Thailand's high suicide rate

[fedssocr]

Thailand has the highest suicide rate in SE Asia

 

[PeterRS]

Once again Thai government rules and regulations require mountains of paperwork. And as those retired in Thailand are only too well aware, government decisions are made without anyone thinking through the many potential problems that these decisions end up creating. This documentary brings home the enormous wealth gap in the country. But I found it interesting that the main reason for suicide even today is problems with personal and family relationships. That this should account for between 50% to 60% of all suicides is surely extraordinary. Then even with covid19 financial problems are only fourth on the list. Even worse, though, is the lack of an infrastructure that can take care of increasing mental health problems. Makes you reconsider "the land of smiles"!

[Londoner]

Any attempt by a political party  to address the huge wealth-gap between the small minority of  very rich and the rest of the population  inevitably leads to a coup and a military government serving the needs of royalty and the ruling elite. Today, elections aren't needed; the junta just bans any party which seeks meaningful change.

I strongly recommend the documentary, though it fails to deal adequately with the political aspects of the crisis. Some of the personal testimonies are heart-breaking.

[fedssocr]

the woman providing meals and services to the homeless is a saint

[Guest]

18 minutes ago, fedssocr said:

the woman providing meals and services to the homeless is a saint

I saw a few cases of food handouts in recent months.   Here's one between Pattaya 2nd road & Soi Bukhao.   The queue goes into a couple of the smaller side streets & is much longer than visible in the photo.   There's also a farang in the queue somewhere.

Also, there were fairly frequent handouts on the beach in front of the Central shopping mall.

Government priorities seem to be more to support the construction industry than the people and sectors who are actually struggling.   I do have suggestions for where money could be found to help people out, however due to board rules, I'll not post this.   You can imagine the answer.

 

[spoon]

Financial problem alone might not be the major reason for suicide but i believe the relationship and family problems are also due to or worsen by financial difficulty. If u lost a job as a sole provider to your family, and as a result, your partner leave u, that could be a trigger. Mental health issues needs a support system and often those will be your partner or family. Having issues with them could mean losing your support system, which can very well leads to suicide. Hope thai will survive the pandemic. On an unrelated news, I just watched the news that myanmar citizens are starting to seek refuge in border thailand cities. Made me think how this will affect thailand who are also suffering right now.

[MrBill]

1 hour ago, spoon said:

Financial problem alone might not be the major reason for suicide

Even though I've been to Thailand multiple times, I am no expert on Thai culture, but I have been in the mental health field since early 80's, financial problems rarely are the cause of suicides. Family problems can be a contributing factor especially when the individual is isolated from their family or are seen as an outcast. The 3 factors reported in study after study are: 1) Loneliness/isolation, 2) "Thwarted Belongingness" - not feeling accepted by others/society, and 3) perceived "burdensomness". According to Thomas Joiner, a leading researcher on suicide, it is often the feeling like a burden that pushes the individual over the edge. Suicide rates have gone up with the pandemic. I suspect Thailand lacks some of the social safety nets available in the West like dedicated suicide hotlines or walk-in mental health clinics that can often prevent someone on the brink from taking that last step. Cluster behavior is often also associated with suicide rates.

[fedssocr]

The video spends quite a bit of time on the fact that the suicide hotline is overburdened and unable to answer about half of the calls that come in.

[Londoner]

This is not just a Thai issue, nor a Covid one.  In most  (perhaps all?) societies, parents are expected to provide for their children and failure to do so is seen as shameful.  In  Islamic societies, it is primarily the father's duty, perhaps in Buddhist societies- women do much of the selling- it's a more shared responsibility .

When I was in Palestine a few years ago I came across a dad in Gaza, where food was scarce and unemployment rife, who hanged himself when he saw his two children rooting in a bin for a discarded rotten orange. He saw this as  his failure as a father and a man..