Thanks to two well made Japanese horror movies and the intricacies of the Thai superstitious mind I found out that everyone in Thailand could die this week, no, really.

So, I get phone call the other night from a Thai number but it’s not my girls number, I suspect her battery is dead and she is using her Aunt’s phone. I call the number back about 10 minutes later because I was in the middle of something but no one answers. I try the number a few more times but again it just rings. Curious, I then proceeded to call Pookie’s number and it rings as well, I try again but this time I let it ring as long as possible and finally a timid voice on the other end answers with a whisper, ” Hi teelac, how are you”.

With a small laugh I whisper back that I am fine and ask why she is whispering and why no one is answering the phone, the following conversation ensued:

Me: Teelac I see phone call I think from Aunt’s phone, I call back but no one answer?

Her: ohh she cannot answer, she die.

Me: ???Teelac, your Aunt die?

Her: No, but if she answer her phone she die in 7 days.

Me: ???

Her: yeah Teelac hab big pompem in Thailand, you cannot answer phone, you die, but can answer someone else’s phone.

Me: ( wondering if I should state the obvious) Teelac…you answer your phone when I call.

Her: (Momentary silence)I think okay teelac…I wait long time to answer so I think they not think I answer phone.

Me: Teelac, who are they?

Her: I don’t know teelac.

Me: Teelac, you remember movie we watch from Japan where people die after phone call?

Her: Yeah, yeah teelac, same thing .

Me: Teelac only a movie.

Her: yes, but now real many people Thailand hab pompem. We go to see Buddha today and take phones to get blessing.

Your guess is as good as mine as to how this one cropped up. I suspect the Japanese horror movies “The Ring” and “One Missed Call” are making the rounds again and some smart ass started telling people they shouldn’t answer their phones. Those Japanese make some damn good horror flicks.

Apparently all is well now that the phones have been to the temple and blessed, which makes me wonder if it isn’t a Buddhist conspiracy to get more worshipers back to the temples.

Either way if you make a call to Thailand and no one answers please be considerate and wait a while before you call back so no one dies.

Related Articles of Interest:

• Year of the Tiger
• Chulalongkorn Day in Thailand
• Phone conversations with the Thai girlfriend
• Queen of Thailand’s Birthday/Mothers Day Today
• Thailand in the News Week Ending 06/05/10