Where to Find Mental Health Support in Thailand as an Expat
Although Thailand is still falling behind when it comes to the number of mental health professionals, major cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai still have a number of mental health support expats can seek help from, including the Samaritan’s suicide hotline, Bangkok Mental Health Hospital, and more.
Taking care of your mental health as an expat in a new country can be challenging. This Pacific Prime Thailand article explores where you can find mental health support in Thailand as an expat.
Causes of Mental Health Conditions for Expats in Thailand
There are many reasons why people develop mental health conditions or experience mental health problems. Common factors that influence mental health include:
- Social isolation or loneliness
- Severe or long-term stress
- Substance abuse or misuse
No matter the reason, it’s important to seek help so you can start to feel better.
Remember there’s nothing wrong with asking for help. In fact, mental health checkups for your psychiatric health and emotional well-being are just as important as physical health checkups. The following are some of the best resources in Thailand for expats dealing with mental health issues.
The Current State of Mental Health Treatment in Thailand
In recent years, Thailand has seen a sharp increase in the number of its mental health patients. However, the country is still lagging behind in terms of mental health professionals, prompting the authority to introduce measures to meet this healthcare gap.
Despite its reputation as the Land of Smiles, Thailand is undergoing its own mental health crisis.
In 2023, the Department of Mental Health, Ministry of Public Health, recorded 4 million mental health patients in Thailand. Combined with 2.5 patients suffering from substance abuse, the number accounted for around 6.44% of the entire Thai population.
Of all patients in need of mental health support, only around 38.75% have access to proper mental health treatment.
The situation is further aggravated by the limited number of healthcare professionals available across the country.
While the number of mental health patients is on the rise, Thailand has only around 409 psychiatrists and 112 child and adolescent psychiatrists, according to the Department of Mental Health.
These numbers mean Thailand has around 0.7 psychiatrists and 0.81 child and adolescent psychiatrists per 100,000 population, way below the average set by the World Health Organization (WHO) at 10 psychiatrists per 100,000 population.
The situation is particularly dire outside of major cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai, where numbers of mental health professionals can be extremely limited.
In Yasothon province in the northeast of the country, two psychiatrists care for the entire population of the province. Six provinces do not have a single psychologist in the entire province, including Trat, Phrae, Samut Songkhram, Sing Buri, Nong Bua Lam Phu, and Ang Thong.
The Ministry of Public Health has announced a budget of 338.2 million baht to expedite the training of new mental health professionals, with a goal of 400 new psychiatrists in the next five years.
Currently, Thailand has the capacity to produce 50 new psychiatrists a year. The number will be increased to 80 new psychiatrists per year, with five new training institutes added to the existing four institutes.
To learn more about the current state of mental health treatment in Thailand, visit our more comprehensive article at: What is the State of Mental Health in Thailand?
Where to Find Mental Health Support in Thailand
While staying in Thailand, expats can seek mental health support from services such as free suicide hotlines by the Samaritans and dedicated mental health hospitals such as Manarom Hospital or Bangkok Mental Health Hospital.
Samaritans
If you’re feeling depressed, lonely, or suicidal, the Samaritans of Thailand have an English hotline that you can call daily at 02 113 6789 (Press 2).
This free service gives you access to staff who are trained in suicide prevention, though you don’t have to be suicidal to benefit from the hotline. Simply talking to someone can make a big difference, especially someone who is trained to listen carefully while you share your problems.
Once you leave a voicemail on the English hotline, a staff member will call you back within 24 hours. You don’t have to give your real name since the service is anonymous.
Bangkok Hospital
Bangkok Hospital is one of the hospitals in Thailand with dedicated mental health services and facilities for a wide range of mental health care, including inpatient care, outpatient care, day programs, and counseling.
The Bangkok Mental Health Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (BMRC) at Bangkok Hospital focuses on treating, diagnosing, and rehabilitating patients with mental health issues.
Manarom Hospital
Manarom Hospital is a leading private hospital that specializes in mental and behavioral healthcare in Thailand. The hospital offers a wide variety of mental health services, including adult psychiatry and day programs for individuals and groups.
Patients can find multidisciplinary staff who are trained in dealing with an array of mental health conditions and concerns, including substance abuse, family problems, PTSD, and behavioral problems.
Bangkok Mental Health Hospital
Bangkok Mental Health Hospital (BMHH) is a private hospital dedicated to mental health under Vejthani Hospital, a leading private international healthcare provider in Thailand. BMHH offers both inpatient and outpatient mental health services in state-of-the-art facilities.
BMMH also housed a dedicated Comprehensive Depression Center for individuals struggling with depression across various ages and a specialized Learning Difficulty Center for children struggling with reading and spelling challenges or school attendance.
Psychological Services International (PSI)
PSI is a Bangkok-based mental health provider that has been offering counseling, therapy, and assessment services to expats since 2001.
Counselors at PSI are trained as psychotherapists, psychologists, and social workers, which means they can also help if you’re looking for medication for a mental health condition. Staff at PSI speak English, French, and Thai. PSI serves clients outside of the capital city through online services as well.
New Counseling Service (NCS)
The only fully licensed counseling center in Bangkok, NCS provides mental health services, counseling, and training to expats and locals alike.
Operating for over 20 years, NCS offers support for a wide range of mental health issues from anxiety and depression to crisis intervention and grief counseling. Staff at NCS speak many languages aside from Thai and English, including Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Dutch.
Self-Care Tips for Your Mental Health
Living abroad can take a toll on your mental health. There is no shame in setting aside time and drawing boundaries to care for yourself. Here are some self-care tips you can take for better mental well-being, from maintaining a healthy diet and staying active, to trying thought exercises.
Staying Active
As cliché as it sounds, physical exercises are your best helper in maintaining your mental well-being. Physical exercises can give you a sense of purpose as well as an achievable goal to work towards. Exercises are also known to trigger chemical change in your brain that makes your mood better.
Maintaining Healthy Diet
Some food has a negative effect on your mood, such as sugar. Although sugary food might lead to a positive spike in your mood, it’s not sustainable. Make sure your body is nourished by whole foods that are minimally processed. This is better for your physical and mental well-being in the long run.
Learn New Skills
Like physical exercises, learning new skills can give you a sense of purpose and a goal for you to work toward. Not only that, learning new skills and participating in a community of people with shared interest can be a good opportunity for you to find new friends and forge new connection.
Going on a Getaway
Changing of scenery can both fill you with a sense of adventure and trying something new as well as give you a sense of getting away from your daily life and winding down from your usual routine. This makes going on a trip, short or long, a good way to rejuvenate your mind.
If you are up for it, Thailand also offers abundant options of wellness retreats, where you can get away from your daily routine and work toward your mental well-being at the same time, either through meditation, yoga classes, or stress management.
Further reading: Top 12 Mental Health (Wellness) Retreats in Thailand: A Guide to Finding Inner Peace
Practice Thought Exercises
Thought exercises are different ways you can think about a certain situation or experience that keeps you bothered or bogged down. By practicing thought exercises, you can keep these thoughts at bay. Try giving a minute to check in with yourself and keep a journal to observe your thought patterns.
Further reading: 5 Thought Exercises That Can Elevate Your Mental Health
Insurance for Mental Health Services
Whether your insurance plan covers psychiatric care depends on your exact policy. If your health insurance plan does cover these services, you’ll likely have to wait before you can use it to visit a psychiatrist due to waiting periods.
Note that travel insurance typically doesn’t cover mental health issues. Similarly, international health insurance in Thailand may require co-payments for mental health services. Your best bet is to secure a comprehensive insurance plan that covers all of your costs when visiting a psychiatrist.
Be sure to carefully research your options to ensure you can access all the services you’re after.
How Pacific Prime Thailand Can Help
With over two decades of experience in the insurance industry, Pacific Prime Thailand can compare health insurance plans for your needs and budget. We are happy to assist you in finding the best expat health insurance in Thailand or any other type of health insurance plan.
Contact us for unbiased advice and a free quote today.
Coming to Pacific Prime, she is ready to utilize her experience for the new pursuit. With a strong passion for storytelling and writing, she hopes her words could help bring people closer to the best international health insurance plan that works for them. After all, as a writer, there is no greater honor than when one’s words can add clarity to the world of the readers.
Apart from writing, she is an avid planespotter. On the weekends, you can expect to find her loitering around the airport, gawking at all the aircrafts taking off and landing. When the weather does not permit planespotting, you can find her huddling on her cozy couch, watching ballet and figure skating as well.
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