¡¡BANGKOK, June 28 (Xinhuanet) -- Bangkok has witnessed a jump of number of mental illness cases over the past three years due to pressure caused by changing life style, said National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB).

    People with mental health problems has soared 900 percent from 587 per 100,000 to 5,485 in three years, said the government think-tank in a report published by Bangkok Post on Tuesday.

    Among all patients in the kingdom's capital, 40 percent have mental disorders, 15 percent experience anxiety and 14 percent suffer severe depression, said the report.

    The national rate of people living with mental disease stands at 3,392 per 100,000 people.

    Changing life style and increasing pollution were blamed for causing mental illness, said NESDB deputy secretary-general Kittisak Sinthuvanich.

    The report also reveals nearly half of the 10 million people in Bangkok suffer from respiratory illness.

    He said air pollution also increased the risk of lung cancer, particularly among commuters who travel on public buses, motorcycles or people who are on the streets for more than three hours a day. Enditem