Thailand faces mental health crisis with 15 suicide deaths daily
Thailand is grappling with a deepening mental health crisis, with an average of 15 people dying by suicide each day, and seven suicide attempts occurring every two hours.
According to the Department of Mental Health, between January 1, 2020 and February 20, 2025, among 6 million surveyed Thais, 9.14% (approximately 560,000 people) were at risk of depression, 5.18% (300,000 people) were at risk of suicide, and 7.87% (480,000 people) were experiencing high stress levels.
The highest risk group was individuals aged 20-29. Notably, the number of psychiatric and substance abuse patients has increased by approximately 500,000 since 2020.
Data from the department’s suicide prevention centre shows that in 2024, there were 5,217 suicide deaths in Thailand – equivalent to 8.02 per 100,000 population, averaging 15 deaths per day, or one every two hours. In addition, 33,000 people attempted suicide – about 93 attempts per day or seven every two hours.
The Excellence Centre for Depressive Disorder reported that in 2024, more than 1.3 million Thais aged 15 and above were estimated to be living with depression.
Beyond its direct impact on health, the mental health crisis significantly affects the economy. This includes direct costs such as medical treatment and travel expenses, and indirect costs such as income loss and reduced productivity from absenteeism or presenteeism.
At the macroeconomic level, reduced labour force participation inevitably leads to lower economic output.
A study by Arias et al (2022) estimated that psychiatric disorders were responsible for the loss of 418 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) globally in 2019 – accounting for 16% of all DALYs lost due to disease.
This indicates that psychiatric conditions contribute to one in six of all global disease burdens, with an estimated economic loss of US$5 trillion or approximately 169 trillion baht.
In Southeast Asia, psychiatric disorders led to the loss of around 32 million DALYs, or 10.7% of total DALYs lost. The resulting economic loss is estimated to be around 5% of the region’s GDP.
The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) forecasts Thailand’s GDP in 2025 to be approximately 19.28 trillion baht. Based on this, the economic loss due to psychiatric disorders could reach 964 billion baht.
Therefore, national investment in mental well-being should not be seen solely as a health measure but as a strategic investment that can reduce long-term costs and build a more resilient society.
The Department of Mental Health emphasises that addressing this crisis cannot be the responsibility of a single agency, given the complexity of the issue and its interconnection with various social, economic, cultural, educational and healthcare dimensions.
Effective mental health intervention must involve coordinated collaboration across public, private and civil society sectors, the department stated.
