Teenage student hospitalised after overdose amid bullying in southern Thailand

A tragic school bullying incident occurred yesterday as a 15 year old Thai female student consumed over 20 pills, a mix of sleeping tablets and paracetamol, resulting in her being rushed to Phatthalung Hospital in southern Thailand. The incident occurred in one of the schools in the Kuan Maprao City area, Phatthalung province.

A student, named “A,” shared her dorm with a few other students. They noticed, that ‘A’ was quiet and had been crying throughout the day. When her unusually prolonged absence was acknowledged by her dormmates, they found her lying down in a weakened state. Upon confronting A, she admitted that she had swallowed 10 paracetamol tablets and over 10 sleeping pills. Quick action was taken by her friends who informed the authorities and got her the help she needed.

The girls’ friends said that A was biracial and her mother lived abroad which is why she was enrolled in the school. Being chubby and biracial, meant she was often bullied and taunted by her classmates. There had been school bullying incidents where classmates physically attacked her, leaving her devastated and crying daily.

A struggled to communicate with her mother, who had been abroad for a long period. This was on top of the fat-shaming incidents caused by her classmates, and lead her to retreat into a shell, becoming quiet and reserved, especially in classrooms.

There had been previous situations in which A had consumed Pills, and her friends had taken care of her. A reportedly smiled sometimes, but not often.

If you or anyone you know is in emotional distress, please contact the Samaritans of Thailand 24-hour hotline: 02 713 6791 (English), 02 713 6793 (Thai), or the Thai Mental Health Hotline at 1323 (Thai). Please also contact your friends or relatives at this time if you have feelings of loneliness, stress, or depression. Seek help.

In a related article, click here for defying Thai beauty standards ft. Anchilee Scott-Kemmis | Thaiger Podcast Ep. 17.

In another story earlier this week, a 15 year boy was so scared of a school bully that he refused to attend school for three years. Read HERE.