As part of its ongoing series of regular surveys, the PSU’s Academic Outreach Centre (AOC) in Hat Yai conducted its very first “Happiness of the Communities” survey for Southern Thailand in June.
The results have been forwarded to the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UNSDSN) for inclusion in the global World Happiness Report update for 2016. (See here.)
The AOC poll result showed that residents of Satun, south of Phuket, as the happiest people in the South, while residents in global tourism destination Phuket rated the least happy of all 14 southern provinces.
People living in Satun recorded an overall index score of 3.2595, compared with Phuket’s measly 2.9850, far below the average for the region: 3.1247.
According the results posted, the eight “happiest” provinces, in descending order, are: Satun, Songkla, Patthalung, Phang Nga, Narathiwat, Chumphon, Pattani and Surat Thani.
At the bottom, ranking above Phuket, are Nakhon Sri Thammarat and Ranong.
Even strife-torn Yala scored higher, ranking 11th on the index, one place below Krabi.
In ages, the happiest people are aged 26-29, while children under 12 are the least happy.
In employment, people who work for the government are the happiest, while housekeepers say they are the least happy.
The poll results have been submitted for inclusion in the World Happiness Report 2016, which currently ranks Thailand at number 33 of 156 countries ranked in terms of happiness, one place below France but one place above Saudi Arabia.
According to the global report, Denmark is the happiest place on Earth, while Burundi people are the least happy on the planet. Second from bottom is Syria.
The Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) was commissioned by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2012 to mobilize scientific and technical expertise from academia, civil society, and the private sector to support practical problem solving for sustainable development at local, national, and global scales. The SDSN operates national and regional networks of knowledge institutions, solution-focused thematic networks, and is building SDSNedu, an online university for sustainable development.
For more information, visit WorldHappiness.Report.
For the World Happiness Report 2016 | Volume I, click here.