Isaan Residents Mental Anguish Over Thai Political Developments

[webfact]

Isaan residents' mental anguish over political developments

By Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The emotions of residents affected directly by the political crisis are still running the strongest in the Northeast, a recent survey by the Mental Health Department shows.

Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanawisit yesterday said most of the red-shirt protesters who joined the demonstration at the Rajprasong Intersection in Bangkok in April and May came from this region.

The overall figures show the anxiety of people directly affected by the political turmoil has subsided from 28.7 per cent in the first week after the political violence ended to 10.4 per cent last week.

Isaan residents suffered the most emotionally from the political unrest, at 23.3 per cent, followed by the Central region, including Bangkok, with 21.3 per cent, the South with 15 per cent and the North with 11 per cent.

The ministry found almost 6,100 people in 4,850 communities nationwide needed therapy, because they were directly affected by the recent political turbulence.

Of that total, 2,430 people live in 45 communities in Bangkok. The ministry has treated 4,600 people.

The political turmoil from March 12 to May 29 killed 90 people and wounded 1,902.

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Emotional level of people affected by the recent political unrest:

Region May 12-18 May 26-June 1 June 9-15 June 16-22

Bangkok 32.1% 22.4% 21.3% 21.3%

Central 41.9% 41.2% 31.4% 21.3%

North 23% 17.6% 10% 11%

Northeast 32.1% 20.3% 21.67% 23.3%

South 11% 20.3% 17% 15%

Source: Mental Health Department

-- The Nation 2010-06-29

[gotlost]

The people in Issan where I live could give a flying rats arse less. They are to busy living and farming.

[jackdawson]

"mental anguish"

i too have post traumatic stress from the tumult in bangkok .

of course, i can also no longer go window shopping at central world or center one to ease my pain since the "anxious" "northeasterners" torched 'em both .

yeah, that might keep me up awake at night too

[pitanu]

after being brainwashed 24/7 for a couple of months it's not unusual to feel corrupted, confused and withdrawn. <br>

[hammered]

The people in Issan where I live could give a flying rats arse less. They are to busy living and farming.

I seriously doubt anyone ever surveys the poorest of the poor. It is similar in the wifes Northern village where the only people who get excited over it are the wifes rich sister who was able to rip off all the poor illiterates on the one village one cow policy of Thaksin and the drug dealers who become TRT canvassers and hence rich who live next door. Anyone actually poor as you say has more important things to worry about

[Insight]

The people in Issan where I live could give a flying rats arse less. They are to busy living and farming.

I seriously doubt anyone ever surveys the poorest of the poor. It is similar in the wifes Northern village where the only people who get excited over it are the wifes rich sister who was able to rip off all the poor illiterates on the one village one cow policy of Thaksin and the drug dealers who become TRT canvassers and hence rich who live next door. Anyone actually poor as you say has more important things to worry about

Does make you wonder who was targeted during Thaksin's war on drugs...

[Rucharee]

after being brainwashed 24/7 for a couple of months it's not unusual to feel corrupted, confused and withdrawn.

That's just the beginning.

Now the whole of Thailand is being and will be brainwash until at least December 2011 by CRES.

[pitanu]

after being brainwashed 24/7 for a couple of months it's not unusual to feel corrupted, confused and withdrawn.

That's just the beginning.

Now the whole of Thailand is being and will be brainwash until at least December 2011 by CRES.

december 2011? you kidding, thailand will be in total anarchy in a couple of months time. this is like the mao revolution, or worse the khmer rouge, start learning farming.

[Arjay]

after being brainwashed 24/7 for a couple of months it's not unusual to feel corrupted, confused and withdrawn.

That's just the beginning.

Now the whole of Thailand is being and will be brainwash until at least December 2011 by CRES.

Red shirts accuse the government of being a ditatorship. Who's the "dictator" Abhisit, Suthep, Prem, Privy Council or the elites? Is it all of them or just one? Red shirts support one man Thaksin. Who really is the dictator?

[hammered]

after being brainwashed 24/7 for a couple of months it's not unusual to feel corrupted, confused and withdrawn.

That's just the beginning.

Now the whole of Thailand is being and will be brainwash until at least December 2011 by CRES.

december 2011? you kidding, thailand will be in total anarchy in a couple of months time. this is like the mao revolution, or worse the khmer rouge, start learning farming.

Calm down man. Most people get on pretty well whatever their politics. Talking about people here and not poltical cadres

[eggomaniac]

after being brainwashed 24/7 for a couple of months it's not unusual to feel corrupted, confused and withdrawn.

That's just the beginning.

Now the whole of Thailand is being and will be brainwash until at least December 2011 by CRES.

Red shirts accuse the government of being a ditatorship. Who's the "dictator" Abhisit, Suthep, Prem, Privy Council or the elites? Is it all of them or just one? Red shirts support one man Thaksin. Who really is the dictator?

ALL of the above.

[hyperdimension]

after being brainwashed 24/7 for a couple of months it's not unusual to feel corrupted, confused and withdrawn.

... and in denial of needing any mental treatment.

The authorities need to treat all of the cult followers, not only the ones who voluntarily seek treatment.

The cult followers need to be made to realize that they have been fed rubbish and have been used like tools just so that the Pheu Thai party will get votes from them.

[IsaanAndy]

What the poor up here in Isaan want is fairness.

They know they hold the cards when it comes to an election as this is where most of the population live and therefore governments decided.

That is why the currently unelected members don't want an election anytime soon as they know they will be on the way out.

As was stated earlier, most people here are too busy trying to make ends meet on a daily, weekly basis to have any mental anguish over events several hundred Kms away.

[tomross46]

What about the people in the south, which are seeing neighbors and friends killed daily?  What about the people that lost there families during the tsunami, to find out thet the bodies were buried without being identified? What about the yellow shirs which wre killed and wounded. What about the deligated to the ASEAN conference in Pattaya, which were intimidated when the protesters took over the Royal Cliff hotel?

[Insight]

What the poor up here in Isaan want is fairness.

They know they hold the cards when it comes to an election as this is where most of the population live and therefore governments decided.

That is why the currently unelected members don't want an election anytime soon as they know they will be on the way out.

As was stated earlier, most people here are too busy trying to make ends meet on a daily, weekly basis to have any mental anguish over events several hundred Kms away.

Is it not arguably the Poo Yai's holding the cards, given that most villagers still vote the way they are told?

[hyperdimension]

What the poor up here in Isaan want is fairness.

The problems is that they have been convinced by unethical means that the current government is evil (let alone unfair). This mental programming needs to be undone.

[Artisi]

Seems they should rush a team of counsellors up there quick smart to counsel all the poor traumitised souls before they are damaged for life.

[kuifje]

The people in Issan where I live could give a flying rats arse less. They are to busy living and farming.

I agree, most people in the northeast do not care about politics whatsoever.

They are busy to develop their own living conditions.

Some people I talked to, where very happy that their businesses return to normalcy, many people lost money due to the disturbances from the red shirt protesters.

Only those who where looking for the handouts (daily money from funds of the red shirt movement) and the promises that they will receive more if their is a form of success in the disturbances within the country are still active.

Some of those who are expecting the handouts, are really are poor (and need some extra cash), but most of them are thugs (who rather not work for a living).

If you want to know some fact see (www.antithaksin.com)

Luckily, some former red shirt supporters came to their senses, because they now see that their where mislead by their (terrorist) leaders.

And by the way :

So many times, we have to read, that people of the north and northeast are poor (compare to what), please all come a have a look, these regions are developing very fast (and already for many years, long before Mr Thaksin came to power)

[thaihome]

Is it not arguably the Poo Yai's holding the cards, given that most villagers still vote the way they are told?

So true, but so few want to acknowledge it.

TH

[clausewitz]

after being brainwashed 24/7 for a couple of months it's not unusual to feel corrupted, confused and withdrawn.

... and in denial of needing any mental treatment.

The authorities need to treat all of the cult followers, not only the ones who voluntarily seek treatment.

The cult followers need to be made to realize that they have been fed rubbish and have been used like tools just so that the Pheu Thai party will get votes from them.

All yellow shirt outlets – such as ASTV- have never been closed but all redshirts channels are

And the yellowshirts seems to have no insight that they too are subject to propaganda.

BURNING ISSUE

Is Sondhi’s PAD now a brainwashed political cult?

By Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

Published on December 5, 2008

So the prophet said it over the weekend: “If by dying the country will improve, let death visit us today. It’s better than being alive otherwise”.

These Davidian-like words were from no other than the supreme prophet, Sondhi Limthongkul, leader of the self-styled anti-Thaksin and anti-government People’s Alliance for Democracy on Saturday, as he anticipated a possible clash with the police as the government tried to re-capture Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, invaded and occupied by the protesters.

Today the PAD movement resembles a political cult. Sondhi himself was a former cheerleader of Thaksin Shinawatra but is now a repentant man on a mission to eradicate Thaksin and his proxy from power. This gives him an almost messianic aura and mission. And there are rituals PAD supporters have gone through over the past two years, in order to prepare them for their “final battle”. Never mind if the expression “final battle” has been used many times by PAD leadership – like some born-again Christians who await the Judgement Day, the date can always be re-set to fit the expired deadline.

One daily ritual PAD followers and members go through at their protest sites is the highly frenzied clapping of hands and cheering, encouraged by their five leaders who appear on stage almost every evening. Co-leaders like Sondhi and Somsak Kosaisuk, and others, enter the stage and lift their hands with palms upward, exciting their followers into frenzies. There’s also the daily queue for free donated hot meals at the site; and T-shirts glorifying the leaders and their cause to protect the monarchy and promote their controversial “New Politics” of governance. Daily one-sided news and analysis feeds followers through ASTV satellite television and the Manager Group of newspapers. Even plastic Swatch-like watches with faces of the five PAD co-leaders can be purchased for Bt199 at Government House.

This, along with the good and bad times, and the loss of life and injuries among fellow followers, has bonded them.

Gathering in large numbers creates a sense of what anthropologists call “communitas”: a heightened bond which threatens law and order as the mob feels invincible and empowered by its sheer numbers.

This kind of ritual and experience has been fostered over the months and it’s wrong to simply blame the leaders for brainwashing their followers. The supporters’ frenzied response and support has created a mutual brainwashing of the leaders too. A leader like Sondhi must be heavily intoxicated by his own propaganda, as if he is capable of ordering his people to do anything and at whatever cost.

These prophets also promote the worshipping of the Thai monarchy institution. Everyone was encouraged to wear yellow, symbolising the present King. But whether people like Sondhi are true royalists is debatable. The media’s inability to discuss the role of the Thai monarchy due to censorship laws and culture has hampered the analysis and understanding of the current political crisis, to say the least.

As for Thaksin. PAD followers do not just hate his actions but deeply abhor the man, his cronies and proxies including Somchai Wongsawat. Thaksin to them is like Satan, and must be destroyed.

It’s thus a zero-sum game in their view and no price is too high. Never mind the Thai economy is now reeling from the shutting down of two airports, their prophet claims they would rather die than allow the current regime and Thaksin to cling to power.

Sondhi himself told the PM to first resign, then they would negotiate. But what is left to negotiate? Such a remark reflects how out of touch the PAD leader has become.

After months of mutual brainwashing, and with the majority of Thai mainstream media nurturing and uncritically psupporting them, these people no longer dwell in rationality, law and responsibility. By now, the PAD has grown into a self-righteous semi-fascist monster propelled by its own intolerant political cult willing to ruin Thailand in order to achieve its elusive political “salvation”.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/11 … 089120.php

PAD leaders’ personality cult

Many small open-air stalls selling PAD paraphernalia attract visitors. T-shirts, mostly in yellow with various messages including “Every drop of blood … to protect the throne” are on sale. The famous plastic hand-clappers, variously priced and sized, also abound.

Those deeply into the PAD leaders’ personality cult can treat themselves to a plastic quartz watch, a la Swatch, with faces of the five co-leaders on the dial at Bt199 a pop. Swankier |versions in metal, some gold-plated, go for as much as Bt2,000.

One of the big sellers is a “fake” doctoral certificate with “authentic” signatures by the five PAD leaders issued for having completed the “save the country” political rally-cum-education course.

On stage are the usual rousing speeches predicting inevitable victory when the so-called New Politics restores morality and democracy. It is done in messianic fashion. One speaker after another, male and female, hurls abuse at the enemy, whom they called “dogs”, “scum”, “lackeys”, “evil” and much more as the dwindling band of followers, many sporting royal-yellow T-shirts, continue to wield hand-clappers in apparent ecstasy.

Any curious Thai or foreigner, PAD supporter or not, would be well advised to pay a visit to the site, for words and pictures cannot fully capture the cultish atmosphere.

Sondhi was recently questioned by the media when he dressed himself in white, splashing what appeared to be holy water on prostrated followers, something normally done by Buddhist monks. This writer’s visit started to make it clear how such a thing could happen.

[kissdani]

"mental anguish"

i too have post traumatic stress from the tumult in bangkok .

of course, i can also no longer go window shopping at central world or center one to ease my pain since the "anxious" "northeasterners" torched 'em both .

yeah, that might keep me up awake at night too

Where you come from? Maybe you feel stressed because you are far from home and don't understand much what is going on here.

[pitanu]

quite right, reds & yellows, they are all as insane as each other. anyone who can sit and listen to propaganda all day long and believe every single word has to be out of their minds.

[jackdawson]

don't understand much what is going on here

does anyone ?

[Splatter]

Are there any comparisons with how the residents in the South of Thailand were affected by the Tak Bai Incident?

[buddy]

Is it not arguably the Poo Yai's holding the cards, given that most villagers still vote the way they are told?

So true, but so few want to acknowledge it.

TH

Starting with the disbandment of the Poo Yai system is what is needed first.

This man/band of men across the country are the maintainers of corruption in the villages, most Issan Farmers and thier families (and other areas) first taste of corruption starts at home when the Poo Yai pays them a couple of hundred baht (note* of there own money) to vote him in.

I note improved education seems to be a common thread amongst TV member suggestions for improving Thailand, if Isaan people were educated about the consequences of this Poo Yai corruption then maybe its a start?

The corruption in Thailand starts at home then it percolates itself through Thai society.

Food for thought!

[buddy]

don't understand much what is going on here[/size][/color]

does anyone ?

I have come to the conclusion that I will never figure it out...male/female relationships that is, wont even start on Thailand.

[My Friend Same]

Issan persons are so dominant in Thailand, meaning they are everywhere in the country. My wife is not from Issan but she really has a problem with Issaners. I understand her feeling as she views the bulk of them to be scammerlike. I know that probably 90% of falongs in the country are married to or have gf's that are from Issan. She just feels that Issan people take take take and never say thank you. This kind of persons. This is coming from a red blooded low key polite Thai. I tend to agree with and see her points. Please dont get upset Issan connected falongs. Also Issaners tend to be very low educated and highly involved in the scammer and pay for play industries. These are just the unfortunate facts. Hey, I had a lovely Issan gf for 4 years. She fit the mold my wife speaks of. I found myself fortunate to never ever visit her family or village; I've heard enuf stories and seen too much. I shall steer as clear as I can although there is an in-law of my wife who resides behind her mother's house. This in-law raids and ravages any goods we bring from Bangkok without asking or even a thank you. How typical. These are not my kinda people

[kissdani]

Issan persons are so dominant in Thailand, meaning they are everywhere in the country. My wife is not from Issan but she really has a problem with Issaners. I understand her feeling as she views the bulk of them to be scammerlike. I know that probably 90% of falongs in the country are married to or have gf's that are from Issan. ...

FYI, Isaan people are from Thailand, they are Thai unlike Farang.

Farangs at TVF have bf and wives only from good family. Only their maids come from Isaan.

[Rucharee]

Issan persons are so dominant in Thailand, meaning they are everywhere in the country. My wife is not from Issan but she really has a problem with Issaners. I understand her feeling as she views the bulk of them to be scammerlike. I know that probably 90% of falongs in the country are married to or have gf's that are from Issan. ...

FYI, Isaan people are from Thailand, they are Thai unlike Farang.

Farangs at TVF have bf and wives only from good family. Only their maids come from Isaan.

LOL

[citizen33]

Agree with some of the above, but isn't it also true that some of the Isaan people who traveled to Bangkok experienced things that are going to stay with them for the rest of their lives. I know that most on the forum seem more concerned with the property damage than the deaths, but seeing peoples' brain tissue splattered on the road tends to have a traumatising effect. I accept that the quality of the red leadership may also make some protesters with good motives feel pretty glum.