According to reports, Thailand’s population of heavy drinkers has been declining since 2014. The main organization in charge of reducing heavy drinking, ThaiHealth, is currently implementing a campaign called “Temple Stay” to further discourage people from abusing alcohol.
The keynote address for a symposium on the lessons learnt from prior efforts to seek the support of local communities in reducing alcohol use and reaching out to alcoholics was given by Rungarun Limhaphan, bureau director at ThaiHealth.
According to information from the National Statistical Office, 5.7 million people drank heavily at least once in 2021, according to Rungarun. About 10% of the population was represented by this, a considerable decrease from the 14% in 2014.
The ThaiHealth spokesperson stated that 65% of those with a drinking issue are receiving care from medical facilities based on reports on the outcomes of screening and treatment for alcoholics this year. This indicates that a significant proportion of people still lack access to therapy or are reluctant to seek help for their drinking issues from the healthcare system.
Aware of this, ThaiHealth is collaborating with monks, local authorities, and volunteers to open a new route for people struggling with alcoholism to get counseling. Tools and evaluation forms will be given to participating communities so they may monitor the development of people seeking rehabilitation. This method involves having care receivers spend six and a half days and seven nights in a temple where they will learn about the negative effects of alcohol use and get Buddhist Dhamma instruction.
Rungarun claims that this strategy has assisted those with drinking issues in trial areas in reducing their alcohol consumption.
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