Life after shooting spree
TEARS AND PRAYERS FOR INNOCENT VICTIMS OF ATROCITY
>>NAKHON RATCHASIMA: Though a week has passed since the worst mass shooting in Thailand’s history, in which 30 lives were lost and 58 people were wounded, flowers and condolence notes are still piling up outside Terminal 21 shopping mall.
The shopping centre in Nakhon Ratchasima, also known as Korat, reopened for business on Thursday, prompting a wave of mixed emotions from grieving customers, staff and business owners. “It will take time to heal,” said 74-yearold Korat native Somchai Ittipakdi. “It was one of the worst days in Korat, but it has made us stronger. We need to show our integrity and move on.”
Mr Somchai said he usually visited the mall several times a week before the incident, but now his wife is too nervous to let him take their grandchildren to the shopping centre. However, he said, he has decided to go anyway because he believes that returning to the mall is a small step towards healing and returning to normality.
“A lot of people died here. It’s going to be difficult to return to normalcy, but it depends on us locals. We can get over the tragedy together. We need to keep going, we need to be strong,” he said.
Narinthorn Charoensuk, 53, a cleaner at Terminal 21, said that as one of the survivors, she still feels an array of emotions. “I’m sad, angry, scared and paranoid,” she said. “I’m constantly looking around. At work, at home. If I hear a loud noise, I’m on high alert.”
Ms Narinthorn said she took shelter in an equipment room for more than five hours during the incident, fearing for her life. Now, she says, she finds it hard to sleep properly and cannot watch films with shooting scenes because it reminds her of that fateful day.
“Now, I wake up several times a night, just to make sure my doors are properly locked,” she said.
Sombat Sinthasid, 48, a security guard at Terminal 21 who lost a colleague in the mass shooting, said he was feeling a lot better, but was still a bit frightened and sad when he walks around the mall.
Mr Sombat saw his friends getting shot that day and he himself had to dodge bullets and hide from the attacker in a room on the fourth floor after helping customers.
“After the mall reopened, many customers came up to talk to me to cheer me up. Some praised the security guards for doing their best to save lives during the shooting spree. It makes me proud and gives me positive vibes to help cope with the bad memories,” he said.
Wachiraporn Ponsanthia, 52, a shop owner at Terminal 21, said she had mixed feelings about returning to the mall, but said she was also eager to regain a sense of normalcy.
“I’m glad the mall is back in business, but it is kind of sad at the same time because someone I know has been killed in the shooting spree,” she said. “But I cannot let that stop me from going there. It is my workplace.”
Ms Wachiraporn was home sick on the day of the shooting.
“I am lucky that I didn’t come to work that day. If I had come, something bad would have happened to me for sure, because I have knee problems and cannot run. I have laid a bouquet of flowers in front of the mall and made merit for the brave souls who sacrificed their lives,” she said.
Siratcharin Chaingam, a psychiatrist at Surin Hospital, said survivors of the mass shooting may experience problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety.
“Getting support from professionals and their loved ones would be important. Even though they’re not physically harmed, they’re emotionally scarred,” she said.
Dr Siratcharin said some survivors may stop engaging with the world around them, stop interacting with their families and become emotionally cut off.
“Emotional isolation is dangerous. Even if it seems like we should let them have their space, we really need to check in on them,” she said, adding that when we notice someone we know pulling away, we should draw close to them.
“If you have an inkling someone might be feeling that way, take it seriously. Watch them. Ask questions. Try to get them to share. Check on them. Don’t leave them alone. Don’t let them be isolated. Get close to them,” she suggested.
Dr Siratcharin is among the 40 psychologists assigned by the Department of Mental Health (DMH) to look after survivors of the shooting.
“If the survivors don’t want to see us at the shopping mall, they can contact us any time of the day or night by calling the DMH hotline at 1323. It is free,” she said.
Some praised the security guards for doing their best to save lives during the shooting spree. It gives me positive vibes to help cope with the bad memories.
A SECURITY GUARD AT TERMINAL 21, SOMBAT SINTHASID
If I hear a loud noise, I’m on high alert. Now, I wake up several times a night, just to make sure my doors are properly locked.
A CLEANER AT TERMINAL 21, NARINTHORN CHAROENSUK