But wait a second. The finance minister was still slower off the mark to save the day than was a certain dark-horse agency: the Mental Health Department.

Investors were feeling lost and lonely from Tuesday's stock tumble. So the Mental Health Department made an urgent announcement early that afternoon that it had opened a counselling hotline for those poor investors experiencing panic attacks from Black Tuesday, when the Stock Exchange of Thailand Index plunged 15 per cent.

Here's their free advice: "The Mental Health Department suggests investors keep cool and not panic. They should not rush into making any decision while in a panicky state of mind."

That was the sound advice. The Mental Health Department also suggested investors not indulge themselves too much in the stock market.

This advice cannot be too emphasised too much. People routinely face mental-health problems caused by stress, which can lead to depression.

The stock market is indeed a source of anxiety and emotional trauma, especially if stock traders see the big board turn red. They are even more highly vulnerable to the suppression of emotional pain, because they cannot scream their anger out in public.

The suppression of emotional pain can cause mental disorders, anxiety and hallucinations.

For instance, some investors woke up Tuesday morning to face the central bank's 30-per-cent withholding requirement, only to find that the regulation had mysteriously evaporated by the end of the day.

Some are still scratching their heads, wondering whether the situation was real or imaginary.

If they still don't believe what happened, they might want to dial the Mental Health Department hotline to seek some phone counselling free of charge.

But maybe investors no longer need the service, as they can find some consolation in yesterday's rebound of the stock market. Nonetheless, we still want to publicise the hotline's number - (02) 526 3342 - as Pridiyathorn and Bank of Thailand Governor Tarisa Watanagase may want to check it out.

busdsk@nationgroup.com