About 5,000 Thai People Commit Suicide Every Year

[Jai Dee]

About 5,000 Thai people commit suicide every year

About 5,000 Thai people commit suicide every year or every one hour two people successfully kill themselves.

Public Health permanent-secretary Prach Boonyawongwiroj (ปราชญ์ บุณยวงศ์วืโรจน์) said 59% of those people hung themselves, 29% used toxic chemicals, 5% used guns and the rest used sharp-pointed objects or jumped to death.

Most of the people who committed suicide were aged 60 and older, followed by those between 35 and 39 years old and 15 and 24 years old, Dr. Prach said. Causes of suicide included family and relationship problems and stress, he said.

Dr. Prach said the ministry and the Samaritans Association of Thailand are campaigning on suicide prevention together. The association has three telephone counseling centers in Bangkpk, Chiang Mai and Phuket, he said.

September 10 is the World Suicide Prevention Day.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 06 September 2006

[wamberal]

There are about 2300 deaths by suicide annually in Australia, which, given the total population in both places, is a bit higher than that of Thailand.

[bazmlb]

There are about 2300 deaths by suicide annually in Australia, which, given the total population in both places, is a bit higher than that of Thailand.

Its also the reason in Australia so many train drivers go loopy with all the jumpers, most get around 5 a year, I saw a potential jumper on the news here in Thailand last night but the Authoritys managed to stop her, dont know about councilling programs here but if its anything like i imagine she will be back on the ledge soon.

[Jai Dee]

Suicides on the decline: ministry

'Intense efforts' to help have been a big factor in drop

Fewer people committed suicide in the past year thanks to effective intervention, the Public Health Ministry said yesterday.

And, the number of people attempting suicide fell significantly, too, it said.

Meanwhile, the Samaritans of Thailand said it would offer English-language counselling over its hotline.

Samaritans is a charity providing confidential emotional support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those who are suicidal.

September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day.

Thailand's suicide rate last year fell to 6.9 per 100,000 people down from 7.7 per 100,000 in 2004.

Ministry Permanent Secretary Dr Prat Boonyawongvirot said its "intensive efforts" to intervene in potential suicides in the past year had contributed largely to the drop in numbers. But, despite this success, suicide prevention efforts had to be continuous to ensure there was always help for those in need.

"When facing a [serious] problem, one can cope if they are able to maintain an emotional balance," Prat said. "Otherwise, they need someone to support and encourage them to overcome problems."

Official figures showed 5,000 people killed themselves every year in Thailand. That was 13 people a day, or one every two hours.

Prat said Thailand's suicide rate was low compared with international numbers and regional nations like Japan and Korea.

But some provinces exhibited high rates, he explained. The northern province of Lamphun was the country's worst.

Both physical and mental illnesses contributed to suicides and Prat said better prevention of health problems would help cut suicide deaths.

Physical problems that often resulted in suicides were HIV/Aids and chronic ailments like migraines and hypertension leading to depression.

Every year Samaritans of Thai-land receive about 7,000 calls from the suicidal - about 20 calls a day.

The charity's director Trakarn Chensy said half those calls were from people suffering from relationship difficulties. Calls from women were more common.

Samaritans said there was a growing demand for English-speaking counselling. An English-language hotline was available from tomorrow.

Initially, English-language counselling would be provided on a "call-back" basis. Hotline callers would be encouraged to leave a contact number. A volunteer would return the call within 24 hours, Trakarn said. As soon as sufficient volunteers were available the service would be offered in real time.

The English-language service can be reached on 02 713 6790.

Source: The Nation - 6 September 2006

[cclub75]

Public Health permanent-secretary Prach Boonyawongwiroj (ปราชญ์ บุณยวงศ์วืโรจน์) said 59% of those people hung themselves, 29% used toxic chemicals, 5% used guns and the rest used sharp-pointed objects or jumped to death.

This stat is in line with the situation in other countries : a very few people choose to jump to commit suicide.

This is why, the number of dead farangs who have "jumped" from their balcony in Bangkok/Pattaya, looks suspicious.

I mean : it goes against statistics.

[fxm88]

Might this have something to do with the huge number of dentists in this country?

[VanZam]

As a psychologist working in Thailand these figures are of great interest.

However, I do not think they are correct, the bulk of suicides I come across fall in the 18-25 age group (as much as 80%). This however, may differ depending on location.

As suicide frowned upon, many families have a death report that differs in order to save face. This seriously skews figures.

[Heng]

Public Health permanent-secretary Prach Boonyawongwiroj (ปราชญ์ บุณยวงศ์วืโรจน์) said 59% of those people hung themselves, 29% used toxic chemicals, 5% used guns and the rest used sharp-pointed objects or jumped to death.

This stat is in line with the situation in other countries : a very few people choose to jump to commit suicide.

This is why, the number of dead farangs who have "jumped" from their balcony in Bangkok/Pattaya, looks suspicious.

I mean : it goes against statistics.

A lot of farangs also don't have access to firearms here (although occassionally a guy will kill himself at the Tiffany shooting range with rented guns). I don't know about Bangkok, but I know for Pattaya, one of the key indicators in these farang suicides is unpaid rent + extended frustrated behaviour as reported by neighbors (surely they aren't all in on it). And yes, some are murders: but really, how many people think that the sort of local folks that many farangs consort with have the mental capacity to plan and commit 'perfect' crimes? Also, these are the same folks that are the LEAST likely to have the kind of police connections to make trouble go away.

It's understandable that folks don't like to accept that those in very similar situations to their own are often just a few feet away from the end of their rope. Given the unlevel playing field though (in terms of work, immigration, property laws, generally limited screening of potential partners/spouses, and lack of social/family support network), I think it's fortunate that the numbers are as 'low' as they are.

[meemiathai]

About 5,000 Thai people commit suicide every year or every one hour two people successfully kill themselves

2 people X 24 hours X 365 days = 17,520

[OlRedEyes]

Meanwhile, the Samaritans of Thailand said it would offer English-language counselling over its hotline.

Samaritans is a charity providing confidential emotional support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those who are suicidal.

Sadly, these organisations are pretty much useless. Talk in-depth to suicidal people, and you'll probably find that their experience with these organisations actually deepened their sense of despair.

At best they may talk a few out of committing suicide for awhile. I wonder how many actually gets pushed closer to the brink by them though. Inadvertantly of course.

I do have some experience in this field. What most people don't seem to grasp is the depth of dispear it mostly takes to push someone to the edge. The survival instict is extremely powerful. A last resort option that churns you through the system without any real understanding of the individuals perception of his/her position can actually push them off the edge.

Society is NOT prepared to make the investment in time in order to really understand and help. It uses standardised psychological techniques which on the whole don't work. It tries to stop suicide to save face. Someone opting to kill themselves is a comment on the society, and it don't like it.

[bazmlb]

About 5,000 Thai people commit suicide every year or every one hour two people successfully kill themselves

2 people X 24 hours X 365 days = 17,520

adds up as well as the money for temporary teachers does

[lomatopo]

About 5,000 Thai people commit suicide every year or every one hour two people successfully kill themselves.

/quote]

How do you kill yourself unsuccessfully?

FWIW they could be mixing actual suicides (~5,000) and suicide attempts, but who knows?