The “Depress We Care” website was launched at the Police General Hospital by hospital director, Pol Lt-General Withoon Nitiwarangkul, along with Pol Maj-General Pornpen Bunnag, head of the Psychiatry Department.

Withoon said the website was aimed at counselling depressed police officers and their families.

Withoon said Police Commissioner-General Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda had ordered the hospital to launch the website out of his concern for police officers and their families.

A hotline at 081-932000 was also opened for depressed officers or their family members to call on an around-the-clock basis.

A team of psychologists and psychiatrists will be on standby to provide advice to police officers and their families.

Withoon said an average 50 officers committed suicide yearly due to depression – a ratio of 19 out of every 100,000 officers.

He said the hospital provided counselling to 1,980 police officers, their family members and general people who have depression from 2015 to 2017 – 479 in 2015, 640 in 2016 and 861 in 2017.

Pol Maj-General Pongkwan Yimsa-ard, a psychiatrist at the hospital, said 170 police officers sought help from the hospital last year after feeling depressed.