Psychic stabs himself to death as he tried to prove his immortality

He had been performing the traditional spirit dance in front of spectators in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, yesterday afternoon when the accident occurred.

And folk ritual is believed to honour the ghosts of ancestors and in previous shows the blade of the sword broke when it was pressed against his chest. But on this occasion the act went wrong and the weapon failed to snap causing the 25-year-old to stab himself in the chest.

It was published by Sanook. and English-language website Coconuts, which both reported that the medium was pronounced dead in hospital.

A resident called Noom Udorn, Mr Palee had provided readings for several years to local people. ‘This is a tradition that happens every year. The sword normally breaks but this time it went inside him,’ he said.

‘The medium has been respected for many years. People love him. He is one of people’s favourites.’

Deputy Police Inspector Chaiwat Phan said officers arrived at the San Kamphaeng district of the province at 3pm on April 24 and found the medium bleeding. He said: ‘We were informed that a man armed with a knife had stabbed himself. We are coordinating with the hospital while an autopsy is performed.

‘There were people at the scene helping Mr Palee but he died later in hospital. He had a stab wound to the chest.’