A couple of months back, one of my Thai students confided in me about his struggle with bouts of depression. It was quite obvious ‒ at least to me ‒ that he was in a state of distress and agony; he didn’t know who to turn to or how to get help. So I did what I can to help him find the professional care and proper treatment that he desperately needed, as I am aware that depression can increase suicide risk.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization estimated that nearly 800,000 people die by suicide across the world every year ‒ to put it in perspective, roughly one person commits suicide every 40 seconds. Just as with the pandemic, suicide occurs indiscriminately across all nations affecting any individuals regardless of their race, nationality, ethnicity, age, gender, culture, religion or socio-economic background. For the past few years, Thailand’s…
