Past Issues

In this overview, the authors intend to familiarize the readers with the evolution of psychiatric care in Thailand through a 130-year history, which is accompanied by the development of National Economic plan and the change of social context. The authors also provide a current psychiatric care framework in Thailand, consisting of primary care units, community hospital, general hospital, as well as psychiatric hospital and psychiatric department of the university four levels of care in understanding the current situation and suggesting for future directions. As a result of the digital era and “middle-income trap” situation, “Thailand 4.0” economic policy has been developed since 2016. The authors discuss how this model could impact psychiatric care in the future. In addition, the authors share the experience of observing a tertiary care hospital in Taiwan, and also briefl y compare Taiwanese mental health system to Thai system. From a long history of psychiatric care in Thailand, the authors have also highlighted positive native resources and modernization of psychiatric care by the integrating Western knowledge into Thai culture, and the national plan from government. Apart from learning psychiatric care from our own Thai history, we felt that experience from other country is a tool for sustainable development of mental workforce and also the entire system.