Thinking Of Moving To The U.k. ?

[LeungKen]

Has anybody else seen this ? Poor Jean Gambell held for 70 years - what a stuff up !!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england...ide/7016541.stm

[JetsetBkk]

That is appalling.

Let's hope there aren't any more cases like this in other institutions.

[mrtoad]

That is appalling.

Let's hope there aren't any more cases like this in other institutions.

When I weas working in a very large scale Psychiatric Institution in the early 1990's there were a number of people who had basically been thrown into the institutions for small misdemeanours such as getting pregnant etc. I had one patient tell me that she had been in the same hospital since 1937 for getting pregnant. Just looking at old asylum admission books would give you a good understanding of how many people were just locked up for very little reason and with no access to the CJS, as they were in effect "nutted off".

I have no doubt to question the validity of the statement. So, there may well not be many left these days, but go back 20 years ago and the number would have been a lot higher.

And yes, it is appalling.

[LeungKen]

And yes, it is appalling.

I Guess it's a bit late for a good lawyer !!!!

[JohnC]

And people ridicule Thailand and say its a thirld world country. People stones and glass houses spring to mind!

This woman has in effect lost her life and any chance of normality, Social Services have mounted an investigation!! really!! what good is that going to do as the original perpertrators of this appalling act are probably dead and buried and whatever the findings you cannot turn the clock back and make her a young woman again!

[mrtoad]

And people ridicule Thailand and say its a thirld world country. People stones and glass houses spring to mind!

This woman has in effect lost her life and any chance of normality, Social Services have mounted an investigation!! really!! what good is that going to do as the original perpertrators of this appalling act are probably dead and buried and whatever the findings you cannot turn the clock back and make her a young woman again!

Any country is open to ridicule, 1st world, 2nd world or 3rd world. Nowhere is perfect, but don't defend Thailand in this context as it has as many faults as the U.K. and vice versa.

It would be interesting to hear what experiences people have had with the Thai Psych system, as from my understanding on a lot of things such as diagnosis, treatment and rehabilititation it lags far behind on what is now common practice in other countries.

[Cobalt60]

Outrageous. Good job there was no death penalty for theft, she would never have seen her brothers.

[GuestHouse]

In the mid 90s there was a commotion around a family near where we were living in Narklua, Banglamung. The father had died leaving hte mother unable to cope with her children, two children at school and one who we all learned as this unfolded, had been locked up in apauling conditions in an outbuilding. The family's response to dealing with a child suffering from severe learning and physical disabilies.

That is not to blame the family, rather that lack of social care and help for the family.

I have no reason to believe that such sitiations are not repeated across Thailand.

Locking people up in mental institutions is a very difficult ethical and legal issue, not to metion the medical care questions, but it is also often very necessary. Mistakes will happen and the one's mentioned are clear injustices.

But questioning a move to the UK on the basis of these cases is hyperbole.

If justice and care are compared there is no dispute that the UK's treatment of the mentally ill is far better than that of Thailand

(I recall too the problems AN Other member here had a few months back getting his wife the psychiatric care she needed).

[intumult]

Aye it is sad. They would still lock you in an institution in those days for accusing a man for making you pregnant too, if you could not prove it, amongst many other reasons.

It is surprising how many got lost in the system but most surprising about this is that it appears the mother knew about it!!!

I'd like to think we are a bit more civilised these days, though I am not too sure about that in some respects

[baabaabobo]

Land of hope and glory etc.

[xyborg]

<br />And people ridicule Thailand and say its a thirld world country. People stones and glass houses spring to mind! <br /><br />This woman has in effect lost her life and any chance of normality, Social Services have mounted an investigation!! really!! what good is that going to do as the original perpertrators of this appalling act are probably dead and buried and whatever the findings you cannot turn the clock back and make her a young woman again!<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Although wrong I would rather spend my life in a Uk mental institution than one of the Thai Institutions I sometimes visit to take food and help out. They are pretty grim.

[mrtoad]

<br />And people ridicule Thailand and say its a thirld world country. People stones and glass houses spring to mind! <br /><br />This woman has in effect lost her life and any chance of normality, Social Services have mounted an investigation!! really!! what good is that going to do as the original perpertrators of this appalling act are probably dead and buried and whatever the findings you cannot turn the clock back and make her a young woman again!<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Although wrong I would rather spend my life in a Uk mental institution than one of the Thai Institutions I sometimes visit to take food and help out. They are pretty grim.

Yes, you are very right. The hospitals in the UK these day generally have good facilities (there are exceptions), and those that don't are in the process of heading towards them. Likewise, from my understanding Thailand does not have speciific Psychiatric Nursing Courses, although I may be wrong. The CCA (1990), along with certain investigations such as Farleigh (1971) and the recent Budock (2006) have made sure that the provision of such institutions have improved. Furhter to that the Care Standards Act (2000) which initialy emcompassed the private sector only has vastly improved care. I very much doubt that the accountability and clinical progession is is such in Thailand.

[sgunn65]

It was not uncommon in the 30's and 40's for women to be sent to Psychiatric units for being pregnant and for petty theives to get the same treatment.Things WERE different then!!!!!! Many people were institutionalised and found it difficult to re-adjust to normal life and so remained in institutions or had no family to go back to. I particularly remember meeting a man who had spent 45 years in Broadmoor and wanted to remain there. He could not cope outside.

This lady was in a council run care home having been moved there from a Psych unit.

Before you Brit bashers get too worked up remember:

That was then and this is now

Knowledge of mental health was (and still is) limited

You are not in receipt of all the facts

This generally does not happen in UK today

In February whilst I was in India a patient with mild mental health problems was beaten to death with sticks

Women all over the world are stoned to death for having sex (I bet they would love to have the choice of a British Psych unit)

[xyborg]

<br />It was not uncommon in the 30's and 40's for women to be sent to Psychiatric units for being pregnant and for petty theives to get the same treatment.Things WERE different then!!!!!! Many people were institutionalised and found it difficult to re-adjust to normal life and so remained in institutions or had no family to go back to. I particularly remember meeting a man who had spent 45 years in Broadmoor and wanted to remain there. He could not cope outside.<br /><br />This lady was in a council run care home having been moved there from a Psych unit.<br /><br />Before you Brit bashers get too worked up remember:<br /><br />That was then and this is now<br />Knowledge of mental health was (and still is) limited<br />You are not in receipt of all the facts<br />This generally does not happen in UK today<br />In February whilst I was in India a patient with mild mental health problems was beaten to death with sticks<br />Women all over the world are stoned to death for having sex (I bet they would love to have the choice of a British Psych unit)<br />

<br /><br /><br />

I'd need to be stoned to death to have sex with some women!!

[LeungKen]

O.K. I accept that I could have phrased the thread title differently - It wasn't meant to be Brit-Bashing (though I must admit to having a lend of a rather inept sporting race) I was merely trying to point out a very sad story that took 70 YEARS to rectify ! and whilst on the subject of England, isn't it true that last week a pensioner near London was issed an Anti Social Behavior Order for playing his Vera Lynn records to loudly !!

One has to hand to the English for eccentricity.

[KhaoNiaw]

and whilst on the subject of England, isn't it true that last week a pensioner near London was issed an Anti Social Behavior Order for playing his Vera Lynn records to loudly !!

One has to hand to the English for eccentricity.

Sounds ridiculous when put like that that, doesn't it?

On the other hand, if he'd been disturbing other people and abusive towards his neighbours over a period of 10 years, they should just let it go?

I don't think an ASBO is perhaps appropriate here but, if you look into the story a little, there seems to be a bit more to it than a poor old victimized pensioner. It's a shame the people complaining about him weren't immigrants - the Mail really could have a field day!

[thomo]

Poor Jean Gambell held for 70 years - what a stuff up !!

70 years, it's not that long.

Edited October 6, 2007 by thomo