MEDICAL MASSAGE FOR THE BLIND IN THAILAND

Thailand Country Report

INTEGRATED PROGRAM OF CERTIFICATE IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION FOR THE BLIND STUDENTS IN THAILAND

Presented by Mr. Pecharat Techavachara, President FEPB

At ICEVI Conference July 2001, Shanghai, China

Mr. Chairman, ICEVI Board members, Participants, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.

It is my great pleasure and honor to be invited by Mr. Lawrence Campbell to come to Shanghai and present to this conference a recent development which is considered a major break through in the field of education for the Blind in Thailand. Before doing that, I would like to say some thing of personal matter. I am particularly happy to be with you all, to meet again my friends and acquaintances which brought back to me the pleasant memories about ten years ago when I was the chair of the organizing committee of ICEVH General Assembly in Bangkok. At that time this organization was called International Council for the Education of Visually Handicapped but now the word handicapped changed to impaired which sounds better.

My second personal matter: if I have to tell people who I am, in only one sentence, I would say I am a Thai citizen with Chinese ancestor and western education. My father was born in southern part of China in a little town called Sawtow and went to Thailand when he was only 18 years old. With only some formal education, he could not have a good job! He had to work hard in the days and went to school at nights. To make the story short, he married my mother who then own a small beauty shop. They started a small importing/exporting company which later grew to be a successful supplier of raw materials to rubber industry in Thailand. They raised four children each one has a university degree, one of them became a medical doctor and the remaining assume responsible positions in the family enterprise.

I am always very happy to have an opportunity to visit China, my father-land and to me all Chinese are my cousins and relatives!

When one talks about education for the Blind in Thailand, the name of Miss Genevieve Caulfield must be mentioned because this American blind lady founded the first school for the Blind in Thailand! It is not an over emphasis at all for me to say that at the present time, all of the blind leaders in Thailand have been influenced by Miss Caulfield’s teaching! Particularly myself: I was chosen to go to study with regular students in a pilot project, got a scholarship to study at Overbrook School for the Blind in Philadelphia, later received a scholarship to enter the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce, University of Pennsylvania, USA! All these made possible by Miss Caulfield.

I came home with a BS degree in Economics, then the only and first blind with degree from foreign university. As a matter of fact, at that time, the Blind was not allowed to enter universities in Thailand. That was one of the reasons I had to go abroad for further education! With Miss Caulfield’s suggestion and encouragement, a small group of us started the first association of the Blind later grows to be the national association of the blind in Thailand. I shall skip the obstacles and hardship of forming the first association of the blind.

I have a business degree from a world renown university, a charming understanding wife, two lovely bright children, and a successful growing enterprise of my own. I should be satisfied and content with what I possess. But I am not fully happy with the present conditions of my blind fellow citizens of Thailand! With the population of at least three hundred thousand blind, less than 10% has had an formal education and not more than ten thousand has employment and became self supportive! I often speak publicly that I can enjoy a higher standard of living not because I have worked harder or I am more intelligent than most of my blind fellow citizens but my piers have not had the same opportunity that I had! What all blind people ask for is the same opportunity that others have. Not until recently that blind students were freely allowed to take entrance examinations to colleges.

A major breakthrough for the advancement of the Blind in Thailand when the Rehabilitation Act was passed in 1991 requiring companies to employ one disabled per every 200 employees. However the majority of the disabled does not have the required qualifications to get the jobs! Then there was a urgent need to set up vocational training centers for the disabled. I gathered a small group of relatives and closest friends to establish Foundation for the Employment Promotion of the Blind. The main problem of blind people who want to be self-sufficient but can not be is the lack of job which can give them enough income. Therefore, most of them, though well educated, still remain unemployed and have to depend on their family members for daily living!

Foundation for the Employment Promotion of the Blind, a

non-profit organization was established in July 1993,with the purpose of training blind people for various jobs. Blind men and women from over the country come to the foundation for the following training courses: Traditional Thai massage, Braille,

Mobility and Orientation Skills, Computer, Telephone Operators, Music and Astrology. They also cooperate with Non-formal Education Department and

Vocational Department of Ministry of Education conducting special other useful courses.

 
There are five main principal objectives: to help the blind

receive medical treatment, to help the blind become educated, to help

the blind become trained in vocational skills, to help the blind be

employed and to work for the public and cooperate with other

organizations in public charity.

Though the Rehabilitation Act requires employers to hire disabled, there is a definite qualifications for each position that every applicant must have. The minimal education level required is a Certificate in Vocational Education approved by the Ministry of Education. The majority of the disabled applicants does not even meet that minimal requirement! I had to pay visits so many times to both the politicians and the high ranking officials of the Education Ministry to convince them that the Blind need a Certificate in Vocational Education. After one whole year of visits, refers and talks, the General Director of Vocational Department, Education Ministry, accepted the idea and appointed a committee to set up a curriculum suitable for blind students. Basically the students must have 114 credits before they receive Certificate in Vocational Education. Some required courses are not suitable for blind people such as advance course in Accounting. The Blind will not want to be an accountant any how. We took off those courses which were not useful to the Blind and replaced them with more necessary courses such as Orientation and Mobility and a course how to use the computer for the Blind called Aria.

May I take just a few minutes to tell you about this remarkable device called Aria. It is the first Thai speaking computer for the Blind.

The world's first Thai speaking computer was not designed by IBM

or Microsoft, or even the most well-known company in Thailand, Shinawatra for that matter, as you might be excused for thinking. The history of this amazing hand-held device called Aria, which speaks in a smooth synthesized Thai voice reads like a novel.

I was the first Thai blind who learned how to use computer. I have been aware of its usefulness. But only a hand full of Thai blind who know English well can benefit from it.

I kept looking for some one who might want to help me develop a Thai speaking computer for years! At last, I met Mr. Milan Hudecek, owner of Robotron Ltd. In Melbourne, Australia who had a keen

HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirinhorn, the Aria took one year to develop, which

is considered a record in the field of speech synthesis technology.

The synthesized Thai voice sounds robotic but pleasant and clear enough to understand. But that is not all that is so impressive about the Aria: The Aria was developed entirely for

the purpose of serving the blind. The Aria computer is the size of a video cassette. It features

a special seven-key "Braille" keyboard which is familiar to the blind.

This keyboard works like a shorthand, making it possible to write

Thai letters, including entire clusters of Thai characters, using

combinations of these seven keys.

There are numerous in-built functions such as word processor, calendar,

calculator, diary and telephone directory. Simply put, this is a very

impressive personal organizer, a kind of a Palm Pilot for the blind.

The Aria was designed to be an electronic friend, a personal secretary

for a blind person. All the inbuilt functions are designed with a blind user in mind.

The Aria was designed to overcome the handicap of blindness

and make it possible for a blind person to integrate with the sighted world.

After many sessions of discussions and consultations, a curriculum for blind students had been adopted. The Nakorn Luang Polytechnic accepted the challenge to be the first college in the Vocational Department, Ministry of Education to enroll blind students!

This program is the first of its kind! Blind girls and boys, after finishing ninth grade, can be enrolled in this program. They live and study some basic courses such as Braille, English, Music, Orientation and mobility, Massage, Computer, and Astrology. at our foundation. Other courses like Business law, Marketing, accounting, office equipment, and other commercial courses are taken at the Nakorn Luang Polytechnic College. When they earn 114 credits, they will be given vocational certificate by the college in Thai we call---. This program is set up and designed to the special

needs of blind students. They may study while working, it may take 3 years or as long as 8 years.

 
This program was considered a pilot project of the Vocational Department, Ministry of Education.

We enrolled 20 students in the first year but later two of them dropped out from the program.

These 18 boys and girls are beginning their bright and exciting future!

Our 18 students began their third year of Vocational Certificate Program with excitement and joy. They are looking forward to the end of the academic year when they would proudly receive the Vocational Certificates! Besides taking academic courses, these students have to practice working in public and private organizations. They are living together with nine students of second year class. They are taking care of their own cooking and house whole keeping! They elected a House Committee which consists of five members: Suthep, Chair, Niran, vice chair, Samrit (second year student), Jaggapong (Second year student), and Dongchit (Second year student. The committee meets at least once a week; set up rules and regulations and delegate duties to each of the 25 members who live in the house. It is the policy of our foundation to train them to be independent, being responsible and helpful to one another. They have to limit the expenses to the allowance!

The crucial part in this program is the assignment for these students to work in government and non government organizations for a period of three months!

Sukanya and Nikorn worked in the Department of Vocational Education for the Disabled, Ministry of Education.

Suthep helped transcribing minutes of the meetings held by the Documentary Section of the Ministry of Education.

Niran worked in the Computer Section of the Vocational Department, Ministry of Education.

Prapun helped the work of the Multiple Disabled Section of the Christian Foundation.

Jenjit worked in the library of the Thailand Association of the Blind.

Niramon worked as a telephone operator in United Siam Metal, Ltd.

Somsong worked as a telephone operator at Tingsenghong, ltd.

Vilai worked as a telephone operator at the Foundation for the Employment Promotion of the Blind.

Pimphaka taught Braille and English at the new vocational training center of FEPB.

Chatchawal worked as a telephone operator at the Food Section, University of Agriculture

Kitaya, Malinee, Sai-bua, and Am-nuay practiced massage in massage clinics in Bangkok.

Pimphaga showed good sign of being a good teacher. FEPB will hire her to teach Braille to the trainees at Chacheongsao Training Center.

Siam United Metal also hires Niramon to be the telephone operator.

Chatchawal will be employed at the University of Agriculture.

Prapun has a good possibility to work at Panomsarakarm College which intends to set up the same program as the Nakornlaung!

Our student workers have demonstrated their ability to cope with problems in the actual working environment. They have worked successfully in harmony with their sighted peers! Almost all of their co-workers have never had experience being with blind people before. Nirun has in several occasions helped his co-workers in solving computer problems! His affiliates were amazed to see him install Window 98 alone without any help!

Of course, not every students of ours is at good in computer as Nirun or Prapun or Suthep! Most of the girls are not so keen and a few of them failed in the final exams and to take the re-exam next semester!

Our life is not always full with roses. Not all of our 18 students will be able to complete all the requirement within this year. All of them did very well until the beginning of third year! Some of them are having some difficulty with subjects of Math, advance accounting and computer. In addition, some of them can not study full time due to economic needs! they have to work part time! They know that they do not have to finish all the requirements in three year. They are allowed as long as

eight years! They can work and go to college in the week-ends. Therefore, at the moment any suitable job is available, they accept it right away. They can not really be blamed! After all, our ultimate goal is to train blind students so that they are qualified to be employed and can have reasonable income!

Over all, these 18 students have performed a remarkable task: they are the first group successfully integrated in a government run technical college! They are a pilot group and being used as a model to at least 14 other technical colleges through out Thailand! Some of them will be employed as teachers in those colleges! I am happy to report that this year Phahnomsarakham Industrial Community Education College, run by Vocational Department, Ministry of Education, has joined our

 program by enrolling 6 blind students and employed Prapun, one of our graduates, to be one of their instructors. Now FEPB has two colleges in the program: Nakorn Luang Polytechnic and Phanomsarakham. We have 24 students enrolled in the Certificate in Vocational Education Program and 11 students enrolled in higher grade called Diploma in Vocational Education Program, and 30 students who are taking courses which will enable them to be professional masseurs and masseuses.

The ON/NET (Overbrook Nippon Network on Educational Technology) has played a substantial role in the success of our project: they has given financial assistance for the food and housing for our 18 students for three years.

I must make a final remark: in the past, Thai Governments did not pay proper attention to the education for the Blind! It was left almost entirely to private institutions. However the immediate past government reversed the situation by giving substantial budget for the production of Braille and other educational materials for the disabled students and issued a firm instruction to all schools to enroll disabled students. The policy being: if any disabled wants to learn, must make it possible. I hope that the present government will follow this policy and take all measures possible to enhance further education for the Blind. Our “Integrated Program of Certificate in Vocational Education for the Blind Students in Thailand” is a clear indication of a better understanding and cooperation between private organization (FEPB) and our government )Vocational Department, Ministry of Education).

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