Thailand's High Suicide Rate Likely A Result Of Economic Problems

[webfact]

High suicide rate likely a result of economic problems

BANGKOK (NNT) -- A high suicide rate in 2010 is likely the result of economic problems.

Director General of the Department of Mental Health, Chatree Banchuen on Wednesday expressed concerns over the suicide situation in Thailand as the suicide rate in the first half of 2010 stood at 3.5 per 100,000 people. The rate is considered high as only 6 per 100,000 people is speculated per year. Economic problems were cited as the main cause of suicide.

The Mental Health Department has kept monitoring the situation by joining hands with the Village Health Volunteers in each area to conduct a survey in a bid to measure the jeopardy rate of those who undergo depression and are prone to commit suicide.

In addition, Khon Kaen Rajanagarindra Psychiatric Hospital has been assigned to be responsible for the preventing of any possible mental illness among the Thai people.

-- NNT 2010-08-18

[upena]

In addition, Khon Kaen Rajanagarindra Psychiatric Hospital has been assigned to be responsible for the preventing of any possible mental illness among the Thai people.

How?

[hammered]

The world cup just finished and was in July - the second half of the year. Monster amounts of gambling and some unexpected results in that one.

[gemini81]

not watching any thai soap operas will certainly lower the rate colsiderably, haha. half joking, half not.

[slapout]

Well I for one feel better that a survey is being conducted by the Village Health Volunteers. The people at the Department of Mental Health appear to express some pretty CRAZY ideas/solutions at times. They may have to start wearing green (is that taken), so as not to be confused with the patients.

[DP25]

So they're projecting 7 instead of 6 per 100,000 people? Either way, that number is low compared with a lot of other countries, and certainly isn't high

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_suicide_rate

[cardholder]

I thought Thailand didn't have economic problems ?

[kevozman1]

So 3.5 per 100,000 suicides in first 6 months. The average in a year is 6 per 100,000.

3.5 * 2 (to equate annual year)=7 which would equate to a 1 more suicide per 100,000 in a year.

60,000 million Thai's, so 1 extra suicide per 100,000 would equal 600 more suicides

in this year. I am not being cold here but I do not think that is a big move from the average, which

is not too high anyway. The murder rate in Thailand is 8 per 100,000, a more worrying statistic.

[TAWP]

Want to be worried? Find out what the stats is for farangs per 100,000 living in Thailand...

[kevozman1]

Want to be worried? Find out what the stats is for farangs per 100,000 living in Thailand...

Why would the amount of farang people living in Thailand worry me.

Edited August 18, 2010 by kevozman1

[TAWP]

Want to be worried? Find out what the stats is for farangs per 100,000 living in Thailand...

Why would the amount of farang people living in Thailand worry me.

The suicide rate for farangs per 100,000 farangs living here...

[dumball]

Want to be worried? Find out what the stats is for farangs per 100,000 living in Thailand...

Why would the amount of farang people living in Thailand worry me.

The suicide rate for farangs per 100,000 farangs living here...

Would the number include those with thier hands tied behind thier backs that go 'Sky-diving' off balconies etc ,etc .

[Beetlejuice]

I would say that the most causes of suicides worldwide are either brought on by financial, relationship problems and the heartbreak of having lost a loved one, child or spouse from an accident or illness for example.

[geriatrickid]

Must be a threat of budget cutbacks at the health ministry again.

[Buchholz]

I would say that the most causes of suicides worldwide are either brought on by financial, relationship problems and the heartbreak of having lost a loved one, child or spouse from an accident or illness for example.

I would qualify your assessment in that those are external triggering events in people pre-disposed to suicide by the biological condition of clinical depression, which most people that commit suicide suffer from.

[personchester]

Want to be worried? Find out what the stats is for farangs per 100,000 living in Thailand...

Why would the amount of farang people living in Thailand worry me.

You misunderstood the reply, the above message refers to farangs 'stats' in terms of suicide (per 100,000) and not the number of farangs living here.

Nevertheless, the former (unlike the later) should be of some interest to us since they are fellow farangs living within the same society, and one would like to understand the reason (if any) for their self-demise.

[james24]

The pressure to be something you're not or can afford to be in this country must take its toll. Living with a mask on, not talking about problems and only releasing stress through hounding over women, eating and drinking Whisky would drive anyone to the brink.

If Thailand started being a bit more real with itself then things might change

[elliss]

The world cup just finished and was in July - the second half of the year. Monster amounts of gambling and some unexpected results in that one.

tell me about it ..

i lost 500 bht .

i got over it , thanks to the samaritans .

[elliss]

life without hope .

it,s is directly related to the fact , there are less farangs visiting thailand ,

to bail them out , and offer them the chance of a better life style .

[kevozman1]

The pressure to be something you're not or can afford to be in this country must take its toll. Living with a mask on, not talking about problems and only releasing stress through hounding over women, eating and drinking Whisky would drive anyone to the brink.

If Thailand started being a bit more real with itself then things might change

Yes but this thread is about suicide rates and Thailand's level is not so high compared

to a lot of more developed countries.

[Flatouthruthefog]

I would say that the most causes of suicides worldwide are either brought on by financial, relationship problems and the heartbreak of having lost a loved one, child or spouse from an accident or illness for example.

Agreed. But here we are in a Buddhist nation where a majority of people believe in future lives, as well as past lives. This, and other factors, leads to much less 'value' being placed on human life here in SE Asia than in the west.

Here's a brief and sad example from '95, well before the crash of '97 and today's economic and political hardships.

A small engineering company in Lamphun needed new staff, ideally young men who were prepared to learn welding in clean, safe, modern conditions. The Thai lady in charge went to the Abbott of a local temple, who recommended a young monk (mid 20's) about to leave. He interviewed well, appeared serious and sincere, and just asked for 2 weeks to get back to secular life before starting work.

He visited the company a day or so after leaving the temple, and politely explained that he wanted to go to Mae Hong Son to see his former girlfriend, and to Bangkok to see his elder sister.

He phoned in just once to say his old girlfriend could not be 'won back', and he was in Bangkok searching for the sister.

A few days later the Thai lady at the company got a call from the owner of a low cost apartment block. The young man had hanged himself in a wardrobe, leaving a note to say he had no girl friend and could not find his sister!

Yet in Lamphun he had a good job, a new start with new friends, all waiting.

A tragic waste, eh?