Foundation for Advanced Studies on International Development (FASID) Observation

Date: 25 - 27 January 2007

Place to visit:

• 1. Disabled people's International (DPI/AP)
• 2. Nontaburi center for Independent Living (NCIL)
• 3. Redemptorist Vocational School for the Disabled (RVSD)
• 4. Rama Shoes company limited
• 5. Nakhon Phatom Independent Living Center
• 6. Jintana Company.

Trip members:

• 1. Ms. Yasuko Hayashi (Program Officer, Department of Planning and Program)
• 2. Ms. Junko Homma (DPI/AP Project Coordinator)
• 3. Ms. Saowalak Thongkuay (Assistant Regional Development Officer)
• 4. Interpreters(Thai-Japanese)

Purposes:

FASID is an organization for development issues under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan(http://www.fasid.or.jp/english/home.html). FASID conducts the training of the Project Cycle Management(PCM) methodology which is widely introduced among JICA projects. The PCM method training is operated with case studies which are fictional stories written with a real situation, and the participants make a Project Design Matrix in the end of the training.Through the PCM training with this new case studies on Disability and Development, the mainstreaming of disability inclusive development will be promoted among participants of training.

• 1. To develop the case studies on Disability and Development for text for training on Project Cycle Management organized by FASID.
• 2. To interview Mr. Topong, Regional Development Officer (RDO).
• 3. To gather information about Disability development issues and employment for person with disability in Thailand.
• 4. To observe and interview Independent Living Centers.

Contents:

On Thursday, 25 January, FASID visited to DPI/AP to interview Regional Development Officer (RDO), Topong Kulkhanchit, about the successful point or events for Disability issues and his challenge and visit Nontaburi Center for Independent Living.

On Friday, 26 January,the trip also visited RVSD where comprise of schooling , job placement center, Independent Living Center, Home Visit of PWD and RVSD center to support the school's activities. Job placement center especially is a job provider for those who graduated and walk in job seeker by collaborating to GO, NGO and private sector concerned like Rama Shoes Company, NIKE production, where 16 PWDs were hired, 3 half blinds, 4 deafs, 4 physicals and 2 limbs. The company would like to hire additional 300 PWDs according to quota system as now there are approximately 4,900 employees. The partially company strategies are to contribution / support to community and Discrimination policy so these can be a brand image and NIKE is international and outstanding for sporty cloth and its accessory. HRs stated that they also expand these strategies among their network and stakeholder.

Strategies;

• Labor market.
• Community responsibility program.
• Discrimination Policy
• Labor law concerned

Hiring Process

• Provincial employment center.
• Ministry of Social Development and Human Security
• RVSD, Job Placement Center.
• Chonburi School for the Deaf.
• Foundation for the Dump.
• Walk in.

On Friday, 27 January, the team visited Nakhon Phatom Independent Living Center to interview Director Mr. Theerawat, to observe Peer support group for people with intellectual disabilities (about 25 persons) and Home Visit of PWD. Mr. Theerawat told the success case of accessibility advocacy at 4 Sub district Administration Office in Nakhon Pathom, however, he added that they need more negotiation about accessibility of toilets at Phra Phatom Chedhi, the most popular tourism site near from his CIL. From the Peer support group, recommendations will be developed and submitted to Sub district Administration Office. CIL will organize public seminar for youth in near future.Jintana Company is maker of ladies underwear, established in 1948 and started the employment of PWDs since 1996 when the owner believed that PWDs must have potentiality if they get the opportunity. Now there are 35 employees with disabilities at the factory. Most of them are physically disability or Deaf and they were recruited from Provincial Vocational Training Centers. They bought modified motorcycle with their own salary and their dream is to own their house.

After this visit, FASID continued the information gathering on disability issue in Cambodia and APCD and so on.

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