Category: The Bangkok Post

Dear Doctors: My 22-year-old son is severely bipolar, which impacts his life terribly. I have kept up with the studies that have shown success in treating bipolar with a faecal transplant. Do you know of any open studies right now that might take my son? We would travel anywhere to get it done.

Dear Reader: Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that is marked by extreme swings in mood, energy, thoughts and behaviours. These repeated shifts from intense elation to crushing depression can disrupt sleep, impede judgement and interfere with the ability to think clearly. As with many conditions that affect mental health, bipolar disorder exists on a spectrum. That means each case is unique, and symptoms vary in severity, frequency and presentation. But even in its milder forms, bipolar disorder can significantly impair quality of life.

It is common for the first indications of bipolar disorder to emerge in late adolescence and early adulthood. Diagnosis includes a mental health assessment, medical history and physical exam. Once diagnosed, treatment typically combines medications, such as mood stabilisers and perhaps antidepressants, with individual, group or family-focused psychotherapy. Due to the unpleasant side effects of some of the medications, treatment can be challenging.

The cause of bipolar disorder is not yet clearly understood. Previous research has suggested links to a mix of heredity, mental health and environmental factors. More recently, though, growing awareness of a connection between the gut microbiome and the brain is leading researchers in an intriguing new direction.

This connection, known as the gut-brain axis, is a bidirectional communication system between the trillions of microbes in the gut and the brain. An imbalance in the gut microbiome has been found to contribute to inflammation, immune system dysfunction and the production of harmful metabolites.

This imbalance, known as gut dysbiosis, has been linked to a range of neurodegenerative diseases. These include Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.

As you have pointed out, there is evidence that gut dysbiosis may play a role in bipolar disorder as well. It is not suggested that gut dysbiosis is the sole cause of these diseases. However, some researchers believe modulating the gut microbiome may have therapeutic benefits. This may be done through diet, the use of specific prebiotics and probiotics, and faecal transplants.

This is when a person’s colon is infused with a solution containing faecal matter from a healthy donor. A few small studies have reported success in lessening the symptoms of severe bipolar disorder through fecal transplants.

We searched at clinicaltrials.gov, the United States National Institutes of Health’s clinical trials database. At this time, there do not appear to be any new or ongoing investigations into the use of fecal transplants to manage bipolar disorder. However, several bipolar studies are exploring probiotics. You may find it useful to browse all of the studies listed on the site associated with bipolar disorder. Even if none are right for your son, they are an excellent way to keep abreast of new directions in research. Universal Features Syndicate

Skeet and trap shooting star Sutiya Jiewchaloemmit is boycotting the SEA Games, to be held in Thailand in Deember, accusing event organisers of a lack of transparency and mismanagement.

Her withdrawal is not the first controversy to hit this year’s biennial multisport event. Two badminton layers have also questioned the fairness of the player selection process.

Sutiya announced her decision on Monday, saying she would not participate in the selection process for the national team for the games, because she had suspicions about transparency in the way the Skeet and Trap Shooting Association handlies its budget and financial support from sponsors.

‘That is why I have distanced myself from the Skeet and Trap Shooting Association. And I have decided that I will not contest the SEA Games and will cheer on younger players,’ Sutiya told reporters. ‘I hope the younger players perform well.’

The SEA Games will run from Dec 9-20 with events spread between venues in Greater Bangkok, Chon Buri and Songkhla.

The Skeet and Trap Shooting Association targets three gold medals.

Sutiya would have been a front runner if she competed

She asked Deputy Prime Minister Thammanat Prompow to look into all the problems at the Skeet and Trap Shooting Association and other sports organisations in the country.

As deputy PM, Mr Thammanat oversees the Sports and Tourism Ministry. The cabinet minister responsible for sports is Atthakorn Sirilatthayakorn. Both are members of the Klatham Party, part of the new coalition government.

Sutiya has competed in four consecutive Olympics – in Beijing in 2008, London in 2012, Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and Tokyo in 2020. She won a gold medal in 2016.

The skeet shooter is not the only player disgruntled with the performance of sports organisation leaders ahead of the SEA Games.

Ratchapol Makkasasithorn and Nattamon Laisuan on Sept 19 accused the Badminton Association of Thailand of being unfair after they were ruled out of the national squad.

Ratchapol and Nattamon won the mixed doubles at the Thailand National Championship in December. The win would have given them an automatic berth in the national team under the old rules, which gave priority to winners of the annual competition. The second priority was to be ranked in the world top 20.

The badminton association amended the regulations in April, putting global ranking above winning a national championship. Players in the top 32 of the world are now automatically selected, followed by winners of the national championship.

The change dropped Ratchapol and Nattamon from selection as the pair are not ranked in the top 32, ending their hopes of representing Thailand at the December SEA Games.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has defended his exit as interior minister under the previous Pheu Thai Party-led government, stating that Pheu Thai sought to regain the ministry to increase its advantage ahead of an anticipated early election.

In the second day of the debate on the government’s policy statement on Tuesday, Mr Anutin responded to accusations from opposition MPs that his government was formed under questionable circumstances.

The coalition led by Mr Anutin’s Bhumjaithai Party has already violated the so-called memorandum of agreement signed with the main opposition People’s Party, said Jiraporn Sindhuprai, a Pheu Thai MP from Roi Et.

The agreement was signed in exchange for the People’s Party supporting Mr Anutin in the vote for prime minister. Bhumjaithai, in turn, would agree to stay in power for only four months before calling for a dissolution of the House. The People’s Party also set a condition that Bhumjaithai must not try to expand the coalition to secure a House majority.

Ms Jiraporn called the Anutin administration a ‘special government’ born out of irregular conditions – including Bhumjaithai’s withdrawal from the previous coalition and the Constitutional Court’s ruling on Aug 29 that removed Paetongtarn Shinawatra as prime minister over her infamous phone call with Cambodian strongman Hun Sen.

Ms Jiraporn claimed the agreement with the People’s Party was not honoured, pointing to the government winning more votes than expected in the prime ministerial selection and to MPs defecting to Bhumjaithai, thereby breaching the pledge not to try to create a majority bloc.

She said the government had little sincerity about restoring democracy and pledged that Pheu Thai would use the next four months to scrutinise the administration intensively.

Pheu Thai is not officially part of the opposition led by the People’s Party, saying it prefers to be independent for now.

Rising to defend himself, Mr Anutin recounted that while accompanying Ms Paetongtarn when she was premier on an official trip to Cambodia in April, he was told afterwards that Cambodian officials had assumed he would soon be removed as interior minister.

He later received official confirmation on June 17 that Pheu Thai wanted the Interior Ministry back and suggested he take the health portfolio instead.

‘I told them it was better to be direct – if you want me out of government, just say so,’ Mr Anutin said. ‘I stood by Ms Paetongtarn every step, good days and bad, and never betrayed her.

‘Yet I was told Pheu Thai needed the Interior Ministry because elections were near,’ he said, adding that he saw no evidence that control of the ministry guaranteed electoral victory.

The Interior Ministry supervises provincial and local administrations nationwide, which critics argue could provide an electoral advantage to the party controlling the ministry.

Mr Anutin is now servong as Interior Minister again, in addition to his prime ministerial role.

He added that, after repeated discussions, including with the prime minister’s secretary-general, Bhumjaithai chose to withdraw from the coalition, citing both unfair treatment and the controversy surrounding the Paetongtarn-Hun Sen phone call, which undermined the government’s legitimacy.

Mr Anutin said the current coalition agreement with the People’s Party includes a commitment to dissolve parliament by Jan 31 or earlier if necessary.

He also dismissed claims of ‘poaching’ MPs to boost government numbers, stating Bhumjaithai’s recent gain came from a by-election victory in Si Sa Ket province, in a seat formerly held by Pheu Thai.

Global Korean food brand Bibigo recently unveiled special edition ramyun Korean-style instant noodles featuring K-pop band Seventeen on the packaging. This launch is part of the brand’s global campaign with the world-renowned K-pop icons, accompanied by a series of fun and engaging events.

The Bibigo x Seventeen special edition products include Bibigo smoky K-chicken stir-fried ramyun and cheese tteokbokki stir-fried ramyun. An additional flavour with Seventeen packaging will come out in November. These products are currently available at major retail channels 7-Eleven, Lotus’s, Tops, Big C and Shopee.

Bibigo is also hosting a social media event until Oct 23 where consumers who purchase Bibigo ramyun can join by posting proof-of-purchase content on Instagram and TikTok. Three lucky winners of the campaign’s grand prize will receive an exclusive reward, offering them an unforgettable experience with their favourite artists. Additional details about the prize will be shared on Bibigo Thailand’s official Instagram account.

CJ Foods is also holding Bibigo x Seventeen campaign pop-ups at multiple Makro locations in Bangkok. These pop-ups will showcase special edition ramyun products, limited-edition campaign merchandise, Seventeen photocards, mini-games and a variety of exciting content.

The pop-up locations and schedules are as follows

Makro Ladprao: Until tomorrow

Makro Srinakarin: From Friday until Oct 8

Makro Chaeng Wattana: Oct 10-15

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul outlined his government’s policy agenda to parliament on Monday, focusing on immediate actions to revive the country’s economy.

Mr Anutin said that renewing tourists’ confidence, achieving a peaceful end to the conflict with Cambodia, resolving trade issues, and boosting people’s incomes are the key policies of his government.

“The government aims to increase incomes and reduce daily living expenses for the public, including energy costs, clean drinking water, and transportation fares, thereby boosting consumer spending power,” the premier said.

Initiatives such as the “Khon La Khrueng” (co-payment) scheme will be implemented alongside managing agricultural product prices at appropriate levels, he said.

He stated that the government aims to resolve personal debt issues for individuals with debts not exceeding 100,000 baht and alleviate the debt trap faced by many Thais. It will also increase liquidity for small and medium-sized enterprises with loans up to 1 million baht.

Mr Anutin said the government would focus on ensuring safety and combating scams targeting tourists, thereby restoring confidence in Thailand as a travel destination.

To address the impact of ongoing trade issues, a “Team Thailand” will be established to boost free trade with existing partners and proactively open new markets. Support will be extended to entrepreneurs and farmers, particularly those affected by US tariff measures.

On the security front, he said the government will resolve the Thailand-Cambodia border dispute through peaceful means, bringing safety to border communities.

Regarding social issues, Mr Anutin said that the government will take a firm stance against all forms of illegal gambling, and it does not support the legalisation of any gambling businesses.

“Our administration is determined to move Thailand forward with honesty and virtue,” Mr Anutin said. “We will place the country’s interests above all else and build public confidence through responsible fiscal management.”

During the House session, the People’s Party (PP) and opposition leader, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, reminded Mr Anutin to begin the constitutional rewriting process before dissolving the House in four months. Mr Natthaphong said charter amendment and House dissolution were conditions the PP had set in exchange for supporting Mr Anutin’s premiership.

The PP, with 143 MPs and the largest bloc in the House, emerged as kingmaker after the Constitutional Court dismissed former prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra late last month for an ethics violation.

Among its conditions, the PP also demanded Mr Anutin promise not to recruit additional MPs to turn his interim minority administration into a majority government.

Mr Natthaphong pledged to hold the government to account in his role as opposition leader.

Police have busted a large hub run by copyright pirates streaming Premier League football matches and movies through an illegal website, serving over 100,000 members and earning 200 million baht a year.

The action followed complaints by Thailand’s leading pay-TV operator True Visions Group and the Motion Picture Association (MPA), an international industry advocate group, about an illegal signal conversion by the website ‘inmiptv’.

Pol Maj Yutthana Praedam, deputy director-general of the Department of Special Investigation, said according to the complainants the website was illegally rebroadcasting Premier League football matches and Warner Bros Entertainment group movies.

On Sept 21, about 40 police led by Pol Capt Khemachart Prakaihongmanee, director of the Bureau of Technology and Cyber Crime, raided a key target, a warehouse in Pak Kret district of Nonthaburi province.

It was a large warehouse on over five rai of land, about 8,000 square metres, and operated as a signal interception and conversion centre.

Police seized equipment used for live broadcasting, including rows of computer servers, signal decoding boxes, satellite dishes and mobile phones. Bank books for mule accounts used for laundering funds were also impounded.

The detected signal from other affected operators included MONO, Netflix and TV Channel 3.

Investigators said the website had at least 100,000 members, generated more than 200 million baht in annual revenue and was directly linked to a major online gambling network with annual revenues from various websites they run exceeding 1 billion baht.

As one of American trading partners, Thailand has been on the Watch List of the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) for eight consecutive years, since 2017. The government hopes Thailand will to be removed from the list this year.