Thais in top 5 most anxious, stressed nations in the world, says Gallup book

A new book published by Gallup reveals confidence is falling and stress and anxiety are rising among the people of Thailand.

The book, Blind Spot, highlighted the percentage of Thai people who said they were worried for much of the previous day doubled between 2012 (18%) and 2019 (36%). It then surged again after the COVID-19 pandemic, to 50% in 2020 and 46% in 2021. Similarly, the percentage who reported a lot of stress the previous day rose from 17% in 2012 to 44% in 2021.

The Gallup World Poll revealed the percentage of people across the world who experienced worry for much of the previous day rose from 32% in 2012 to 42% in 2021. But the 28% rise in Thailand was one of the highest around the globe putting the kingdom in fifth place behind Afghanistan, Mali, Bangladesh, and Venezuela.

The US-based analytics and advisory company believes the increase in stress and anxiety is because of increasing economic inequality throughout the kingdom. Thai household incomes have plummeted among the people at the bottom of the nation’s income distribution.

Gallup’s poll brought to light that worry levels were higher among Thailand’s poor between 2012 and 2021 (17% to 55%) than among those living in a more comfortable level of existence (23% to 38%).

According to Gallup, Thai people have little to no confidence in the kingdom’s national institutions, government, judicial system, and local police, which hit record lows in 2021.

Gallup added tragedies such as the daycare centre massacre and similar catastrophes exacerbate a crisis of confidence in the country’s democratic processes and rule of law.

Gallup’s 2021 data show that confidence in the country’s governing institutions is particularly low among younger people. Among Thais aged 15 to 49, only 39% say they have confidence in the military compared to 50% among those aged 50 and older.

Likewise, 81% of Thai people aged 15 to 49 have no confidence in the national government, versus 66% of those aged 50 and older.