Famous fortune teller accused of sexual assault during ‘purifying’ ritual

A 32-year-old businessman has come forward to accuse a well-known fortune teller from northern Thailand of sexually assaulting him three times during a spiritual healing session.

The victim sought help with Ekaphop Lueangprasert, founder of an advocacy page ‘Survive – สายไหมต้องรอด’ on May 6 after he visited the fortune teller’s compound on May 2. He was recommended the place by his mother, who follows the fortune teller’s social media page, and asked him to get spiritual treatment for severe cluster headaches that conventional medicine had failed to cure. 

The fortune teller, referred to as “ajarn” or master teacher, claimed to communicate with heaven and hell, counts celebrities among his followers and operates a large compound described as resembling a meditation retreat.

The victim said he queued from 2pm and was not seen until around 6pm, when the ajarn told him his karmic debt was severe and that he would need a special VIP session after all other clients had been seen. The final session did not begin until nearly 10pm, with his mother asked to wait outside.

Once alone with the ajarn, the victim said he was instructed to recite prayers before being told to lower his trousers. The fortune teller claimed the procedure constituted a Hindu healing method requiring physical examination of the genital area. 

The ajarn then began touching the victim, instructed him to move to a corner of the room, view pornographic material on his phone and perform a sex act directed at the ajarn. 

The victim said he wanted to run but did not dare flee, fearing harm from the ajarn or his followers, and was also concerned for his mother, who had recently undergone surgery and was waiting outside.

A second assault took place after a further karma-cleansing rite. The fortune teller again instructed the victim to stimulate himself using pornographic material while the ajarn assumed a roleplay in which he described himself as a female lead and the victim as a male lead, using language the victim described as grossly obscene, before performing oral sex on him.

During this assault, the victim said he feigned a need to view images on his phone, silenced the device, disabled the flash and covertly recorded video footage of the act.

A third assault occurred after the victim’s mother was briefly called in and then asked to leave again. The fortune teller used his hand to assault him before the session was interrupted by the mother re-entering the room, at which point the ajarn released him and the session ended.

After the session, his headaches worsened. The businessman said he considered suicide and only shared what had happened with his partner before telling his mother and family, all of whom were devastated. 

Researching the fortune teller afterwards, the victim said he discovered online discussions suggesting other victims existed but lacked evidence, as the ajarn typically prohibits phones during sessions.

Mr Ekaphop said earlier complaints against the same individual had been impossible to pursue without evidence, but that the video footage now made a viable case. He accompanied the victim to file a complaint with the Central Investigation Bureau rather than local police, citing concerns about the fortune teller’s local influence. He urged other victims to come forward.