Thailand observes Int'l Day of Happiness

BANGKOK, March 20 (TNA) - Thailand observes the International Day of Happiness, which falls on every March 20, when people are persuaded to spend more time for the happiness of themselves and their families. To mark the UN-designated International Day of Happiness, Wachira Pengjan, Director-General of the Ministry of Public Health's Department of Mental Health publicly acknowledged that Thailand has been ranked the 52nd in the world and the 3rd in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as the happiest countries. Dr. Wachira pointed out that Thailand was trailed only after Singapore and Malaysia in the 10-member ASEAN bloc in terms of the happiest nations, but the two ASEAN neighbours were placed at the world's 33rd and 51st positions respectively in the UN survey. Dr. Wachira said the UN survey also found that Thailand was ranked the 8th among countries worldwide where people are in good temper in general, reflecting that Thai people are fundamentally happy, but the country was detected a need to further improve people’s living conditions to meet the "criteria of happiness" each nation should achieve, comprising people's standard revenues, employment, sound public relations, community support and reliance, as well as social values which promote people's happiness and religions, sound physical and mental health, family relations, good education and gender and social equality. According to senior health official, Thailand’s Happiness Index, jointly conducted by his department, the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) and the National Statistical Office (NSC), has shown increasing levels of happiness, gradually, among Thais over the past five years although domestic political strife and economic problems have remained major negative factors for local people’s happiness. The senior health official noted that sufficient time spent with families' members, good health, regular physical exercises, sound religious practices and meditation, as well as stable revenues and jobs, ownership of land among farmers and no engagement of debts in the non-formal sector have also contributed to people's happiness; while those living on daily wages or with congenital diseases, single or no parents, family members’ addition to drugs and alcohol and any disability have been classified as people being at risk of mental problems and should be given social or community support. The mental health department chief urged Thai people to, therefore, spend more time for the happiness of themselves and their families, namely doing physical exercises and join volunteer activities, rather than staying only with such advance technological devices as television, wifi-based mobile phones and computers. (TNA)