Chiang Mai – A man facing a job loss and struggling with the heat caused panic at a well-known private hospital in Chiang Mai after he threatened staff members with a knife. Quick thinking by hospital staff, they used a table as a barrier, causing the man to move to the emergency room, where he held the knife to his own throat.

Hospital workers called the police and quickly evacuated patients and visitors. Officers from Mae Ping Police Station and the local investigation team arrived soon after. The man argued with the police and refused to drop the knife.

Witnesses said they saw the man talking to himself near a noodle shop outside the hospital before grabbing a knife from the shop and heading inside the hospital.

Police commander Pol. Maj Gen. Yutthana Kaenchan told reporters officers tried to talk the man down while the hospital cleared the building. After nearly two hours without progress, the special response team used a taser to subdue him and took him into custody.

Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable, with 1 in 7 aged 10-19 and 1 in 14 aged 5-9 having mental disorders. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among adolescents, with 17.6% having considered it recently. Poverty, discrimination, and violence amplify risks, especially for marginalized groups like migrant workers and hill tribes

The man was later identified as Mr. Kosin, or Bee, age 43. He was taken to the police station for drug testing.

The man’s older brother, Kritsakorn, 48, explained that his brother had been fired two days earlier. He was drinking heavily and was under stress from the hot weather. The family had planned to take him to see a doctor that afternoon, but the incident happened before they could get help.

Mental health problems in Thailand are a growing concern, driven by cultural, social, and systemic factors. Approximately 10 million Thais experience mental health issues, with only about 2 million seeking treatment, reflecting a significant treatment gap exacerbated by stigma and limited access to care.

Common disorders include depression, anxiety, alcohol use disorders, and psychosis, with depression being a leading cause of disability, particularly among women. A 2003 survey found alcohol use disorders (28.5%), major depressive disorder (3.2%), and generalised anxiety disorder (1.9%) as top issues.

Access to care is limited, especially in rural areas. Thailand has only 1.57 psychologists and 1.28 psychiatrists per 100,000 people, with most concentrated in Bangkok, leaving many provinces without psychologists. Public hospitals face long wait times (up to six months), while private facilities are often unaffordable.