Fortune tellers are unanimous in their predictions of more political chaos in 2007. Well-known seers Kitja Thaveekulkij and Kengkaj Jongjaipra "foresee" the leaders of the September coup spearheading another military takeover.

Kengkaj tipped a constitution-drafting controversy to break out near the end of the year, and a leader forced perhaps to resign.

April and August would see Northeast provinces rise up unsuccessfully against the military-backed government, he claimed.

Kengkaj's divining tells him pot-stirring power-seekers will force the junta's hand into another coup in order to smooth the political landscape for immediate elections.

Kitja, meanwhile, tipped street protests against the junta and its government in February and March, prompting the re-imposition of martial law.

The promised late-2007 election would not go ahead but there would be a poll sometime between February and April next year. Kitja's prophecies can be found on his website www.mornid.com.

International Astrology president Pinyo Pongjareon said the many eclipses occurring in 2007 signalled political change in two periods -February to March and August to September.

Pinyo, too, foresaw big political demonstrations between February 13 to March 30 that would end in riots quelled by massive military force. But he was optimistic about political peace after November 16. There would be a new constitution, elections and good government.

All three psychics warned of catastro-phes. Earthquakes and water disasters would hit Thailand and the rest of the world.

Kitja said Thailand would face drought early this year followed by the worst flooding for decades in Bangkok and the rest of the country.

"Major earthquakes will occur in the North or the South from the middle of the year until the end of the year," he said.

Kengkaj tipped a major shaker for the Indian Ocean and Andaman Sea around July to September that would affect India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Burma.

Then, in August, there will be earthquakes in the upper reaches of Thailand and China and Pakistan. At the end of the year more earthquakes would be felt in the United States, Chile, Panama and Venezuela.

Pinyo also spoke of a crucial earthquake.

Economics at home would worsen this year thanks to political instability and natural disasters.

Kitja said in spite of there being "many good men" in the Cabinet, most of the Surayud Chulanont ministers had "bad omens".

Pinyo agreed. People would face financial and economic crises throughout the year. The value of the baht would be unsteady while stock prices would rise and fall dramatically.

Many people would go hungry, fall into serious debt and lose their jobs. Prices would rise, too.

The fortune tellers recommended adopting the sufficiency economy theory to ward off economic meltdown.

The mediums were divided over the South. Pinyo said there would be no let-up in the insurgency in 2007 and believed the region would not enjoy peace until 2010.

But Kitja saw an easing in tensions but no end to violence. A "third hand" attempting to "discredit the government" could spark a flashpoint.

Chatrarat Kaewmorakot

The Nation