Unusual tree brings luck seekers, sparks lottery frenzy in Thai village
An unusual Sisal tree bearing an uncanny resemblance to a mythical Naga snake has drawn crowds of people to the residence of an 89 year old woman in Non Malai village in Thailand’s northeast Buriram province. Villagers believe the tree brings fortune. They flocked to pay respects and seek lucky lottery numbers from the peculiar tree in front of the old woman’s home.
The 28 year old tree is located in front of house number 82 in Non Malai village. This sisal tree has attracted both residents of the community and enterprising lottery ticket sellers. Villagers have been trying their luck with lottery numbers derived from the tree. The house number and the number 57 are visible on the tree resembling the Naga. The homeowner, Pun Domthaisong, explained that her deceased daughter-in-law planted the tree, commonly believed to bring wealth and fortune.
On May 28, the unusual appearance of the tree was first discovered, coinciding with a Buddhist Holy Day. Villagers were excited as they hadn’t seen anything like it before. As more people gathered, a curious incident occurred with an aunt who seemed to be possessed by a spirit or an unknown force. She cried, shook, and screamed, pleading with the villagers to prepare five offerings. She also mentioned that their ancestors had appeared.
The villagers hastily prepared the five offerings as requested by the aunt, who also felt tight-chested and struggled for breath. If any villager won the lottery, they promised to make merit and organise a grand celebration. The woman, who experienced the strange possession-like symptoms while visiting the sacred fig tree, said that in her 63 years, she had never seen a tree resembling the mythical Naga before. She didn’t know if it was meant to bring good fortune or just make an appearance. However, she believed it would bring luck. Regarding the lottery numbers, she remained undecided and unsure of what she saw during her ordeal. She only remembered the feeling of a tight chest and difficulty breathing.
