Costly con: A Thai woman showing the ‘healing card’ which she bought for 2,000 baht (RM265). — The Nation/ Asia News Network
Bangkok: Khon Kaen provincial public health official Peera Areerat has warned people against buying a so-called “plastic healing card” as it has no miraculous healing powers or the ability to soothe aches.
This so-called healing card has proved to be a big hit in Ubol Rattana district’s Ban Saladin, with people willing to pay 1,100 baht to 1,500 baht (RM146 to RM199) in exchange for the promise of pain relief.
Tawee Peer-in, who has been selling these pieces of plastic, swears by their effectiveness.
Users are instructed to either tap the card on the painful area or place a glass of water on the card and count to 10 before drinking the water, or to drink the water after dipping the card in it.
Tawee said this piece of plastic had helped to ease his back pain, so he decided to register as a “member” and sell the card himself.
However, he declined to provide more details on how the card was marketed.
Customer Thongsri Wongchaiwat, 66, said she bought the card after doctors failed to cure her backache and remove water from her ear, adding that her condition had improved by 50% since she placed the card on her back.
However, she admitted that she was still taking the medication prescribed for her condition by the hospital.
The card has become so popular that some people from neighbouring villages called on the authorities to check the so-called miraculous healing powers of the plastic and hunt down those involved in the business.
After learning that villagers were spending good money on these cards, Peera took some for examination and found that the product was not legally registered.
Initial investigation also revealed that the selling process was like a Ponzi scheme, as the sellers persuade people to register as members and get them to convince others to sign up.
Peera has called on the authorities to further scrutinise the business. — The Nation/Asia News Network
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