Thai Govt Crackdown On Street People Planned

[Colabamumbai]

What a crock of sh*t. These people will end up handcuffed in local jails like the recent case of the Briton in Pattaya.

As of 2006, the most recent WHO report shows that;

- There are only 17 mental hospitals in Thailand providing 13.8 beds per 100,000 population. In the last five years the number of mental hospital beds has decreased by 7% (There has not been any significant increase in funding since the report was issued in 2006.)

- There is no provision for routine follow-up community care.

- No facility has mental heath mobile clinic teams.

- In terms of treatment, a few patients last year received one or more psychosocial interventions.

- There are no mental health day treatment facilities in Thailand, except the ones specifically for children with mental retardation or for people with substance abuse.

- There are 25 community-based psychiatric inpatient units in regional hospitals with 0.4 beds per 100,000 general population.

- Community residential facilities for patients being discharged from the hospitals do not exist.

Who will take care of these mentally ill people?

- 419 psychiatrists (0.66 per 100,000 population)

- 110 other medical doctors (not specialized in psychiatry but associated with mental health care); 0.17 per 100,000 population);

- 2406 nurses (3.81 per 100,000 population);

- 163 psychologists (0.26 per 100,000 population);

- 465 social workers (0.74 per 100,000 population) (Other reports cite 0.56)

- 125 occupational therapists (0.20 per 100,000 population

The numbers speak for themselves. The mentally ill will not be treated.

There will be no occupational therapy and the problem will continue.

That is the reality. Welcome to Thailand where people that should know better call the mentally ill nutcases.

I've just looked up the WHO report for 2006, but couldn't determine where you had obtained these stats.

Wanted to check against my home province of British Columbia in Canada where since 2001 a right-wing government has abandoned the mentally ill, forcing them on to the streets in large numbers.

I would like to be able to compare the BC figures with Thailand. The problem of begging and homelessness in Vancouver and Victoria has hit epidemic proportions....in one of the richest areas of the whole world. It is disgusting....and one thing I do notice in Thailand (compared to Vancouver/Victoria) is that the only people who beg (and they are very few) are the truly desperate (limbless or very old or single mothers).

Perhaps the family-oriented social system here in Thailand ensures that people are "taken care of" better than in the welfare states of the West?

Yes and Vancouver tried to hide all the homeless from the Olympic visitors, shameful isn't it.

[jayjay0]

What a crock of sh*t. These people will end up handcuffed in local jails like the recent case of the Briton in Pattaya.

As of 2006, the most recent WHO report shows that;

- There are only 17 mental hospitals in Thailand providing 13.8 beds per 100,000 population. In the last five years the number of mental hospital beds has decreased by 7% (There has not been any significant increase in funding since the report was issued in 2006.)

- There is no provision for routine follow-up community care.

- No facility has mental heath mobile clinic teams.

- In terms of treatment, a few patients last year received one or more psychosocial interventions.

- There are no mental health day treatment facilities in Thailand, except the ones specifically for children with mental retardation or for people with substance abuse.

- There are 25 community-based psychiatric inpatient units in regional hospitals with 0.4 beds per 100,000 general population.

- Community residential facilities for patients being discharged from the hospitals do not exist.

Who will take care of these mentally ill people?

- 419 psychiatrists (0.66 per 100,000 population)

- 110 other medical doctors (not specialized in psychiatry but associated with mental health care); 0.17 per 100,000 population);

- 2406 nurses (3.81 per 100,000 population);

- 163 psychologists (0.26 per 100,000 population);

- 465 social workers (0.74 per 100,000 population) (Other reports cite 0.56)

- 125 occupational therapists (0.20 per 100,000 population

The numbers speak for themselves. The mentally ill will not be treated.

There will be no occupational therapy and the problem will continue.

That is the reality. Welcome to Thailand where people that should know better call the mentally ill nutcases.

I have no qualms with your statistics.

The one point I would like clarified is where in the article did it say they were just going to build buildings and not add extra staff.

It for sure is not going to solve the problem over night but it will be a step in the rite direction. Just publicly admiting there is a problem is a step forward. You forget you are in Thailand and to admit that it is a problem is a big thing.

Besides that are you saying Abhist is no better than all his predecessors. Some might have been better I really don't know. But I do know he is better than the last three. And that is not bashing them. Just my opinion. You are welcome to yours.

Why is it we farongs have such a hard time understanding that things take time to change.

Yes I include myself I too am a greedy little pig I want it now and I am unwilling to wait. Only to find out I have to wait.

[housepainter]

In Pattaya a disabled guy entered a restaurant. It took him some time to negotiate the door having to do forward and reverse manouvres until he was inside.

His problem was that he was on his knees but free from a wheel chair or the use of sticks.

There were 4 of us, all farangs, seated at a table and we watched in silence as he made his way in.

I made eye contact with him. And chose to acknowledge his presence by saying, 'All right mate?'

It wasn't my usual form of address. I was attempting to show the same banal greeting that I would profer to any one. A sort of matey, cheerful hello.

He replied with an equally normal response of 'yeah, how you doing?' And that was it. He was clear of the door without help as he would wish and the responjse shown to him was nothing out of the ordinary.

Except it wasn't. For in the group one guy just stared. Stared at him. Didn't look other than to look right through him. But it didn't stop there as he then started to laugh.

That's when I went ballistic and told him in no uncertain terms how he should behave, what he shouldn't do and if he couldn't comply then bury his eyes into the table cloth.

I was furious.

The whole restaurant knew it.

What can we expect from Thais when Europeans, with all the education, advantage and opportunity have learned nothing.

And this was with a disease, an illness, an impediment that we could see. What hope is there when it comes to mental illness?

The Thais themselves beggar belief and behave with all the cruelty that only children can show when confronted with something they don't understand.

I was driving when the movement of a group of motorcycle taxi drivers waiting at their station caught my eye. A disabled guy was walking by except his gait clearly distinguished him as having some physical disability.

As he passed the men one aped his ungainly, jerking movements and followed him along the street.

I stopped the car. The traffic came to a shuddering halt and tried to drive around my car. I walked back to the men who by now were all stock still; traffic stopped; car abandoned in the middle lane; I'm now striding towards the Falang guy, then straight past him and verbally I wade straight into the one 'clown' and also chastise all others. They were immediately cowed. They knew it was wrong because of an adult's response.

It was like sorting out a bunch of troublesome kids. Presented with authority they snapped to attention, best behaviour preceded humiliation and the realisation they should know better, do better. But Thais have a philosophy of never intervening; of 'mai pen rai'; of simply doing nothing as all hell surrounds you.

And the reality is the public are cruel and uncaring. They are also fearful and neglectful. Worse still is that geriatric kid shows there is in no structure in place for dealing with or explaining mental ilness [let alone physical disabilty] in Thailand.

I think Internationaly this story will be condemned and the Thais will be shamed once again into a re-think.

The country is back ward third world with various membership to the first world clubs. But they can not deliver on standards - of any kind.

This article simply highlights the depth of the plight. Sadly it is not even well intentioned, considered or thought out.

The only good thing is that it wil never happen.

In conclusion, I have no sympathy for the Thais as they choose not to take care of their own. The case of the tortured Briton in the Pattaya cell, naked and chained, shows how they treat everyone. One of the few examples of equality in Thailand. But the response amongst the Brits, is to demand justice, organise his rescue and see him safely returned to the UK. That is the decent, human response. Taking care at least of your own. The compassionate outpouring is tangible.

Sadly, it is the one that the THAIS so evidently lack.

However, this like all the other knee jerk responses in Thailand will go nowhere; amount to nothing; and, soon be forgotten. At least that way the mentally ill will have their liberty and not be treated to the Thai defintion of care shown by the Pattaya Police to one unfortunate Brit.

[Deeral]

In Pattaya a disabled guy entered a restaurant. It took him some time to negotiate the door having to do forward and reverse manouvres until he was inside.

His problem was that he was on his knees but free from a wheel chair or the use of sticks.

There were 4 of us, all farangs, seated at a table and we watched in silence as he made his way in.

I made eye contact with him. And chose to acknowledge his presence by saying, 'All right mate?'

It wasn't my usual form of address. I was attempting to show the same banal greeting that I would profer to any one. A sort of matey, cheerful hello.

He replied with an equally normal response of 'yeah, how you doing?' And that was it. He was clear of the door without help as he would wish and the responjse shown to him was nothing out of the ordinary.

Except it wasn't. For in the group one guy just stared. Stared at him. Didn't look other than to look right through him. But it didn't stop there as he then started to laugh.

That's when I went ballistic and told him in no uncertain terms how he should behave, what he shouldn't do and if he couldn't comply then bury his eyes into the table cloth.

I was furious.

The whole restaurant knew it.

What can we expect from Thais when Europeans, with all the education, advantage and opportunity have learned nothing.

And this was with a disease, an illness, an impediment that we could see. What hope is there when it comes to mental illness?

The Thais themselves beggar belief and behave with all the cruelty that only children can show when confronted with something they don't understand.

I was driving when the movement of a group of motorcycle taxi drivers waiting at their station caught my eye. A disabled guy was walking by except his gait clearly distinguished him as having some physical disability.

As he passed the men one aped his ungainly, jerking movements and followed him along the street.

I stopped the car. The traffic came to a shuddering halt and tried to drive around my car. I walked back to the men who by now were all stock still; traffic stopped; car abandoned in the middle lane; I'm now striding towards the Falang guy, then straight past him and verbally I wade straight into the one 'clown' and also chastise all others. They were immediately cowed. They knew it was wrong because of an adult's response.

It was like sorting out a bunch of troublesome kids. Presented with authority they snapped to attention, best behaviour preceded humiliation and the realisation they should know better, do better. But Thais have a philosophy of never intervening; of 'mai pen rai'; of simply doing nothing as all hell surrounds you.

And the reality is the public are cruel and uncaring. They are also fearful and neglectful. Worse still is that geriatric kid shows there is in no structure in place for dealing with or explaining mental ilness [let alone physical disabilty] in Thailand.

I think Internationaly this story will be condemned and the Thais will be shamed once again into a re-think.

The country is back ward third world with various membership to the first world clubs. But they can not deliver on standards - of any kind.

This article simply highlights the depth of the plight. Sadly it is not even well intentioned, considered or thought out.

The only good thing is that it wil never happen.

In conclusion, I have no sympathy for the Thais as they choose not to take care of their own. The case of the tortured Briton in the Pattaya cell, naked and chained, shows how they treat everyone. One of the few examples of equality in Thailand. But the response amongst the Brits, is to demand justice, organise his rescue and see him safely returned to the UK. That is the decent, human response. Taking care at least of your own. The compassionate outpouring is tangible.

Sadly, it is the one that the THAIS so evidently lack.

However, this like all the other knee jerk responses in Thailand will go nowhere; amount to nothing; and, soon be forgotten. At least that way the mentally ill will have their liberty and not be treated to the Thai defintion of care shown by the Pattaya Police to one unfortunate Brit.

what an overbearing piece of patronising writing.I' so glad you are so wonderfully in tune with disablement.I think the problem is not so much people's reluctance to do anything but the lack of will and education by the govt.

[McHow2]

<"The initial symptoms include speaking to oneself, laughing alone">

I have been talking to myself for 30 years and often laugh alone. It really is the only time that I can have an intelligent conversation and enjoy remarkable humor!

I do agree! Maybe I'm a nutcase too then.... As long as I live I learn!

[jayjay0]

What a crock of sh*t. These people will end up handcuffed in local jails like the recent case of the Briton in Pattaya.

As of 2006, the most recent WHO report shows that;

- There are only 17 mental hospitals in Thailand providing 13.8 beds per 100,000 population. In the last five years the number of mental hospital beds has decreased by 7% (There has not been any significant increase in funding since the report was issued in 2006.)

- There is no provision for routine follow-up community care.

- No facility has mental heath mobile clinic teams.

- In terms of treatment, a few patients last year received one or more psychosocial interventions.

- There are no mental health day treatment facilities in Thailand, except the ones specifically for children with mental retardation or for people with substance abuse.

- There are 25 community-based psychiatric inpatient units in regional hospitals with 0.4 beds per 100,000 general population.

- Community residential facilities for patients being discharged from the hospitals do not exist.

Who will take care of these mentally ill people?

- 419 psychiatrists (0.66 per 100,000 population)

- 110 other medical doctors (not specialized in psychiatry but associated with mental health care); 0.17 per 100,000 population);

- 2406 nurses (3.81 per 100,000 population);

- 163 psychologists (0.26 per 100,000 population);

- 465 social workers (0.74 per 100,000 population) (Other reports cite 0.56)

- 125 occupational therapists (0.20 per 100,000 population

The numbers speak for themselves. The mentally ill will not be treated.

There will be no occupational therapy and the problem will continue.

That is the reality. Welcome to Thailand where people that should know better call the mentally ill nutcases.

Another headline grabbing promise as elections are due - let's say this week we will fix the social issues, that should get some votes (not).

There's a large government run psychiatric hospital in my province just down the road from me which is pretty nice, set in huge 150 Rai landscaped gardens and the patients are treated well. Might not be enough of them but the psychiatric hospitals they do have aren't too bad.

This kind of comment astounds meFirstly it is just one hospital in a population of 60 million....are trying to say because you have seen a hospital that LOOKS nice then mental healthcare in Thailand is OK - otherwise what are you trying to imply?

Furthermore, how do you know it is any good? have you done a survey of healthcare in Thailand - or eve your province? - or are you just judging the place by its architecture?Who can get treatment? Nationwide?

it's just such a presumptuous thing to say and in truth has no bearing on the issues at all.

If you want to cite individual hospitals get some authoritative information to back it up - not just personal observation.

I agree with you we have a very impressive looking one here in Chiang Mai. I am completely clueless as to what is happening behind those impressive walls.

How ever you forgot to mention the same could be applied to could be applied to the post geriatrickid put up It also judges all hospitals. I suspect he is a lo t closer to the truth but not in the vein of all that he posted it in.

[Deeral]

I am a type 2 diabetic, on a good day I can summon up the energy to go shopping, getting physically aggressive is just not on

Standard psychiatric treatment in Thailand is drugs, zombies cause no problems.

Correct, my wifes sister has Parkinsons disease, became a problem cos she wouldn't take the medication so the up country family chained and padlocked her to a wall. She would sit in her own crap. We went and rescued her and took her to a mental hospital where she stayed for 6 weeks. We then took her to our house. She had many tablets to take, but she slept day and night. So, l did a Net search on all the tablets to find one was for out of hand schizophrenics and had a high rate of mortality if taken. I thought, she's no schizoid, so l stopped this tablet. Two days latter a different lady. After a month we took her back for her check up, smartly dressed and even had make-up, to be told off for taking her off the tablet.

Since when has Parkinsons been a mental disorder???

Edited December 11, 2010 by Deeral

[Colabamumbai]

In Pattaya a disabled guy entered a restaurant. It took him some time to negotiate the door having to do forward and reverse manouvres until he was inside.

His problem was that he was on his knees but free from a wheel chair or the use of sticks.

There were 4 of us, all farangs, seated at a table and we watched in silence as he made his way in.

I made eye contact with him. And chose to acknowledge his presence by saying, 'All right mate?'

It wasn't my usual form of address. I was attempting to show the same banal greeting that I would profer to any one. A sort of matey, cheerful hello.

He replied with an equally normal response of 'yeah, how you doing?' And that was it. He was clear of the door without help as he would wish and the responjse shown to him was nothing out of the ordinary.

Except it wasn't. For in the group one guy just stared. Stared at him. Didn't look other than to look right through him. But it didn't stop there as he then started to laugh.

That's when I went ballistic and told him in no uncertain terms how he should behave, what he shouldn't do and if he couldn't comply then bury his eyes into the table cloth.

I was furious.

The whole restaurant knew it.

What can we expect from Thais when Europeans, with all the education, advantage and opportunity have learned nothing.

And this was with a disease, an illness, an impediment that we could see. What hope is there when it comes to mental illness?

The Thais themselves beggar belief and behave with all the cruelty that only children can show when confronted with something they don't understand.

I was driving when the movement of a group of motorcycle taxi drivers waiting at their station caught my eye. A disabled guy was walking by except his gait clearly distinguished him as having some physical disability.

As he passed the men one aped his ungainly, jerking movements and followed him along the street.

I stopped the car. The traffic came to a shuddering halt and tried to drive around my car. I walked back to the men who by now were all stock still; traffic stopped; car abandoned in the middle lane; I'm now striding towards the Falang guy, then straight past him and verbally I wade straight into the one 'clown' and also chastise all others. They were immediately cowed. They knew it was wrong because of an adult's response.

It was like sorting out a bunch of troublesome kids. Presented with authority they snapped to attention, best behaviour preceded humiliation and the realisation they should know better, do better. But Thais have a philosophy of never intervening; of 'mai pen rai'; of simply doing nothing as all hell surrounds you.

And the reality is the public are cruel and uncaring. They are also fearful and neglectful. Worse still is that geriatric kid shows there is in no structure in place for dealing with or explaining mental ilness [let alone physical disabilty] in Thailand.

I think Internationaly this story will be condemned and the Thais will be shamed once again into a re-think.

The country is back ward third world with various membership to the first world clubs. But they can not deliver on standards - of any kind.

This article simply highlights the depth of the plight. Sadly it is not even well intentioned, considered or thought out.

The only good thing is that it wil never happen.

In conclusion, I have no sympathy for the Thais as they choose not to take care of their own. The case of the tortured Briton in the Pattaya cell, naked and chained, shows how they treat everyone. One of the few examples of equality in Thailand. But the response amongst the Brits, is to demand justice, organise his rescue and see him safely returned to the UK. That is the decent, human response. Taking care at least of your own. The compassionate outpouring is tangible.

Sadly, it is the one that the THAIS so evidently lack.

However, this like all the other knee jerk responses in Thailand will go nowhere; amount to nothing; and, soon be forgotten. At least that way the mentally ill will have their liberty and not be treated to the Thai defintion of care shown by the Pattaya Police to one unfortunate Brit.

Excellent post.

[apollo13]

According to DR.Duangta Kraiphasphong, a surge in blood sugar sometimes causes "diabetics to go on rampages and attack others in the public" . I was curious, having never heard of this phenonemon before, so I googled the words 'aggressive diabetic'......not one single search result.!!....No wonder the 'doctors' in this country don't want the medical malpractice bill to go through if a deputy director (DR Duangta) of an institute can't even get the symptoms for diabetes right. I feel so sorry for the Thai public.

Yep Diabetics blackout, collapse and can die if they don't get enough sugar. They certainly wouldn't be capable of attacking anyone!

My step father was a diabetic and required daily insulin injections to control his blood sugar levels. If he didn't eat his blood sugar levels would drop and on a number of occassions he would have a Hypo in public and become threatening and sometimes violent causing damage and injuries to people. He was often misdiagnosed as mentally ill and placed in retraints. When a diabetic enters a hypo he is not aware but those around him/her will see it in thier eyes and simply supplying some sugar drinks or sweets will stop it progressing. If not detected early they can esculate into a full blown hypo where they can became violent before blacking out and requiring hospital treatment.

Yes diabetics can be misdiagnosed as mentaly ill. There are a number of degrees of the condition from some who require no medication just a diet to those who have the higher scale as my step father did.

I stand corrected. My deepest apologies to DR Duangta for any inappropriate I made in my post.

[gamini]

Thailand is not a rich western country and it does a lot more for its mentally ill than a lot of other countries. India for example. The country just has not got enough funds to do everything that should be done. They need to widen tax collection to a lot more people including all the farangs who live here and pay no taxes.

Edited December 11, 2010 by Jai Dee
formatting errors deleted

[Jirapa]

There's a large government run psychiatric hospital in my province just down the road from me which is pretty nice, set in huge 150 Rai landscaped gardens and the patients are treated well. Might not be enough of them but the psychiatric hospitals they do have aren't too bad.

I am sure the premises look nice. Many of Thailand's prisons look ok from the outside too, Unfortunately, landscaped gardens are not treatment.

Have you been inside the facility? Do you know how the patients are treated? How do you think they are cared for?

Before you answer, keep in mind the shortage of trained professionals. Even a psychiatric care orderly has to have additinal training. Do you think the support staff have proper training? The treatment regime at most Thai mental health facilities is to drug the patient. The magic pill syndrome. The staff do the best they can but when there is only 1 or 2 psychiatrists available for such a hospital, how can you say it isn't too bad? The professional staff try, but they are overworked and overwhelmed. I hope and pray I never develop alzheimers or dementia while in Thailand.

Yes I've been there many times as take nice food for the old ladies ward on my 4 kids, my wife and my birthdays and it's a lot nicer and cleaner than the government hospital where my daughter was born. Nice staff, not over crowded and obviously not perfect but it's no Victorian nut house with everyone drugged up to they eyeballs. Can't expect too much in a country with no real welfare system but let's face it Thailand's still come a long way in the past 20 years so if they plan to build more facilities then good. It's not going to happen over night but any improvement should be welcomed especially by us Ferrang who can always go home and get good free healthcare if we need it.

[Colabamumbai]

I am a type 2 diabetic, on a good day I can summon up the energy to go shopping, getting physically aggressive is just not on

Standard psychiatric treatment in Thailand is drugs, zombies cause no problems.

Correct, my wifes sister has Parkinsons disease, became a problem cos she wouldn't take the medication so the up country family chained and padlocked her to a wall. She would sit in her own crap. We went and rescued her and took her to a mental hospital where she stayed for 6 weeks. We then took her to our house. She had many tablets to take, but she slept day and night. So, l did a Net search on all the tablets to find one was for out of hand schizophrenics and had a high rate of mortality if taken. I thought, she's no schizoid, so l stopped this tablet. Two days latter a different lady. After a month we took her back for her check up, smartly dressed and even had make-up, to be told off for taking her off the tablet.

Since when has Parkinsons been a mental disorder???

I cared for my mother with Parkinsons for 15 years. When I told the doctor to take her off the medication so I could see if she could not be kept drugged and asleep half the day, and have some quality of life in her late 80's he replied "She will die if I take her off the medication." What a load of bullshit, from a doctor practicing in Canada. No one would die from lack of Parkinsons medication. I should have done what you did and took her off the medication myself.

[travelmann]

Great I love a good crack...........................................down

Well Im sure tha'll bring the tourists back knowing the streets are safe of mentally ill people, all they'll have to worry about then will be the Thais at large.

[Deeral]

I am a type 2 diabetic, on a good day I can summon up the energy to go shopping, getting physically aggressive is just not on

Standard psychiatric treatment in Thailand is drugs, zombies cause no problems.

Correct, my wifes sister has Parkinsons disease, became a problem cos she wouldn't take the medication so the up country family chained and padlocked her to a wall. She would sit in her own crap. We went and rescued her and took her to a mental hospital where she stayed for 6 weeks. We then took her to our house. She had many tablets to take, but she slept day and night. So, l did a Net search on all the tablets to find one was for out of hand schizophrenics and had a high rate of mortality if taken. I thought, she's no schizoid, so l stopped this tablet. Two days latter a different lady. After a month we took her back for her check up, smartly dressed and even had make-up, to be told off for taking her off the tablet.

Since when has Parkinsons been a mental disorder???

I cared for my mother with Parkinsons for 15 years. When I told the doctor to take her off the medication so I could see if she could not be kept drugged and asleep half the day, and have some quality of life in her late 80's he replied "She will die if I take her off the medication." What a load of bullshit, from a doctor practicing in Canada. No one would die from lack of Parkinsons medication. I should have done what you did and took her off the medication myself.

that is correct - Parkinson's is not fatal - it is usually incorrectly diagnosed side effects that prove fatal.

I have NEVER regarde ti a mental disorder - as far as I'm aware the sufferer maintins full mental and critical faculties.

So why is it debated here?

Edited December 11, 2010 by Deeral

[Deeral]

I have spent quite some time now researching healthcare in Thailand. I have several medical contacts as well. both here UK and Australia - and in mental healthcare.When I say research, I don't mean an hour or so on Google, I mean over a year now looking at primary,secondary and tertiary sources - and yes - eve google - but I know how to use and interpret my findings on Google.

I also find it difficult to understand how a layman after one or two visits t one institution can form anything but a very wishy-washy opinion as to that institutions effectiveness. i very much doubt they have pawed over the patient release and recovery figures r even read a report on them - so as with most people who "visit" a place the opinion is usually formed by looking at the furniture and fittings and in this case the landscape.

THe first thing you should bear in mind in Thailand especially is the obsession with face. Any hospital wants to present a good public image, yet this does not ie any indication of the efficacy of treatment there.

I have posted many times on healthcare in Thailand and I can sum it up in a short sentence

....at best it's a lottery"

...and that's for mainstream healthcare - in ALL countries mental health is the Cinderella sister and Thailand is no exception in fact it is worse than in many similar countries.

THe comments by the minister are facile in the extreme and typical of so many MINISTERIAL PRONOUNCEMENTS - they make good headlines and help the govt image , but I'm sure will turn out to have absolutely no substance whatsoever.

[Jirapa]

According to DR.Duangta Kraiphasphong, a surge in blood sugar sometimes causes "diabetics to go on rampages and attack others in the public" . I was curious, having never heard of this phenonemon before, so I googled the words 'aggressive diabetic'......not one single search result.!!....No wonder the 'doctors' in this country don't want the medical malpractice bill to go through if a deputy director (DR Duangta) of an institute can't even get the symptoms for diabetes right. I feel so sorry for the Thai public.

Yep Diabetics blackout, collapse and can die if they don't get enough sugar. They certainly wouldn't be capable of attacking anyone!

My step father was a diabetic and required daily insulin injections to control his blood sugar levels. If he didn't eat his blood sugar levels would drop and on a number of occassions he would have a Hypo in public and become threatening and sometimes violent causing damage and injuries to people. He was often misdiagnosed as mentally ill and placed in retraints. When a diabetic enters a hypo he is not aware but those around him/her will see it in thier eyes and simply supplying some sugar drinks or sweets will stop it progressing. If not detected early they can esculate into a full blown hypo where they can became violent before blacking out and requiring hospital treatment.

Yes diabetics can be misdiagnosed as mentaly ill. There are a number of degrees of the condition from some who require no medication just a diet to those who have the higher scale as my step father did.

I stand corrected. My deepest apologies to DR Duangta for any inappropriate I made in my post.

The jury's out on that one! Your average diabetic doesn't walk around with a razor knife and put a gash worth 40 stitches in someone's back but might lash out at people in their immediate vicinity particularly those trying to help them. Diabetes is sometimes used as an excuse for domestic violence but it doesn't wash.

[Jirapa]

Great I love a good crack...........................................down

Well Im sure tha'll bring the tourists back knowing the streets are safe of mentally ill people, all they'll have to worry about then will be the Thais at large.

What's wrong with Thai people? If you don't like them what are you doing in their country? There's plenty of you back home so stay with them

[techboy]

<"The initial symptoms include speaking to oneself, laughing alone">

I have been talking to myself for 30 years and often laugh alone. It really is the only time that I can have an intelligent conversation and enjoy remarkable humour!

I hear you there. As a matter of fact reading this forum is often a catalyst for the symptoms. Edited December 11, 2010 by techboy

[Deeral]

Great I love a good crack...........................................down

Well Im sure tha'll bring the tourists back knowing the streets are safe of mentally ill people, all they'll have to worry about then will be the Thais at large.

What's wrong with Thai people? If you don't like them what are you doing in their country? There's plenty of you back home so stay with them

THis kind of over-simplistic, glib comment appears on these threads from time to time with monotonous regularity.

It really shows how limited some people's abilities to form real opinions are.

As i see it, this is a thread about prospects of and motives for mental healthcare amongst the poor in Thailand.

if you have an opinion, why not sit down and write it then post it, rather than resorting to banal and fatuous insults

[KhunAussie52]

According to DR.Duangta Kraiphasphong, a surge in blood sugar sometimes causes "diabetics to go on rampages and attack others in the public" . I was curious, having never heard of this phenonemon before, so I googled the words 'aggressive diabetic'......not one single search result.!!....No wonder the 'doctors' in this country don't want the medical malpractice bill to go through if a deputy director (DR Duangta) of an institute can't even get the symptoms for diabetes right. I feel so sorry for the Thai public.

That is exactly right.As a diabetic.When i am Hyperglycemic (high blood sugar).All i want to do,is go to sleep!

[keestha]

Not so unusual to see unkempt, dirty looking and obviously mentally ill people roaming the streets in Thailand. In my area, there used to be one walking along the highway close to Phangnga, and another one walking along the highway in Phuket.

A Thai once told me that as long as these people are alive, nobody wants to have anything to do with them, but if one of them is hit by a car and dies, then he suddenly has a lot of relatives who loved him very much and want to see compensation.

[Jirapa]

Great I love a good crack...........................................down

Well Im sure tha'll bring the tourists back knowing the streets are safe of mentally ill people, all they'll have to worry about then will be the Thais at large.

What's wrong with Thai people? If you don't like them what are you doing in their country? There's plenty of you back home so stay with them

THis kind of over-simplistic, glib comment appears on these threads from time to time with monotonous regularity.

It really shows how limited some people's abilities to form real opinions are.

As i see it, this is a thread about prospects of and motives for mental healthcare amongst the poor in Thailand.

if you have an opinion, why not sit down and write it then post it, rather than resorting to banal and fatuous insults

Where's the insult on my part?

[KhunAussie52]

I would be interested to know the experiences of other members of the forum.Whilst traveling in other Asian countries.Do they see as many homeless people,disabled and those with psychiatric disorders living on the streets.

And how to other Asian countries deal with this problem.

[coastwise]

All of you who are so amazed at Thailand's inability to take care of poor people and people with health problems need to spend a night walking around in Washington DC, or Chicago, or New York City.

[Jirapa]

I would be interested to know the experiences of other members of the forum.Whilst traveling in other Asian countries.Do they see as many homeless people,disabled and those with psychiatric disorders living on the streets.

And how to other Asian countries deal with this problem.

I was much more aware of the homeless and beggars living in London than during my 10 years in Thailand and in the UK they can get all the help they need if they want it.

[Jirapa]

All of you who are so amazed at Thailand's inability to take care of poor people and people with health problems need to spend a night walking around in Washington DC, or Chicago, or New York City.

Of course and some of those cities are f@ckin cold at the moment.

[marquess]

I am a type 2 diabetic, on a good day I can summon up the energy to go shopping, getting physically aggressive is just not on

Standard psychiatric treatment in Thailand is drugs, zombies cause no problems.

Correct, my wifes sister has Parkinsons disease, became a problem cos she wouldn't take the medication so the up country family chained and padlocked her to a wall. She would sit in her own crap. We went and rescued her and took her to a mental hospital where she stayed for 6 weeks. We then took her to our house. She had many tablets to take, but she slept day and night. So, l did a Net search on all the tablets to find one was for out of hand schizophrenics and had a high rate of mortality if taken. I thought, she's no schizoid, so l stopped this tablet. Two days latter a different lady. After a month we took her back for her check up, smartly dressed and even had make-up, to be told off for taking her off the tablet.

Well done!

[Deeral]

All of you who are so amazed at Thailand's inability to take care of poor people and people with health problems need to spend a night walking around in Washington DC, or Chicago, or New York City.

Yet another utterly facile argument - what has that got to do with anything???

We all know that the US has the worst health care in the "Western" world but that does not justify Thailand's ineptness to supply proper healthcare for its citizens or others to criticise the government's failure or two faced approach.

[Jirapa]

All of you who are so amazed at Thailand's inability to take care of poor people and people with health problems need to spend a night walking around in Washington DC, or Chicago, or New York City.

Yet another utterly facile argument - what has that got to do with anything???

We all know that the US has the worst health care in the "Western" world but that does not justify Thailand's ineptness to supply proper healthcare for its citizens or others to criticise the government's failure or two faced approach.

I think his point is if a country as rich as the USA can't sort it out then we shouldn't be so judgmental nor expect too much of Thailand as in the US they voted in the governments who haven't achieved on the healthcare issues. Nothing wrong with making comparisons, it's the governments job to make them too and hopefully learn from others mistakes.

[Deeral]

All of you who are so amazed at Thailand's inability to take care of poor people and people with health problems need to spend a night walking around in Washington DC, or Chicago, or New York City.

Yet another utterly facile argument - what has that got to do with anything???

We all know that the US has the worst health care in the "Western" world but that does not justify Thailand's ineptness to supply proper healthcare for its citizens or others to criticise the government's failure or two faced approach.

nor expect too much of Thailand as in the US they voted in the governments who haven't achieved on the healthcare issues. Nothing wrong with making comparisons, it's the governments job to make them too and hopefully learn from others mistakes.

THere's a HUGE amount wrong with making these comparisons - they're fallacious and don't follow on form the argument - can't you see that?"I think his point is if a country as rich as the USA can't sort it out then we shouldn't be so judgmental " - well that's ridiculous loads of countries poorer than US have good healthcare and many others are gpoing in the rigt direction but simply comparing apples with oranges is completely off the mark