PRESS RELEASE:
Supporting Mental Health for School-Age Youth and Teenagers
[Krabi, Thailand – February 3, 2025]
A new chapter in mental health advocacy for Southern Thailand began on Monday, as the Krabi Governor announced the launch of the first local Suicide Prevention Hotline during a kickoff ceremony. The hotline is part of a larger project focusing on youth mental health, led by the Krabi Provincial Public Health Office, and dedicated to addressing the alarming rates of depression among school-age youth and teenagers in the region.
Those in society most at risk of suicide are teenagers and young adults aged 15-24. This initiative is the first structured program in the region to approach and intervene at a critical time to save young lives!
Also present at the event launch for the hotline were members of the Jean Paul Ohadi Foundation and Rotary International. Members of Rotary District 3330 are coordinating the project with the help of the Jean Paul Ohadi Foundation, which has provided the financing to take the project from vision to reality.
“As a father who lost his son at the age of 19 to mental health issues, I am deeply committed to helping other families not to go through this tragic ordeal’, said Foundation President Paul Ohadi. The Jean Paul Ohadi Foundation has a long history of supporting youth in Southern Thailand, including scholarships for the BBB Kids Foundation, supporting child education for at-risk youth, and constructing a post-natal intensive care unit at Krabi Hospital. This latest endeavor continues its commitment to the needs of vulnerable youth with medical, educational, and psycho-social support.
This project emerges from an urgent need to address rising mental health challenges, as outlined by recent studies. Depression and stress levels among Thai youth are at an all-time high, with approximately 3 million out of a total of 8 million teenagers suffering. Furthermore, studies by the Rajanagarindra Institute of Child and Adolescent Mental Health have found that teenagers at risk of suicide are nearly 10 times more likely to suffer from depression without adequate care.
The hotline aims to provide a critical lifeline, offering the first steps towards professional mental health support and guidance to youth in need. This initiative seeks to create a safer, healthier future for Krabi’s younger generation by improving access to mental health services.
The coming together of schools, hospitals, community leaders, and health professionals is an inspiration to all involved as they foster a culture of awareness and compassion around mental health challenges.
