Stress increase as protests prolong

Dr Chatree Bancheun said that the department's survey results showed that Bangkok residents' stress level went up from 17 per cent, to 24 per cent, to 32 per cent after the Silom clash, and it was at 37 per cent. Central residents' stress was at 53 per cent before it dropped to 20 per cent and then rose to the current score of 25 per cent. He said this was Bangkok and central provincial folks had a high level of stress over politics due to their proximity to the protest sites, but the overall picture wasn't worrisome yet.

Mental Health Development Office Dr Amporn Benjaponpitak said that most people injured from the April 10 clash returned to join the red-shirt rally. She said that the assessment found that this group was angry because they viewed themselves as victims and those did them wrong must be responsible or be dead. She said that they also felt while receiving medical treatment that others were not friendly to then. Amporn said the Silom multi-color-shirt demonstrators also were angry but in a less intense degree and they viewed themselves as serving their country and the high institute.