Buddy Thai app, Thailand’s very own social platform for kids to deal with relevant social issues such as bullying, through features that help them manage emotion, track behaviors and seek consultation, partnered up with a local startup, ViaBus, a bus tracking application to launch “Buddy For All” in conjunction with the global Pride Month in June, driven by Harisawan Siriwong, Managing Director of Buddy Thai App and Thanatseth Howattanapan, Co-founder and Chief Design Officer of ViaBus.
The objective is to raise awareness towards the concept of “self-awareness” and get young people to pay attention to their mental health.
The collaboration was born out of both platforms’ recognition in raising awareness for mental health during Pride Month, an opportune time to embrace diversity and wellness.
Under the concepts of #Allmoods #Allgenders and #AllGenerations, Buddy App is bringing its core features and competitive advantage of championing mental health for Thailand’s future generations through gamification to life. The platform chose to collaborate with ViaBus, which enables real-time tracking of public bus schedules, to change 6 public bus signs around Siam to be in rainbow colors. The signs include Siam Center, Siam Square, Chalerm Pao, Samyan Mitrtown, MBK Center and Osotsala to honor Pride Month. The two platforms co-hosted “Buddy For All” event at Lido Connect on 8-9 June, with arching themes on mental health and wellness, with activities and talks
throughout the day.
The event was Buddy Thai’s first offline event, a testament to the importance of our community. It highlighted the role of each individual in creating a thriving community where users can interact and come together under one shared vision. Talks during the event include topics such as Enhancing Mind through Tech and Mental Health through Genders, emphasizing the importance of your voice and participation in these discussions.
The event is an example of how online platforms these days value the power and influence of community. Even if your core value proposition exists online, having an offline presence is equally important, particularly in the age of mental wellness.
More platforms are opting to blend interactions to fully provide value to users. Beyond this, more brands are seeing major events such as Pride Month as a good opportunity to embrace diversity, especially for apps that champion mental well-being.
It’s a particularly significant month for Thailand, as we inch even closer to legalizing same-sex marriage, putting us on track to become the first Southeast Asian country to do so. Now, the bill has to pass through the Cabinet and then to the Prime Minister, who will then seek for Royal Endorsement.
Buddy Thai app has racked up 7,000 downloads nationwide, with over 1,300 requests for its SOS feature to seek mental health assistance. The app is on a mission to build a Safe Community for people of all genders, ages, and sexual preferences.
In recent years, Thailand has become more accepting of mental health struggles, with more conversations and communities built around mental wellbeing, in line with the global trend of prioritizing mental health in the post-pandemic era.