Suicide in Thailand up 20% last year - economic stress rises

 

Picture: Daily News

 

The head of Thailand's mental health department has reported an alarming rise in successful suicides in the country.

 

Whereas suicide according to death certificates was relatively stable at 6 cases per 100,000 in the population in the previous half dozen years, last year there was a sharp increase.

 

It was 7.3 per 100,000 in 2020 that represents a rise of more than 20%.

 

Dr Phanphimol Wipulakorn also said that calls to the 1323 mental health hotline most commonly featured worries associated with Covid-19 last year. 

 

There were 180,000 calls in January 2021 alone compared to 700,000 in the whole of last year. 

 

The reasons for suicide remain the same as in previous years.

 

Number one is problems with relationships with close family members, secondly chronic illness and thirdly economic and money worries. 

 

Though she noted that the third case was significantly up last year as the pandemic and its associated economic woes heightened anxiety. 

 

Emotional exhaustion and blackouts among the isolated population was three times higher than among the general population. 

 

Soure: Daily News

 

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Where can a poor Thai citizen turn to for help.  Does the Government have health and social workers that will assist these people.  Is their a Mental Health Incident Response Team that can respond and assist. Many folks do not want to trouble others with their problems and see it as a loss of FACE.  Until the society here accepts mental illness as a true part of life and moves to assist with programs then the numbers will increase.  As a trained Mental health professional and former instructor in the field, I would gladly assist if needed, however, as I am not Thai I do not see the Thai government reaching out to Non-Thai's to help.  Sad very sad.  Life is to precious and suicide leaves many victims behind.

How sad.......the inequality in wealth distribution is horrific.......but I guess right-wingers will defend it as "we must obey market forces and allow the weakest to perish".......cannot have some commie, socialism protect the weak.

Part of the rise is due to the pandemic and associated economic problems. Solution, get out of the pandemic, buy some vaccines. Save lives

 

24 minutes ago, webfact said:

The reasons for suicide remain the same as in previous years

Just read the piece and you can see the headline is misleading. "economic stress" remains a third-place issue.

Funny how no-one ever seems to want to quote actual numbers of those who top themselves. At pop 69.63m, it could be 5,083.

 

The global rate is more than twice the claimed 7.3/100,000 (http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-statistics.html).

However, according to

https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries

Thailand's rate is double what this official claims. So who's right?

 

 

25 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Where can a poor Thai citizen turn to for help.  Does the Government have health and social workers that will assist these people.

Would it truly matter if those troubles are due to continual lack of sufficient Government financial support ? What can a health and social worker say to someone losing their job, their house, their income, their lifestyle ? Other than just smile and hold up you donation tin when someone walks past. 

 

Numbers way to low. It depends on Police and Doctors to decide if something was a suicide. For example, how many of the motorcycle deaths were suicides? Unless they had a suicide, note in their pockets in a waterproof case who would know??

A policeman once told me suicide is only 10cm of paper, murder is 30cm of paper, take your pick