Thailand Launches Mental Health Support Program for Workers

As work increasingly bleeds into personal time through constant digital connectivity, workplace stress, burnout, and mental health problems have become unavoidable organizational concerns. World Health Organization data shows that depression and anxiety cost the global economy around 12 billion working days annually—reflecting mental health challenges that affect not just individuals but overall workplace productivity and the broader economy. Thailand is not immune to this trend. Data from the Department of Mental Health's Mental Health Check-in system in 2568 (2025) found that 11 percent of workers aged 20-59 experience high stress levels, rising to 28 percent among younger workers aged 20-29. A separate TIMS survey revealed that 27 percent of workers continue working despite mental health problems, a phenomenon known as presenteeism. To prevent mental health from becoming a silent threat that erodes health and organizational competitiveness, the Health Promotion Foundation has partnered with the Department of Mental Health and network allies to advance the Holistic Health Advisor (HHA) approach under the concept of "Connecting People • Empowering Well-being • Building Healthy Organizations." The initiative trains organizational personnel to serve as vital mechanisms for comprehensive worker wellbeing, from listening and screening to initial counseling and connecting people to support systems when needed.

Dr. Pongthep Vongwatchraipaibuul, director of the Health Promotion Foundation, revealed that mental health is one of seven strategic goals of the foundation, aligned with Thailand's First National Mental Health Development Plan. The focus is on promoting and preventing mental health problems before they escalate into illness, through knowledge development, community mental health promotion, school and workplace initiatives, public policy advocacy, and mental health literacy campaigns. In collaboration with the Department of Mental Health and partner organizations, the foundation has developed mental health tools such as the DMind application and supplementary web applications.

For working-age populations, the foundation supports HHA curriculum development to create organizational personnel who provide comprehensive care covering physical health, mental wellbeing, and financial security. Since 2567 (2024), 222 organizations have participated with 358,560 people enrolled. Among those identified as mental health at-risk (32,536 people), 99.98 percent showed improvement with support. Among those with physical health concerns (25,600 people), 91.96 percent improved their behavior, and 70 percent of those with financial health problems received appropriate assistance.

"Mental health care in workplaces cannot wait until people become ill," Dr. Pongthep explained. "We must build systems that enable people to access care from the beginning. HHA is a critical mechanism for connecting workers with appropriate support—through listening, screening, and referral when necessary—to prevent mental health from becoming a silent threat affecting both individuals and organizations."

From the Department of Mental Health's perspective, Dr. Jumphad Promsida, deputy director of the Department of Mental Health, noted that Thailand has a working-age population of over 38.66 million facing economic, social, and increasingly complex workplace changes. The Department of Mental Health is partnering with the Health Promotion Foundation to develop HHA to create organizational personnel who serve as "supportive companions and mental guardians," capable of providing initial counseling covering physical health, mental wellbeing, and financial security, including screening and referral services for those in need.