PAKKRED: 1st March 2005 --  Not so far from Bangkok CBD  (up-river to the North West for boatsmen, for others a fast expressway trip) lies the area of Nonthaburi.  Within that region one finds the district of Pakkred and there, on Tivanond Rd., the Skills Development Centre for the Blind, conducted by the Salesians of Don Bosco.  Two Salesians, Fr Charles Velardo and Fr John Somchart, with a staff of 22, work with upward of 100 trainees on a two year course.  All trainees are visually impaired.

    This Salesian Centre has been in existence for nearly thirty years now, a long and extraordinary period of dedication to disadvantaged youth, something Pakkred is more widely known for - in additon to the Salesian work there are other centres for handicapped children.  Not so far away at Sampran is the FMA Centre for visually impaired girls.

    In terms of the work for the visually impaired, the Salesian Skills Development Centre is recognised throughout Thailand as a Training Centre, exam Centre, job preparation location.  Four separate Thai Ministries are involved, so it would seem to have good prominence at government level.  But this fact needs to be seen in context.

    The Salesian contribution to the visually disabled in Thailand is a very real and important response to disadvantaged youth in a society which has not yet fully come to terms with disability: for example all citizens in Thailand must carry an ID card, but the disabled are 'exempted'.  What sounds like a privilege is not - without an ID card many things cannot be accomplished.  Then there is the matter of integrated education.  Government assistance and education for the disabled tends to be managed from funds left over after running all other education programmes.  The Salesian Centre is part of the wider NGO network which encourages government to better integrate those who are visually impaired. While not quite rural, Pakkred is on the outskirts of the city - and if you are blind and rurally-based, then access to education is a very real problem.  The Salesians are meeting that need

    The Salesian Centre at Pakkred offers unique exposure for young Salesians to see a particular work for the poor and disadvantaged.  Fortunately, at Sampran, there is a post novitiate house with 6 young men.  They and others besides, have the opportunity to visit and help out at Pakkred from time to time.