Mor Doo - A fortune for everyone
Throughout Bangkok, you will come across tables or cloths on the ground with a set of Tarot cards, astrological charts, and other paraphernalia surrounding a fortune teller. While most visitors might write off these superstitions as hocus pocus, most people in Southeast Asia take their prophecies as truth. In Thai, fortune teller translates to mor doo, which means “doctors that see,” and they frequented by everyone from common citizens all the way up to government officials and royalty to consult matters of the heart, business endeavors, travel plans, and a host of other important life decisions.
Thai Astrological Association
While some of the fortune tellers might look like used car salesmen, most are members of the Thai Astrological Association, which trains and proffers proficiency upon budding fortune tellers. The three-month course costs around 10,000 baht—a small fortune for most locals—and prepares the seers for a trade in star charts, palm readings, and tarot cards.
A fortune for every price range
While many locals rely on the cheapest 100 baht card reading to predict good or bad luck, the fortune tellers only offer a five percent certainty rating, but 100 percent accuracy is promised for the flashier and more expensive 300 baht astrological reading. For more than double the price, these readings will focus on people’s lifelines and psychological makeups, although the most common line of questioning by most patrons is if their partner is cheating on them or if they will win the lottery.
Travel Tip
Travel Tip: Fortune telling is a pretty vintage Southeast Asian experience, and if you want to try it, Thai Astrological Foundation fortune tellers are found across the street from the Bangkapi Mall, as well as at the southern end of the Sanam Luang Royal Field near the Grand Palace. While you're traveling around, you can always visit some fascinating temples, or a new suit.