The Palm Center Pattaya Patriots
I am using the term
Patriot for a series of articles to feature in the magazine. Firstly because I love the alliteration, and secondly because I wanted a word to describe some very special people who live amongst us here in Pattaya. Sometimes given a military connotation, the word patriot actually describes someone who deeply loves, supports and defends their country (or, for the purposes of this article, their city). They often demonstrate loyalty through service, sacrifice, and civic engagement. True patriotism goes beyond mere pride—it involves striving to make improvements for all, for freedom, and for progress. If you missed any of the earlier Pattaya Patriots articles you can still find them online at our website pattayatrader.com.
The Palm Center opened 1st January 2025 on Pattaya’s 3rd road as a safe, supportive space in the centre of the city. With qualified counselors on hand to talk about stress, anxiety, sadness, or challenges, the Palm Center offers support, healing, and guidance. The team here work with individuals, couples and families and have also expanded their services to include outreach initiatives aimed at providing care and support to vulnerable groups.
Over the last few years mental health has been given a lot more attention and mental health counseling is important because it helps people understand and manage their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in a healthy way. Counseling can teach coping skills, problem-solving strategies, and ways to build confidence and resilience. It also helps prevent small problems from becoming overwhelming or long-term. The counseling offered at the Palm center is free of charge and offered without judgement. Their mission is “to empower individuals and communities to achieve healing and wholeness.”
I went to visit the Palm Center and was immediately struck by how informal and welcoming their space is. Rather than a cold, hospital-like environment the centre has rooms that are cozy and warm looking and the modern therapies available include “Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing” (EMDR) in both Thai and English languages. The qualified counselors meet and talk with people. to help them find hope and connection so I asked who these people might be? As you would expect all counseling is given privately and in confidence so no names were divulged. However I was told that it can be for individuals, couples or groups and often for women who come from the nearby bars because they are depressed or even feeling suicidal.
For example, women can lose their jobs at restaurants and bars simply because they are deemed “too old”. They often have to compete with much younger women who are recruited through TikTok reels that promise them easy money. If they do not meet their quotas, they are fired from their jobs, without anyone to turn to for advice or support.
The team at the centre also works in conjunction with the social welfare department in Chon Buri often going out to some of the poorest areas of Pattaya. Counselors from the Palm Center also offer programmes for schools to help teachers, parents and pupils address important issues such as bullying. This has become an increasingly common problem very prevalent especially in the form of social media bullying.
Also individuals may be
referred to the centre for private counseling often because they are unable to cope or are suffering after a trauma. By improving emotional well-being, mental health counseling supports better relationships, school or work performance, and overall quality of life.
Marriage and relationship counseling is also something that the center carries out. I believe this is an excellent service and firmly believe that taking care of mental health is just as important as caring for physical health. So if you would like to know more about them or want to help or donate you can contact The Palm Center by
email : [email protected]
Line: @palmcenterthailand
Or their website: palmcenterthailand.com