Rising numbers of non-communicable diseases in Thailand's working population
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Oct 6 -- Ninety thousand Thais are suffering from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) annually, with 37 per cent of working age or younger than age 60, Deputy Health Minister Dr Somsak Chunharas said yesterday.

Thailand's official statistics showed that in 2012, 89,775 persons died of NCDs, mostly from cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart diseases, said Dr Somsak.

Of the total, 37 per cent--33,545 persons died while they were young and less than 60-year-old.

If left untreated, non-communicable diseases are likely to affect household economies because the death of a major income earner leaves a gap in family incomes, and in some cases aging people could be left alone if the family has only one child, he said.

The major causes of the diseases are attributed to eating habits--unhygienic food-- and a lack of exercise, Dr Somsak said.

He quoted information released by the National Statistical Office in 2011 saying that only 26 per cent of Thais aged above 11 engage in exercise and that most Thais love to eat spicy food.

On average they eat only 1.8 grammes of vegetables and fruits a day while the UN World Health Organisation says that people should eat between 4-6 grammes daily.

In a related problem, some 17 million Thais above age 5 suffer from obesity, and there are signs that the number would rise about 4 million yearly, according to 2012 data released by the Public Health Ministry.

It is also found that Thai children aged below five are suffering from obesity, second highest after Indonesia among Association of Southeast Asian Nations member countries.

Related government agencies have been assigned to tackle the problem, he said. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-10-06

Please remind me as to how many cocktails behind the rest of he world Thailand is.

4-6 gm of fruit and veg seems a remarkably low figure.

People here cant seem to fight things the way farangs can. Obviously hospitals are not the same. When I'm sitting having a beer in the evening its a daily flow of bikes to the wat with ladies in black.

Start educating people from the early stages in their lives.

Improve your education system and include lessons of personal hygiene, eating habits, the importance of exercising.

Plan for a healthier future for this country.

Yes, all these statistics are good for increasing awareness, but habits are difficult to change on a later date of someones life.

Start early.......educate these people..........stop being a third world country.

4 to 6 grammes should be 4 to 6 ounces I suppose.

... "some 17 million Thais above age 5 suffer from obesity, and there are signs that the number would rise about 4 million yearly"...

That means that in about 12 years from now 100% of the Thais will suffer from obesity. Which is nonesense of course.

4-6 gm of fruit and veg seems a remarkably low figure.

... yes, has to be bs, 6g 'of fruit' would be a rather small bite of an apple for instance ...

"The major causes of the diseases are attributed to eating habits--unhygienic food"

something to do with all the pesticides, no regulation of food hygiene? the meat outside stalls for hours & hours ? no hygiene in cooking / preparing food ?

4 to 6 grammes should be 4 to 6 ounces I suppose.

... "some 17 million Thais above age 5 suffer from obesity, and there are signs that the number would rise about 4 million yearly"...

That means that in about 12 years from now 100% of the Thais will suffer from obesity. Which is nonesense of course.

Ofcourse it is nonsense!! It should have been 110%

One of the biggest silent killers in Thailand, which causes all sorts or organ failures and secondary cancers (which become hepatic, and cause renal failures) is leptospirosis. It usually occurs through eating local river fish and crabs. BEWARE the dried fish, or even the beautifully charcoal grilled fish. They're full of it!

4-6 gm of fruit and veg seems a remarkably low figure.

depends if its in a punch bowl or not

The chief cause of this epidemic is dietary sugar and high fructose corn syrup.

In twenty years time the number of Thai people with diabetes and high blood pressure will be enormous, maybe worse than in countries like Australia and America. So many, even with all the information available on the internet still have no idea about diet and it's impact on their health. Mention to anyone how eating those deep fried snacks every day when already overweight and with high bp might not be such a good idea, and you're the bad guy for even suggesting it...

Snacking, fat and lazy. So now they are an advanced 1st world country!

One of the biggest silent killers in Thailand, which causes all sorts or organ failures and secondary cancers (which become hepatic, and cause renal failures) is leptospirosis. It usually occurs through eating local river fish and crabs. BEWARE the dried fish, or even the beautifully charcoal grilled fish. They're full of it!

Leptospirosis is transmitted by the urine of an infected animal, and is contagious as long as the urine is still moist. Rats, mice, and moles are important primary hosts—but a wide range of other mammals including dogs, deer, rabbits, hedgehogs, cows, sheep, raccoons, opossums, skunks, and certain marine mammals carry and transmit the disease as secondary hosts. In Africa, the banded mongoose has been identified as a carrier of the pathogen, likely in addition to other African wildlife hosts.^[14] Dogs may lick the urine of an infected animal off the grass or soil, or drink from an infected puddle.

Humans become infected through contact with water, food, or soil that contains urine from these infected animals. This may happen by swallowing contaminated food or water or through skin contact. The disease is not known to spread between humans, and bacterial dissemination in convalescence is extremely rare in humans. Leptospirosis is common among water-sport enthusiasts in specific areas, as prolonged immersion in water promotes the entry of the bacteria. Surfers and whitewater paddlers^[16] are at especially high risk in areas that have been shown to contain the bacteria, and can contract the disease by swallowing contaminated water, splashing contaminated water into their eyes or nose, or exposing open wounds to infected water.^[1

Hard to believe that nearly a third of Thais (17 million adults, plus large numbers of kids under five) are obese. Most falangs are stuck by how relatively few fat people there are in the indigenous population.

The recommended daily intake of fruit and veg is clearly far more than 5-6 gms, but knowing how tainted Thai produce is with pesticides, insecticides, etc it's probably still too much.

Since I started eating more fruit and veg in Thailand I have had more stomach upsets. And I think that is why a lot of Thais don't eat it too.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 1 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

You can not eat fruit and vegs in Thailand;full of pesticides.I know,since I live in an area where it is produced.About education;people could just take a look in the mirror or look at their children to find out,that they eat too much and the wrong kind of food.But they do not have the will to change it or they do not care. They live in the moment,also when it is about food and health.I feel sorry for the children I see queing outside the snackshop in the morning before school,getting fatter almost by the day! I see it as childabuse,the parents could as well give them drugs or alcohol...

One of the biggest silent killers in Thailand, which causes all sorts or organ failures and secondary cancers (which become hepatic, and cause renal failures) is leptospirosis. It usually occurs through eating local river fish and crabs. BEWARE the dried fish, or even the beautifully charcoal grilled fish. They're full of it!

Leptospirosis is transmitted by the urine of an infected animal, and is contagious as long as the urine is still moist. Rats, mice, and moles are important primary hosts—but a wide range of other mammals including dogs, deer, rabbits, hedgehogs, cows, sheep, raccoons, opossums, skunks, and certain marine mammals carry and transmit the disease as secondary hosts. In Africa, the banded mongoose has been identified as a carrier of the pathogen, likely in addition to other African wildlife hosts.^[14] Dogs may lick the urine of an infected animal off the grass or soil, or drink from an infected puddle.

Humans become infected through contact with water, food, or soil that contains urine from these infected animals. This may happen by swallowing contaminated food or water or through skin contact. The disease is not known to spread between humans, and bacterial dissemination in convalescence is extremely rare in humans. Leptospirosis is common among water-sport enthusiasts in specific areas, as prolonged immersion in water promotes the entry of the bacteria. Surfers and whitewater paddlers^[16] are at especially high risk in areas that have been shown to contain the bacteria, and can contract the disease by swallowing contaminated water, splashing contaminated water into their eyes or nose, or exposing open wounds to infected water.^[1

Commerce is confusing Leptospirosis with Opisthorchis viverrini. I know a bit about the latter having contracted it once, probably from eating somtam palar or laap plaar. Unlike many Thais I sought a diagnosis and treatment (very tricky for a UK-based disease specialist unit to isolate, as they never see it) and will probably thereby avoid liver cancer in later life

I always hear about pesticides but are the organic vegy from doi kham (royal project) also bad to eat? They sell them in almost every supermarket, i 've never heard of restaurants using clean vegy though.

A fat Thai is the same size as an average Westener.

Sticky rice is a killer. Glycemic Index similar to sugar is why diabetes is rife in Thailand.

"On average they eat only 1.8 grammes of vegetables and fruits a day"

Really! That is like 1/20th of a banana.