Financial hardship spiking Thailand’s suicide rate

[rooster59]

Financial hardship spiking Thailand’s suicide rate

By The Thaiger

 

 

Thailand’s police and health workers continue to work with online influencers such as Drama Addict, Mam Po Dum and More Lab Panda, to help identify, and if necessary intervene, in people sharing distressing messages over their battles in the current Covid era. Police have also been recruited specialist to help to prevent suicides and provide counselling.

 

Thailand’s Department of Mental Health reported a 22% rise in the suicide rate in the first 6 months of this year, some of the rise, they say, could be attributed to additional hardships from the lockdowns, business closures and restrictions imposed during Thailand’s outbreak in the early stages of the global pandemic. There is also anecdotal evidence in a rise of foreign suicides during the Covid-19 pandemic although there are no official statistics about the current rates.

 

Thailand, ranked in 32nd place in 2019 with 14.4 of suicides per 100.000 population… nearly 10,000 suicide deaths in 2019, The country holds the unenviable position of number 1 among ASEAN countries on the WHO suicide list, followed by Singapore (Rank 67 with the ratio of 11.2) and Laos (Rank 84 with the ratio of 8.6. The Philippines has the ASEANS’s lowest rate (Rank 163 with the ratio of 3.2).

 

According to the WHO, in Thailand, depression causes a significant number of years of life lost due to disability. The study of burden of diseases among Thai population in 2013 showed that depression was the third leading cause of disability-adjusted life year (DALY) lost in Thai females, after cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, respectively. Among males, it is among the top 12 causes of disease burden. Stigma surrounding mental illnesses, including depression, remains a major barrier for seeking help from family, friends and professionals. But mental health officials say that depression is a treatable condition.

 

Mental Health Department Director-General Dr. Kiartipoom Wongrachit notes that the rise in the country’s suicide rate is of great concern. Dr. Kiartipoom said that 2,551 suicide cases, or 3.9 out of every 100,000 of the population, were reported in the first 6 months of the Covid-19 pandemic, compared to 2,092 cases for the same period last year.

 

Facebook already blocks video clips portraying self-harming or suicides, but Dr. Kiartipoom said mental health officials have detected increasing signs of suicide risk on Thailand’s social media platforms, such as farewell messages or self-harming plans.

 

“These people in distress are in need of help immediately. However, that is often difficult for health officials to contact them.”

 

“The department had solicited help from CSD police, as well as social media influencers, in a pro-active approach to help these people.

 

The Thai Mental Health Hotline is 1323, in Thai language. Additionally, if you or anyone you know is in emotional distress, please contact the Samaritans of Thailand 24-hour hotline… 02 713 6791 (English), or 02 713 6793 (Thai).

 

Police in Northern Thailand’s Chiang Mai Province have reported a 68 year old woman and her 41 year old son who committed suicide in their home on Thursday. Chiang Mai Police report that the pair were found lying side by side, dead, with a BBQ grill filled with ashes next to their bodies.

 

According to the sister of the deceased woman, the 3 lived together after the mother and son returned to Chiang Mai from Bangkok 4 years ago. Over the past few months, however, both mother and son had been complaining over their financial situation. As reported in CityNews, both had lost their jobs and had no income.

 

The sister told police that she had left the house to run some errands and returned to find the dead bodies. A suicide note thanked the elder sister for her “good care and telling her that this was the best solution”.

 

Chiang Mai Police have also reported another case of suicide. This time a 46 year old school teacher was found dead in his car, also with a charcoal burner inside the vehicle. Relatives told police that the man had been suffering from “some illnesses and was also stressed by life and his financial burdens”. The man also left a suicide note for his family.

 

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Source: https://thethaiger.com/news/chiang-mai/financial-hardship-spiking-thailands-suicide-rate

 

-- © Copyright The Thaiger 2020-11-08

 

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[RotBenz8888]

10 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Thailand, ranked in 32nd place in 2019 with 14.4 of suicides per 100.000 population… nearly 10,000 suicide deaths in 2019, The country holds the unenviable position of number 1 among ASEAN countries on the WHO suicide list,

And in addition to that, many of the traffic deaths are virtually suicides. There must at least be a very low self preservation instinct among many. 

Edited November 8, 2020 by RotBenz8888

[misterjames]

Quote

 There is also anecdotal evidence in a rise of foreign suicides during the Covid-19 pandemic although there are no official statistics about the current rates.

I imagine a lot of the foreign suicides are due in part to the xenophobic tightening of visa requirements forcing foreigners into a life of perpetual uncertainty along with all the other strains such as covid, being forced to leave their loved one's wives, children etc.

 

One thing is pretty much certain though they won't be getting any help from the CSD....

[scubascuba3]

So potentially 2,200 extra deaths this year probably due to the lock downs vs 50+ covid deaths. I guess it's just seen as collateral damage, manageable to avoid covid deaths 

[sammieuk1]

It's known as the General effect ????

[Thomas J]

Maybe if they classified these suicides as Covid deaths the government would be concerned about them. 

[ChipButty]

This is a bigger problem than you know, I was talking to a friend of mine a couple of days ago she cant keep her business going any longer she has about 7 or 8 employees she kept them on and paying them and feeding them even though no business she has no choice or she will have no money for her own family at this rate.

Today a couple of friends who work in Central are only getting their basic salary, no bonus or commissions they are all saying the same Open up the country allow the people to breath 

More suicides on there way

[Meat Pie 47]

1 hour ago, sammieuk1 said:

It's known as the General effect ????

Also as Prayut-20

[djayz]

Hope I'm wrong, but the longer this drags on, the more of these kinds of stories we're going to read. 

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Financial hardship spiking Thailand’s suicide rate

I'm sure it plays on Prayuts mind at night as he's fed a 5-star meal in his ivory tower.

[KhunFred]

Very sad for Thai people. I see evidence of desperation every day. A very helpless feeling.

[tomauasia]

The answer is simple. Sack Auntin and open the borders. Stop using COVID as excuse. No bubbles needed. But l think a new gov is needed.

[BigC]

why is there a photo of people drinking on a roof are they all about to jump off?

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

the global over reaction to the corona virus has killed way more people than the virus itself.

many more will die in the near and far future from the financial disaster that those lockdowns caused.

a british general is talking now about the risk of a global war because of the corona stress.

the right thing to do was and is to keep the economies open and functioning, and to treat

corona just like any other desease.

some countries , like belurussia , did just that. also japan and taiwan never imposed such strist

lockdown, brazil mexico panama and costa rica are completly open now, you can travel there without

any need for insurance, tests, or other nonsense. maybe the thai authorities will do the simple

math and will understand that locking down the country is killing way more people than the virus

will ever do.

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

20 hours ago, tomauasia said:

The answer is simple. Sack Auntin and open the borders. Stop using COVID as excuse. No bubbles needed. But l think a new gov is needed.

aggree

[Cali farong]

It quite obvious those in power don’t care what happens to the everyday people.

they will sell out to the Chinese and become more wealthy and more power.

they try to make it sound like they’re trying with every day a new crazy scheme 

and now with the tesco Mackro, 7 eleven monopoly food prices will hurt people even more 

[Deli]

Thank you China, the Chinese and their followers,

[Don Chance]

On 11/9/2020 at 7:05 AM, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

the global over reaction to the corona virus has killed way more people than the virus itself.

many more will die in the near and far future from the financial disaster that those lockdowns caused.

a british general is talking now about the risk of a global war because of the corona stress.

the right thing to do was and is to keep the economies open and functioning, and to treat

corona just like any other desease.

some countries , like belurussia , did just that. also japan and taiwan never imposed such strist

lockdown, brazil mexico panama and costa rica are completly open now, you can travel there without

any need for insurance, tests, or other nonsense. maybe the thai authorities will do the simple

math and will understand that locking down the country is killing way more people than the virus

will ever do.

I don't agree, many more people will die from covid than suicide. Covid is preventable as Thailand, Taiwan and even China has shown us. Suicide is also preventable. Thailand should do more for it's people and help them financially.  Thailand has free health care for it's people, food is so cheap, accommodation. If people choose to take their own lives, that is one thing. To be stricken by a disease due to negligence is really a tragedy.

 

[Tarteso]

30 minutes ago, Don Chance said:

Thailand should do more for it's people and help them financially.

With a law passed last week to increasing the subsidy for the disabled from BT800 to Bt1000, they have solved the problem and many families who have been left without work depend on the help of grandparents and pensioners, whose salary does not exceed BT500  per month ... Go and buy another yellow submarine to China.

Edited November 10, 2020 by Tarteso

[BigC]

On 11/9/2020 at 7:05 PM, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

the global over reaction to the corona virus has killed way more people than the virus itself.

many more will die in the near and far future from the financial disaster that those lockdowns caused.

a british general is talking now about the risk of a global war because of the corona stress.

the right thing to do was and is to keep the economies open and functioning, and to treat

corona just like any other desease.

some countries , like belurussia , did just that. also japan and taiwan never imposed such strist

lockdown, brazil mexico panama and costa rica are completly open now, you can travel there without

any need for insurance, tests, or other nonsense. maybe the thai authorities will do the simple

math and will understand that locking down the country is killing way more people than the virus

will ever do.

we need to get down to the Winchester  pure a pint and wait for all this to blow over

 

how  is that  for a slice of fried gold?

[BigC]

we need to be united 

in Manchester 

manchester united