A series of strange deaths over the last week have left a village in Thailand suspecting that a notorious ghost may be lurking in their community.
Since October 29th, four men, a handful of household pets, and even a buffalo have died under mysterious circumstances which some residents believe could be supernatural in nature.
Specifically, they worry that the spate of deaths were caused by an infamous Thai ghost known as a 'phi pob,' a particularly pernicious female spirit that feasts on the organs of its victims.
In response to the odd incidents and ghostly concerns, the community banded together in an attempt to crowd source a solution to the problem.
A whopping 370 families each contributed a few dollars to a fund which eventually totaled around $1,400 dollars and was used to hire an alleged paranormal specialist to visit the village.
Alternatively described by one media outlet as a "famous ghostbuster,' while another simply called him a "hermit," this mysterious individual performed a ritual in the village which purportedly captured an astounding 30 phi pobs!
The 'ghostbusting hermit' allegedly managed to ensnare the spirits in bamboo tubes which were subsequently burned during the two-hour ritual which was overseen by police and government officials.
Although the ceremony appeared to bring peace back to the village, the sense of comfort was sadly short-lived as another man seemingly fell victim to what must have been the 31st phi pob that was presumably out of town during the ritual the previous day.
In response to the hysteria which has now gripped the village, the Thai government has dispatched a number of health workers to visit the area in an attempt to find a genuine medical reason for the deaths and dispel the rumors that they were caused by vengeful ghosts.
It is uncertain as to whether or not the villagers will get their money back from the ghostbuster or if he'll simply be receiving some seriously critical Yelp reviews from the disgruntled customers.
Source: Buriram Times / South China Morning Post