Chiang Rai cave: Psychiatrists fret over attention, 'rewards' showering on boys

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Psychiatrists fret over attention, 'rewards' showering on boys

By PRATCH RUJIVANAROM 
THE NATION

 

 

CHILD PSYCHIATRISTS have advised that the boys rescued from the Chiang Rai cave be left alone to get back to normal, warning that fame and being granted special privileges could cause lasting harm.

 

The global attention drawn to the dramatic rescue mission has shone a glaring spotlight on the 12 young footballers, making them public figures. But the psychiatrists stress that the boys should have to depend on their own personal strength and support from their families to avoid becoming tainted by fame.

 

Dr Benjaporn Tuntasood, a child psychiatrist at Manarom Hospital who administers the “Kendekthai” Facebook page, which focuses on child psychology, said it was important to ensure the boys are allowed the privacy to grow up normally.

 

The admiration and privileges typically bestowed on public figures could harm their mental development and disrupt their recovery following the drawn-out trauma in the cave, Dr Benjaporn said.

 

“What will heal these kids best is helping them return to normal lives as soon as possible amid the warm hugs of their families,” she said.

 

“Too much public attention and society’s high expectations will only increase the pressure and stress for the boys, who are already in a weakened mental condition. They’ve just survived the horrific situation of being trapped in a dark cave without food for nearly two weeks.”

 

Benjaporn urged the news media and people in general to avoid showering the youths with too much attention and setting expectations too high. They can’t be expected to grow up to be good adults just because so much effort went into their rescue, she said.

 

They’re just ordinary adolescents and teenagers and should be left alone to pursue the same normal lives they enjoyed before getting trapped in the cave.

 

The “gifts” are being offered, though.

 

Naresuan University is ready to give the boys, once they’re old enough, full scholarships all the way to doctorate level. They were invited to watch Sunday’s World Cup final in Moscow as guests of Fifa. Their doctors said that was impossible, but a private firm in Doha has proffered seats at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

 

Some of the boys’ countrymen objected to such offers on social media, saying it was unfair that the same generosity wasn’t being shown to those who made the dangerous rescue mission a success.

 

Dr Jiraporn Arunakul, a child psychiatrist with the Faculty of Medicine at Ramathibodi Hospital (Mahidol University) deemed it inappropriate to shower the boys with rewards because they were only the victims of a natural calamity. They’d already earned the greatest reward possible – surviving and being safely returned to their families, she said.

 

Jiraporn emphasised that the youths are at a crucial stage in their development. Giving them too many opportunities and shortcuts to success would destabilise their later lives, she warned, just as the survivors of the mining disaster in Chile, who were all adults, ended up suffering due to their fame.

 

“The most precious reward everyone can offer these brave teenagers is allowing them to get back to their normal lives,” Jiraporn said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30350120

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-07-16

[mok199]

Time will tell. They stumbled into a cave and were carried out celebraties ,they are young ,cute and cuddly and so so many want a piece of this pie, the years to follow will be another ''real story'' I am sure a few will not fair well and thier trust in friends and people around them will be tested and retested...

Edited July 15, 2018 by mok199
speliings

[kannot]

Those Psychiatrists  will need  expert psychiatric  help to get thru this, if  anything any money the boys get  will only benefit them with some guidance ( unlikely) theyd  be  better off  finding them some financial and investment advisers from outside of Thailand

[greenchair]

A lot of jealous people have moaned  about about these underprivileged boys getting rewards. This psychiatrist is no different, looking for her own 2 minutes of fame. The offer of a path to citizenship especially to the coach, would change his life for the better immensely. But no, some people would like that opportunity ripped away from him. 

The offer to go to the world cup in 2022, is another opportunity that would enhance all of their lives. They are avid footballers and train hard everyday. Their mishap happened as a direct result of extra training for their football. So the world cup is a perfectly suitable offer to end the amazing story. But what makes me the most livid is the jealous nasty people, that would attempt to have thier educational scholarship yanked from their clutches. It's a wonderful opportunity for them and will give them a bright future . 

Unfortunately, because of the nasty few, these outstanding offers may be taken away due to stories like this one and the backlash of jealous netizens. The most precious reward to support and enhance their lives would be a smooth path to citizenship, a fulfilled dream to see the world cup and a guaranteed path to higher education. 

[ezzra]

I thought that by rescuing those kids out of the cave that will be it, but no, the story continue to unfold with more and more trivial details coming out everyday, can we move along please?...

[DashRye]

A lot of jealous people have moaned  about about these underprivileged boys getting rewards. This psychiatrist is no different, looking for her own 2 minutes of fame. The offer of a path to citizenship especially to the coach, would change his life for the better immensely. But no, some people would like that opportunity ripped away from him. 
The offer to go to the world cup in 2022, is another opportunity that would enhance all of their lives. They are avid footballers and train hard everyday. Their mishap happened as a direct result of extra training for their football. So the world cup is a perfectly suitable offer to end the amazing story. But what makes me the most livid is the jealous nasty people, that would attempt to have thier educational scholarship yanked from their clutches. It's a wonderful opportunity for them and will give them a bright future . 
Unfortunately, because of the nasty few, these outstanding offers may be taken away due to stories like this one and the backlash of jealous netizens. The most precious reward to support and enhance their lives would be a smooth path to citizenship, a fulfilled dream to see the world cup and a guaranteed path to higher education. 

Well said.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

They’re just ordinary adolescents and teenagers and should be left alone to pursue the same normal lives they enjoyed before getting trapped in the cave.

Wise words, but I’m betting they won’t be heeded. 

[smutcakes]

I hope the boys take what they can get, and use that money to assist them and their families. Sadly they are from a very poor area where their chances of having the opportunity to go to further education, university etc is low. I hope they take what they can get and manage to use it wisely for the benefit of them and their families. Even if they decide to waste it, at least i hope they have fund doing it.

[canuckamuck]

1 hour ago, greenchair said:

A lot of jealous people have moaned  about about these underprivileged boys getting rewards. This psychiatrist is no different, looking for her own 2 minutes of fame.

The boys found fame in the cave and started a fame rush. Now everyone is trying to stake a claim. It will continue for some time, with the attempts getting more and more far fetched. And all the experts are trying to get their credentials burnished while the public eye is still within reach.

 

 

[Saiyok]

People shouldn't be rewarded for endangering the lives of others. New signs should be placed outside dangerous caves with heavy fines for entering without permits or guides.

 

 

[jaiyen]

Simple answer is to close all wet caves during rainy season. Any cave that has passages too small to walk through should be closed or have the passages blocked off.  Any cave deeper than say 500 metres ,as an example, should only have guided tours. And they must all be one price only tickets !

[Saiyok]

2 minutes ago, jaiyen said:

Simple answer is to close all wet caves during rainy season. Any cave that has passages too small to walk through should be closed or have the passages blocked off.  Any cave deeper than say 500 metres ,as an example, should only have guided tours. And they must all be one price only tickets !

One price is a dream. They make a fortune off double pricing. 

[darksidedog]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

They’re just ordinary adolescents and teenagers and should be left alone to pursue the same normal lives they enjoyed before getting trapped in the cave.

Therein lies the rub, their lives will never again be totally normal. Funnily enough, I watched the film The 33 yesterday of the Chilean miners. Despite being hard done by, after the first flash of fame had gone by, they remained brothers to each other from that day on and remain so.

These boys will have a bond between them they will never forget.

As for rewards? Some things will be a blessing, some a curse, but it is up to them and their families to decide what to accept and decline. As has been said, the greatest gift they already have, life itself.

[Bruceps]

Rubbish all the offers as bad for the boys..

.Don't let the world see some of them have, no nationality, no rights .... And no passport fifa... but thanks for the kind ofer

[connda]

Psychiatrists now need to get their 15 minutes of fame too.

[Get Real]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

CHILD PSYCHIATRISTS have advised that the boys rescued from the Chiang Rai cave be left alone to get back to normal, warning that fame and being granted special privileges could cause lasting harm.

Wrote that as a comment here already 2-3 days ago. No need to be psychiatrist to understand that. It should actually be common sense, that is buildt in to peoples mindset.

[mok199]

Thailand desperately needed a great story to tell the world,they now have it..and they will milk this until these boys are ruined,then they will dig it up and milk it again...they will do to these boys what they have done to this once great Kingdom..shamless Thailand

[mike324]

35 minutes ago, mok199 said:

Thailand desperately needed a great story to tell the world,they now have it..and they will milk this until these boys are ruined,then they will dig it up and milk it again...they will do to these boys what they have done to this once great Kingdom..shamless Thailand

And the government is to be blamed, they already chose the production company they want to make the film.

[maximillian]

3 hours ago, Saiyok said:

People shouldn't be rewarded for endangering the lives of others. New signs should be placed outside dangerous caves with heavy fines for entering without permits or guides.

 

 

 

Along with the new signs they should put a guard and a gate infront of that cave.

[Jonmarleesco]

'Naresuan University is ready to give the boys, once they’re old enough, full scholarships all the way to doctorate level. They were invited to watch Sunday’s World Cup final in Moscow as guests of Fifa ... a private firm in Doha has proffered seats at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.'

 

Obviously, the way to a university scholarship, plus some freebies, is to get oneself into serious trouble, then hope for timely aid.

 

One could be forgiven for assuming they were the heroes of the hour, not the cause of the need of heroes. 

 

 

[ZAKY]

They have already received the biggest gift of their lives i.e: their lives; the hospital treatment, the nation support that’s enough! 

[mserror]

I thought this was normal for Thai boys.