Rattanathibet Police Station struggles with half its intended staff, pushing the remaining officers beyond their limits. PATTAYA, Thailand – A junior officer at Rattanathibet Police Station in Nonthaburi revealed a deepening internal crisis: a critical shortage of personnel paired with overwhelming workloads is pushing staff—especially investigators—into mental health decline. The station, which officially has a personnel quota of 300 officers, currently operates with only around 150. This shortage is felt across all departments, but the investigative unit is the hardest hit, with fewer than 10 officers rotating around the clock to handle an immense volume of cases. Rattanathibet Station is located in a densely populated urban area near major roads, making it a hub for public complaints and legal filings. Officers in the investigative division report having to manage multiple complex cases daily under tight deadlines, causing severe stress and eventual burnout. Many investigators began experiencing symptoms of depression without realizing it. A recent mental health evaluation conducted by psychiatrists at the station showed alarming results: out of 11 investigators, four were diagnosed with clinical depression requiring medication. One officer, whose condition had become severe and unresponsive to maximum medication, was advised by psychiatrists to resign from the force for his own safety. Others showing early signs of depression have requested transfers to different departments in hopes of easing their mental burden. The situation at Rattanathibet Police Station serves as a stark warning to other high-pressure law enforcement hubs, including stations in fast-paced cities like Pattaya. With similarly high volumes of public interactions, legal filings, and tourist-related incidents, Pattaya’s police force could soon face comparable mental health challenges if staffing levels and workloads are not properly balanced. Authorities are urged to take proactive steps—such as increasing personnel, providing mental health support, and restructuring case management—to prevent a similar crisis from unfolding in one of Thailand’s busiest tourist cities. Mental health evaluations reveal 4 out of 11 investigators suffer from clinical depression—one urged to resign for his own wellbeing.