Chiang Mai: Rescue Officer Commits Suicide in Car

[webfact]

Rescue Officer Commits Suicide in Car
by CityNews



CityNews – A rescue officer was found dead in a car parked outside a house in Yang Nerng sub-district on January 28. Officials believe he committed suicide.

35-year-old Pitpibun Waiyo from Sarapee, was found with a gunshot wound to the head and a gun next to him.

Full story: http://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/news/rescue-officer-commits-suicide-in-car/


-- Chiang City News 2016-01-29

[Ulic]

Rescue personnel can suffer a great deal of PTSD and depression. Lots of very grim

traffic accidents and jumps from buildings. Probably not much support here in Thailand.

RIP Dude, I hope you have found peace.

[mankondang]

Rescue personnel can suffer a great deal of PTSD and depression. Lots of very grim

traffic accidents and jumps from buildings. Probably not much support here in Thailand.

RIP Dude, I hope you have found peace.

My, Thai friend, who works in the medical profesion, tells me that "officially" PTSD is not recognized and hence not treated as such in Thailand. He "suspects" this is because there are many Thai military, police and rescue personnel who would be at risk of it and that the financial costs of recognizing it are too high. I am aware that this attitude applies in many countries. Edited January 29, 2016 by mankondang

[cardinalblue]

I suspect mental health services would be quite inferior in LOS...not going to waste their money on it....end of story

[arend]

I suspect mental health services would be quite inferior in LOS...not going to waste their money on it....end of story

Small group debriefs would not cost much...just the opportunity to 'unload' a little can go a long way and also help identify those at risk...

[FolkGuitar]

I suspect mental health services would be quite inferior in LOS...not going to waste their money on it....end of story

Small group debriefs would not cost much...just the opportunity to 'unload' a little can go a long way and also help identify those at risk...

This may have been the single most effective 'treatment' for Vietnam vets suffering from PTSD.

An independent organization was formed, called 'The Vet Center,' (not to be confused with the Veteran's Administration,) a self-supporting group, which created meeting places for Vietnam vets to gather and hold group sessions, led by other Vietnam vets. Just being able to talk about their feelings with other folks who shared the same experience was, in many, many cases, enough to defuse potentially serious problems.

Something like this could be easily created in Thailand. All it takes is a meeting room and an endless supply of coffee...

[hml367]

I suspect mental health services would be quite inferior in LOS...not going to waste their money on it....end of story

Small group debriefs would not cost much...just the opportunity to 'unload' a little can go a long way and also help identify those at risk...

This may have been the single most effective 'treatment' for Vietnam vets suffering from PTSD.

An independent organization was formed, called 'The Vet Center,' (not to be confused with the Veteran's Administration,) a self-supporting group, which created meeting places for Vietnam vets to gather and hold group sessions, led by other Vietnam vets. Just being able to talk about their feelings with other folks who shared the same experience was, in many, many cases, enough to defuse potentially serious problems.

Something like this could be easily created in Thailand. All it takes is a meeting room and an endless supply of coffee...

Independent organization? How?

This has been true as long as I have been with VA and Vet Centers. http://www.vetcenter.va.gov/

The did operate as if they were independent in that they are in support of the vet dealing with VA. They have been wonderful, as you say. But they also have suffered effects of belonging to VA, albeit certainly minor compared to what happens in VA.

keep in mind, these Vet Centers are for US military only as far as I know. I don't doubt at all that other countries have them also.

Thailand psychiatric community is very aware of PTSD, its causes, effects, and the problems in Thailand. The psychiatric community is trying to change things. It takes a lot to make changes, as people that have been here any length of time SHOULD know.

[FolkGuitar]

Think of the term, " transferable knowledge. " Just because they were formed for U.S. Military vets doesn't presuppose that the same concept can't be utilized by other groups in other countries.

[hml367]

My point is that they are not independent of the VA in the US.

I never thought it could not be done in other places besides the US.... I didn't mean that in any way, and not sure how you came to that conclusion if that is what you thought I meant, don't surmise that from what I posted.

I personally know 3 Thai people in Thailand that are in the psychiatric community and work to have PTSD (and other things) better dealt with in Thailand.

[FolkGuitar]

It appears from the web site that they are affiliated with the VA. In 1980, when I first made use of the center, we were told that it was independent of the Veterans Administration. Many of us at that time wanted nothing to do with the VA itself, and would not have attended meetings at the Vet Center if we knew that it was. Although it may have been created by efforts of the VA, in those days we never saw nor heard of any VA reps involved with the center we used. If we wanted any contact with the VA itself, we needed to drive to the other side of the state, to the VA regional center.

[hml367]

Yes, I believe they are affiliated as indicated below.

I agree with your comments, FG, about the early years of the Vet Centers. There were also big differences in VA at that time, and since.

Getting back on topic, at least one of the people I mentioned in an earlier post indicated to me about 10 years ago that that person was working with the Royal Thai Police in working with officers that may have had PTSD. There was modeling of some kind from the US Dept. of VA, but I believe the majority of what they were "studying" at the time was in Europe. This person made trips to learn about different ways of treating PTSD, and also did lectures in other countries about domestic violence, PTSD, treatments, etc.

My point in the above paragraph is that Thailand does recognize that there is PTSD as in the focus of this thread. What I think is the problem is the stigma attached to PTSD (and almost any mental illness or condition) in Thailand. It is sad that dealing with the problem cannot be addressed in a more timely and efficient manner.

Who We Are

We are the people in VA who welcome home war veterans with honor by providing quality readjustment counseling in a caring manner. Vet Centers understand and appreciate Veterans’ war experiences while assisting them and their family members toward a successful post-war adjustment in or near their community.

VET CENTER HISTORY
The Vet Center Program was established by Congress in 1979 out of the recognition that a significant number of Vietnam era vets were still experiencing readjustment problems. Vet Centers are community based and part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In April 1991, in response to the Persian Gulf War, Congress extended the eligibility to veterans who served during other periods of armed hostilities after the Vietnam era. Those other periods are identified as Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, the Persian Gulf, Somalia, and Kosovo/Bosnia. In October 1996, Congress extended the eligibility to include WWII and Korean Combat Veterans. The goal of the Vet Center program is to provide a broad range of counseling, outreach, and referral services to eligible veterans in order to help them make a satisfying post-war readjustment to civilian life. On April 1, 2003 the Secretary of Veterans Affairs extended eligibility for Vet Center services to veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and on June 25, 2003 Vet Center eligibility was extended to veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and subsequent operations within the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). The family members of all veterans listed above are eligible for Vet Center services as well. On August 5, 2003 VA Secretary Anthony J. Principi authorized Vet Centers to furnish bereavement counseling services to surviving parents, spouses, children and siblings of service members who die of any cause while on active duty, to include federally activated Reserve and National Guard personnel.