A study by Arias et al (2022) estimated that psychiatric disorders were responsible for the loss of 418 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) globally in 2019 – accounting for 16% of all DALYs lost due to disease.
This indicates that psychiatric conditions contribute to one in six of all global disease burdens, with an estimated economic loss of US$5 trillion or approximately 169 trillion baht.
In Southeast Asia, psychiatric disorders led to the loss of around 32 million DALYs, or 10.7% of total DALYs lost. The resulting economic loss is estimated to be around 5% of the region’s GDP.
The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) forecasts Thailand’s GDP in 2025 to be approximately 19.28 trillion baht. Based on this, the economic loss due to psychiatric disorders could reach 964 billion baht.
Therefore, national investment in mental well-being should not be seen solely as a health measure but as a strategic investment that can reduce long-term costs and build a more resilient society.
The Department of Mental Health emphasises that addressing this crisis cannot be the responsibility of a single agency, given the complexity of the issue and its interconnection with various social, economic, cultural, educational and healthcare dimensions.
Effective mental health intervention must involve coordinated collaboration across public, private and civil society sectors, the department stated.