Kalee Calls on Government to Tackle Youth Mental Health Crisis as Suicide Rates Surge Nearly 18%, Depression Affects 26.9%
A Thai MP called on the government to urgently address a youth mental health crisis, citing suicide rate increases of nearly 18% and depression affecting over a quarter of young adults, driven by academic pressure and social media stress.
On May 6, 2025, at Parliament during a House of Representatives session chaired by Sophon Saruamya, Kalee Liawpairojn, list-based MP and deputy leader of the Democratic Party, spoke as a concerned mother about youth mental health, revealing that her daughter reported two schoolmates had decided to end their lives within a similar timeframe.
She appealed to the ministers of Public Health, Education, Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation to urgently upgrade mental health policies.
Kalee emphasized that the fragility of Thai youth mental health is not merely an individual problem but a structural crisis requiring urgent intervention from adults in society. The troubling incidents affecting close circles demonstrate that stress problems among teenagers are intensifying and leading to irreversible losses.
Despite the Department of Mental Health's memorandums of understanding and various policies, results remain insufficient. Statistics show that the 18-24 age group experiences depression at rates as high as 26.9%, while secondary students show 17.6% have seriously considered ending their lives. These stress factors stem from academic pressure, social media, and economic conditions that transmit family anxiety to children.
Kalee called for enhanced measures during Mental Health Month, proposing three key actions for the three relevant ministries: 1) Target-focused policies that move beyond MOU signatures to swift and serious field-level implementation; 2) Increase personnel and budgets to ensure counselors and psychologists are assigned to every school and university; and 3) Raise public awareness to reduce stigma against those facing mental health challenges.
