Pheu Thai Stays Firm As 'Apocalypse' Approaches

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra chatting with Tony Abbott, the Prime Minister of Australia, during APEC summit in Bali, Indonesia

(7 October) Pheu Thai Party spokesman insisted the party is not daunted by the astrological prediction that the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was about to collapse on 8 October.

The rumour of an "major upheaval" on 8 October – the euphemism of a military coup for some – has been circulating among the anti-government factions for over a month following predictions from a number of astrologers.

One such self-professed astrological expert is Mr. Boonlert Pairin, who also happens to serve as an MP of the Democrat Party. Mr. Boonlert told our correspondent the chance for an imminent political violence which would lead to the "upheaval" would begin in the days of 6-8 October, and will reach the climax on 26 November.

"The Saturn is approaching Rahu in the Tula zodiac, which is aimed at Mesa zodiac," Mr. Boonlert said, "This portends a great chaos in Bangkok".
Asked whether the prophesied violence would be as large-scale as 2010 Redshirts protests, Mr. Boonlert said he cannot specify the scale of the violence in October this year.

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Nevertheless, Mr. Prompong Nopparit, the spokesman of the ruling Pheu Thai Party, said the apocalyptic prediction of 8 October is "unscientific". "There has been many such prophecies which turned out to be false, such as the Doomsday prediction few years ago," Mr. Prompong said.

He said in a press conference that the leadership and the members of the party are not daunted by the prediction, and added that the party has no plan to conduct any ceremony to ward off the prophesied disaster.

"We believe in doing good, the good for the people and the country," Mr. Prompong said, "And the good deeds reward us with settling us as the government for the past 2 years". However, he noted that party members are not prohibited from arranging their own ceremonies should they feel the need to.

Mr. Prompong also responded to the allegation that Ms. Yingluck is visiting a foreign country in order to avoid the apocalyptic showdown on 8 October by saying that the Prime Minister′s mission has been planned for some time already, and it has nothing to do with superstition.

"I cannot stop anyone from tying it to the [prophecy] but I kindly ask them to look at reasons and facts too, " said the spokesman.

Ms. Yingluck is currently visiting Indonesia to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

Meanwhile, Mr. Pinyo Pongcharoen, the chairman of the Astrology Association, said in an interview that although the heavenly signs point to an imminent political chaos, he cannot be certain whether the disaster would fall on 8 October.

Even if the government survived the impending doom on 8 October, Mr. Pinyo declared, it will still face another potential apocalypse, scheduled to take place in 10-13 December this year, according to his astrological predictions.

"An astrologer′s duty is to warn of these dangers so people can be careful," Mr. Pinyo said.

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