The Ministry of Magic, help needed: a man who has used drugs and cannabis for many years says he hears a hermit whispering to him to seek a "magic staff," causing his mother and sister to be overwhelmed because firewood has filled the house completely. Tags: [drug abuse, psychosis, family distress, firewood hoarding]
A Facebook user posted a video and wrote that initially, he was just a drug user, but later became mentally ill. The house built by his parents—his home and place to sleep—became filled with firewood collected by their mentally ill son. After the post went viral, many people commented and shared their opinions.Tags: [social media, mental illness, family home, community reaction]
In the video, local administration officials, police, local leaders, community health volunteers, villagers, and relatives are seen taking custody of Mr. Oom, 37, the mentally ill son of Mrs. Phen, 61, at the village temple. He was then loaded into a police vehicle to be sent for psychiatric treatment after years of drug abuse.Tags: [law enforcement, mental health intervention, community involvement]
Before officials coordinated to bring in sugarcane grabber trucks to remove the firewood Mr. Oom had hoarded inside and outside the house, filling the space, they loaded it onto six-wheeled trucks to discard or distribute to villagers for winter use, such as firewood for warmth and cooking. This brought relief to the villagers and family. The operation to take Mr. Oom for treatment occurred at 11:00 a.m. on 12 Nov 2026.Tags: [firewood removal, community aid, mental health treatment, local authorities]
At 4:30 p.m. on 12 Nov 2026, a reporter visited the scene and found the two-story half-wood, half-concrete house. Mr. Sathien, 54, Mr. Oom's brother-in-law living next door, showed the remaining firewood piles in front of the house. Villagers brought carts and tricycles to collect firewood for fuel after five to six six-wheeled truckloads had been removed.Tags: [on-site report, community support, firewood collection]
Inside the ground floor were firewood pieces resembling the hermit's magic staffs, spread throughout Mr. Oom's bedroom, bathroom, backyard, side yard, and the living room his mother once used for sleeping and resting. Now, his mother and sister have fled to a hut at the village's edge for over a year, as the house became uninhabitable due to the firewood.Tags: [home conditions, mental illness impact, family displacement]
Mr. Sathien, the brother-in-law, said his nephew has been addicted to methamphetamine for about 10 years. The stress comes from drug and cannabis addiction. His wife and children no longer live with him. Because of his drug use, he became delusional, believing hermits and spirits whispered to him to collect firewood resembling magic staffs—seen as sacred charms in his belief—so he gathered them from hills and forests to keep at home and separate for worship. He estimated the firewood weighed about 10 tons.Tags: [addiction, delusion, cultural beliefs, family testimony]
Currently, the mother, sister, relatives, and villagers feel relieved that officials took Mr. Oom for treatment, hoping he recovers or at least improves. After his custody, the mother and sister traveled to the city to arrange psychiatric care for him. When police took him into custody, he did not resist. Previously, he had outbursts but did not physically harm family or villagers, only shouting threats.Tags: [family relief, psychiatric care, law enforcement, behavioral history]
He had been taken for treatment three times before but relapsed because he refused to take prescribed medication, leading to recurring symptoms. Often, he was seen meditating deeply but without chanting. This time, he was taken for treatment to be cured. The wooden fence he built at the front of the house resembled the wooden stockade of the historic Bang Rachan camp. The local administrative chief provided grabber trucks and six-wheeled trucks to remove the wood over multiple trips; all wood will be distributed to villagers for use.Tags: [treatment history, medication noncompliance, cultural symbolism, wood removal]
Mr. Oom worked as a general laborer but has been severely ill for two years, gradually bringing in firewood and stopping work. He stays home, which worries his brother-in-law, fearing unpredictable behavior. Usually, people with such symptoms in news reports become violent, harming family or climbing poles or roofs. But Mr. Oom’s behavior is unusual—he collects wood to build fences and staffs. The family forbade him, but he ignored them. His brother-in-law hopes young people and drug users quit and urges authorities to intensify drug suppression and treatment.Tags: [mental health risks, community safety, drug rehabilitation, family concerns]
Regarding dealers or agents, he said if caught, they should face the death penalty. Otherwise, villagers will continue to live like this, and if someone severely psychotic acts out, it could endanger family and community members.Tags: [drug trafficking, law enforcement, community safety, drug policy]