Suicide is currently the third leading cause of death among adolescents in Thailand. According to a new study titled "Strengthening Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Systems and Services for Children and Adolescents in East Asia and Pacific Region: Thailand Country Report 2022" by UNICEF, the Ministry of Public Health, the Institute for Population and Social Research, and the Burnet Institute, an estimated 1 in 7 adolescents aged 10-19 and 1 in 14 children aged 5-9 in Thailand have mental health disorders.
The report further notes that Thailand must develop a collective vision and multi-sectoral plan in order to address alarming suicide rate and mental health issues faced by children and adolescents nationwide. Recognizing how many of those struggling turn to social media platforms to seek mental health resources, as well as to share their struggles and connect with people who can listen to them, Meta is committed to using its expertise in AI and technology to build safety and suicide prevention tools and resources to protect its users.
Developed by Meta and Thailand's leading digital solutions provider Zwiz.ai, the new Messenger Chatbot is available on The Samaritans of Thailand's Facebook Page and provides important mental health-related information, including answers to frequently asked questions about the organization, volunteer recruitment, and their commitment to suicide prevention. The automated experience will also help fill the gap when experts are unavailable to provide immediate support. Those who would like to connect directly with a Samaritans volunteer will also be provided the option to identify their level of stress in order to get them the appropriate support.
Mr. Trakarn Chensy, Chairman of The Samaritans of Thailand, said, "Whenever you feel sad, depressed or hopeless, please remember that The Samaritans of Thailand's volunteers care about you. We are always here to provide unconditional support and accept you for who you are. If you are looking for someone who will listen, please reach out to us via Messenger at facebook.com/samaritans.thailand."
Mr. Chanakarn Chinchatchawal, CEO and Co-Founder, Zwiz.ai, said, "We are glad to be part of this campaign by The Samaritans of Thailand and Meta, as the developer of the Messenger chat bot. We believe our solution will help local communities in many aspects and support the mission and ongoing work of The Samaritans of Thailand's volunteers. We have seen the growing popularity of integrating automated experiences on Messenger to complement the existing operations of organizations - whether to enhance performance or to provide support in a timely manner."
Parallel to the chatbot's development, world-famous marketing and creative agency Cheil Thailand is leading the creative campaign for The Samaritans of Thailand to raise awareness on the Chatbot, as well as its community channels to support people with suicidal thoughts. Mr. Satit Jantawiwat, Chief Creative Officer of Cheil Thailand, said, "This is a very important and meaningful project for us to be a part of, as mental health problems are still prominent today and can often be a difficult topic to talk about - especially when it comes to suicide. We hope that by enabling easy access to proper suicide prevention support via The Samaritans Thailand Chatbot, connecting those who need help with those who would listen, and normalizing the topic of mental health, we can help those facing dark times to feel less alone."
Ms. Prae Dumrongmongcolgul, Country Director - Facebook Thailand, Meta shared, "We are excited to launch this new experience on Meta platforms and use our technology to assist the work of The Samaritans of Thailand. We sincerely believe that this service will help The Samaritans of Thailand support more Thais facing tough times and help suicide prevention. Our goal has always been creating safer and more positive experiences across our apps, including ongoing investment in mental health resources and suicide prevention tools. This chatbot is an important addition to our existing investments, including our Suicide Prevention Hub, providing a reporting tool to suggest a friend who might need support, and more."
The first cross-app bot of its kind, The Samaritans of Thailand's Chatbot is now running on Messenger and will soon be available on the organization's Instagram channel @samaritansthailand.
In addition, on Saturday, 10 September 2022 at 4 PM, Meta will host a Community Conversation on 'Handling suicidal thoughts in the digital era', featuring Mr. Trakarn Chensy, Chairman of The Samaritans of Thailand; Mr. Chanakarn Chinchatchawal, CEO and Co-Founder, Zwiz.ai, and Mr. Satit Jantawiwat, Chief Creative Officer of Cheil Thailand, where they will discuss the state of mental health in Thailand and how to leverage social media to address the issue at https://facebook.com/MetaTH
To experience the Samaritans of Thailand Chatbot, visit: https://facebook.com/Samaritans.Thailand
Source: Hill & Knowlton
