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Published on October 5, 2007

Commenting on the department's latest five-year survey, spokesman Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin said many people with PTSD suffered from panic and stress, while 10 per cent of Thais could not sleep at night.

Most of them had mental health problems even though their physical symptoms might have cleared up, he said.

Taweesin said there were many risk factors for depression, such as listening to sad songs whose lyrics compel people to commit suicide.

Only 8 per cent of Thais know about the disease and 90 per cent lack knowledge of depression, he said.

The department conducts a mental health survey every five years. This year it found 3,600 Thais had committed suicide since the last survey, with the highest numbers recorded in the northern provinces of Lamphun, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.

"The problem is difficult to control and the trend is increasing. There are several causes for this, especially the economic crisis," Taweesin said.

He said the survey of stress disorders found that 8 per cent of people were facing severe stress and 50 per cent were ill with depression.

The survey found 5 per cent of children had problems with aggressive behaviour and could not control their emotions.

The 2003 survey of 10,000 people found 20 per cent suffered severe depression and 20 per cent had a nervous disorder.

Taweesin said even though patients took drugs to control their disorders, medication was not completely effective for everyone because of side effects.

He said there were only 400 doctors in Thailand who could treat mental disorders, which was not enough compared with the number of patients in the country. The problem is compounded by people being embarrassed about seeing a doctor.

 Duangkamol Sajirawattanakul

 The Nation