Even though no one really knows what the future holds, many Bangkokians find themselves looking for signs – sometimes in the stars, sometimes in tarot cards and occasionally in the advice of a fortune-teller. But in the age of social media, fortune-telling is no longer just the realm of wizened old ladies surrounded by candles and crystals.
One pioneer of this digital fortune-telling wave is Napasorn ‘Nok’ Chotikawanich, the enigma behind the popular channel, Bird Eye View. It’s become a go-to space for people navigating life’s twists and turns, especially when it comes to love, heartbreak and messy relationships. While countless online fortune-tellers have come and gone, Nok’s charm, insight and humour have kept her audience hooked year after year.
From spilt tears to shuffled tarot cards, she has crafted a universe of love, drama and fortune-telling. We peeked behind the scenes to uncover what really makes her channel so addictive – and surprisingly relatable.
Heartbreak sparks a new path
When asked how she began her journey as a fortune-teller, her answer is both candid and revealing. ‘I never really planned to become a fortune-teller,’ she admits. ‘It started more as a personal experiment than a career goal.’
It was heartbreak that nudged her onto this path. As a graduate student struggling with love, she found herself spending excessively on readings. ‘It got to the point where I thought, ‘This is a waste of money. Maybe I should just learn how to do it myself.’
What began as a practical solution soon evolved into a passion. Her initial attempts to learn traditional methods, like Chinese physiognomy, were challenging due to a childhood aversion to numbers. She found herself struggling with the complex calculations and precise measurements required by those practices, feeling a growing frustration.
She kept searching for a form of divination that clicked until she discovered gypsy cards. With these, she had an immediate connection to the cards’ rich, symbolic imagery. ‘I felt like I was finally speaking a language I understood,’ she recalls. Her teacher encouraged her to forge her own path, so she began studying foreign YouTube channels and English books, learning about upright and reversed card meanings, a practice that was not yet common in Thailand, where most fortune-tellers relied on more local methods.
Her family background also played a subtle role. Her grandmother was a fortune-teller, steeped in traditional Hindu-inspired practices. While she didn’t grow up learning the craft directly, the thread of intuition seemed to run in her blood. ‘I think it’s something that’s been passed down,’ she reflects. She claims that her readings rely on meditation and energy clearing, ensuring that each interpretation is neutral and attuned to the client’s present state.
In 2016, her channel, Bird Eye View, began almost by accident. Originally intended to showcase photography, the first video turned out to be a tarot reading, a simple ‘pick a card’ exercise. Filmed with a makeshift setup of a pillow and a cloth, the video was humble, yet it resonated. ‘I wasn’t expecting much, but within a few months, views started climbing. For someone with just a few subscribers at the time, even 2,000 views felt massive,’ she says with a laugh.
Breaking stereotypes
Thailand has a long tradition of fortune-telling even within the royal court. Yet, most people still imagine a fortune-teller as an old crone surrounded by spiritual objects. For Nok, breaking this stereotype was central to her early approach.
‘In Thailand, people imagine fortune-tellers as older women with a certain authoritative aura,’ she explains.
She initially hid her face on the channel, worried that her youthful appearance might make viewers sceptical. By proving her skill first and gradually revealing herself, she reshaped the perception that fortune-tellers don’t have to be mystical or unapproachable. They can simply be people with a skill that helps others navigate life.
Clarity and speed are at the heart of her readings. Her hallmark style is fast, concise and direct. Each session usually lasts under 10 minutes, focusing mainly on love and relationships, the area she finds most emotionally unpredictable. ‘Career or money can be learned, improved or strategised. Love is different. It’s emotional, nuanced and often beyond control,’ she explains.
Even with so many channels available, Bird Eye View has been running for nine years and continues to grow. She attributes much of her sustained popularity to her fast-reading style, which keeps audiences engaged. While some critics say she’s too quick, her fanbase only seems to expand with time.
AI as a helper
When it comes to content creation, she used to rely on audience comments and trending keywords. These days, she has a more convenient partner. ChatGPT has proven invaluable for generating headlines and content ideas, making her workflow more efficient. For example, she might input a general idea like love readings and receive a list of catchy titles such as ‘Is your soulmate near?’ or ‘Why are you single?’.
In an era where many people turn to AI for fortune-telling itself, she believes that machines will never replace human fortune-tellers. ‘People seek human interaction and a listening ear,’ she explains. ‘You can't get true comfort from a machine. People need to feel understood by another person.’
Love in all its drama
‘Everyone’s dramatic about love. They just don’t realise it.’ For Nok, love is a universe of emotions, full of twists and turns. Her readings focus on relationships, from romantic entanglements to family dynamics, because she believes love is messy, emotional and endlessly fascinating.
She often notices how people use social media to process love, sharing thoughts and feelings in a space that feels safe. ‘Sometimes people just need a place to vent or make sense of their emotions,’ she reflects. ‘Being in that position helps me understand people better. And myself, too.’
Her consultations are a dance of intuition, energy and insight. Even in heart-wrenching readings, she softens the blow with gentle reassurance or witty observations, reminding clients that love is dramatic but also beautiful and deeply human.
Many seek her guidance only after heartbreak or when relationships feel uncertain. Her popular pick-a-card readings, especially on ‘What does this person think of me?’ offer insight and clarity. She believes healthy relationships shouldn’t leave us questioning someone’s intentions, but when they do, her guidance helps clients see patterns, make choices and sometimes accept that being single is perfectly okay.
Care and comfort
Clients come to her not just for predictions but for comfort and clarity. She often encounters delicate or painful situations and delivers her messages with care. ‘If the news is hard, I sandwich it with something positive to guide them forward,’ she says. Her approach is compassionate yet honest, helping clients reflect and make empowered decisions.
As her audience grew, she remained mindful of her role. From managing hundreds of clients monthly at the peak of Bird Eye View’s popularity to collaborating with brands as an influencer, she maintains a balance between accessibility and professionalism. ‘I want people to see that a fortune-teller can be approachable, relatable and still skilled,’ she affirms.
On the most unusual questions she’s received: ‘Once someone asked how many galaxies there are,’ she recalls, laughing. ‘I had to tell them, even scientists don’t know, please focus on your life, not the universe!’