• Fortune-teller arrested in Thailand after being accused of stealing a client’s phon
• Client insisted on legal action to prevent the trick from happening again

A fortune-teller was arrested in Thailand after being accused of stealing a client’s phone following his prediction of bad luck and the loss of a valuable item on New Year’s, according to local media.

Reports identified the suspect as 38-year-old Udomsap Mueangkaew, who denied stealing the phone when confronted by the client, but told her that its disappearance confirmed the accuracy of his predictions.

Sources said the fortune-teller was roaming outside a temple offering his services, prompting the 19-year-old client, known only as “Bam,” to seek his help out of sympathy.

He used tarot cards to predict she would face bad luck and lose a valuable item, then asked for money to prevent the incident, which she refused.

It is unclear if she had paid him for the basic reading.

The client realized her iPhone was missing after leaving the location and recalled it had been beside her during the session.

When she returned to confront the fortune-teller, he told her the incident proved his abilities, even accusing the suspect of the theft.

At that moment, bystanders intervened, and police were contacted after the phone was found hidden in the fortune-teller’s bag inside a box of face masks.

Mueangkaew later admitted to the theft but pleaded with the client not to press charges, claiming he was a beginner and needed money for New Year’s.

However, the client insisted on legal action to prevent others from falling victim to the same trick.

Fortune-telling is a deeply rooted part of Thai society, with citizens, and sometimes politicians and businesspeople, seeking advice from practitioners.