaysorn noted that her believers in "rural areas" had become "too afraid to hold events and have had to cancel them," resulting in people losing money.

Asserting that the mystic's prediction had incited a panic, the angry former official encouraged "anyone to file a police report against her" and made an ominous forecast of his own, musing, "you’ll soon be exhausted by the court process." On Tuesday, after the time frame for Krasip's prognostication had passed, two Thai lawyers took Klinkaysorn up on his suggestion and filed an official complaint with authorities. The mystic stands accused of "spreading false information that causes public alarm," which could result in a fine or one month in jail. In response, police indicated that they hope to speak to the psychic soon. However, they said, she is currently unavailable, having checked into the hospital to treat stress brought about by the curious controversy.