More than 5,000 people in Thailand's tsunami-hit South have visited psychiatrists to deal with trauma brought by the disaster, according to the Public Health Ministry.

Over 1,000 survivors had been given sedatives to cope with the trauma of the disaster that claimed more than 5,300 lives in Thailand, the state-run Thai News Agency (TNA) on Tuesday quoted the Health Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan as saying.

Most of the people looking for treatment complained of stress, insomnia, fear, guilt and confusion, with some survivors refusing to go anywhere near the sea.

However, among all, only a limited number of people have serious psychiatric problems, said Vachira Pengchan, deputy director-general of the Department of Mental Health.

He said only 11 of the 5,000 patients were thought to be in need of hospital treatment and eight of the 11 having a history of mental problems before.

Still, the government has paid enough attention to psychiatric treatment for locals.

The Mental Health Department planned to set up a psychiatric clinic in the vicinity of Khao Lak in Phang Nga, one of the hardest-hit areas. The clinic will remain in operation for two years.

In a related development, 200 Buddhist monks under the "Monks for Moral Recovery" project have been sent to tsunami-affected areas on a mission to help local residents cope with their traumas.

(Xinhua News Agency January 11, 2005)