BANGKOK, 6 September 2011 – A statistical report by the Department of Mental Health has concluded that there were about 3,700 people committing suicide in 2010 alone or ten persons each day, but the trend is on a decline.
According to Mental Health Department Director-General Medical Doctor Apichai Mongkol, the department has been collecting data on suicide rate in Thailand since 1997. There were 5,700 people committing suicide in 1999 or 8 persons per a population size of 100,000.
However, after the department launched a campaign on suicide prevention in 1999, the suicide rate fell gradually to stand at 3,761 people in 2010 or 5.9 persons per 100,000 people or 10 persons each day.
Men were found to have higher suicide rate than women at 9.29 and 2.62 persons per a population size of 100,000 respectively. People aged 80-84, 75-79 and 70-74 years old have highest suicide rates of 10.73, 10.19 and 8.37 persons per 100,000 people respectively.
Top five provinces with highest suicide rates are Lamphun (20.02), Chiang Rai (15.63), Mae Hong Son (14.45), Nan (13.03) and Chiang Mai (12.47) while top five provinces with lowest suicide rates are Pattani (0.77), Nong Khai (1.76), Narathiwat (1.77), Yala (1.86) and Phichit (2.17).
Top suicide approaches are by hanging at 66.42%, followed by taking pesticide at 19.81%, taking medicine at 4.28%, taking chemical substances or poison at 3.67%, shooting at 3.11% and others at 2.71%.
