Asian Relocation Association (ARA) held the 13th ARA Family Reunion in Hua Hin, Thailand on March 20-22, 2023.

One of the membership core values is having an opportunity to support local Asian communities as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity during its Asia meeting. This year, ARA organised a CSR tour to visit the School for the Blind with Multiple Disabilities Cha-am, Thailand.

"We are so glad to make the right decision to select the School for the Blind with Multiple Disabilities for this year's CSR activity,” said Tiddy S Teerawit, ARA's secretary general and BOONMA's executive director.  “They are in need of many things such as diapers, kitchenware, dry food, refrigerator, toaster, electric fan, electric water pot, rice, drinking water, etc. In addition, members also donated cash of USD 681.47 to the school during the visit."

The School for the Blind with Multiple Disabilities Cha-am was started in 1978.  Prayat Punong-ong, then 29, a blind man with a bachelor's degree of Education in English Major, returned to his hometown in Khon Kaen with great passion to help other blind children get their chance of education so that they could live independently. The idea that blind people can be educated for independent living was not a common belief in Thai society at that time. Most blind people were found begging in public places or left stranded at home to eat, breathe and do nothing until they died.

It started with 13 blind students being provided with free accommodation, food and training funded with all the money the couple (Dr Prayat Punong-ong and his wife, Mrs Bantom) had, plus an initial donation of 10,082 THB from Mrs Rose Lim, a Singaporean. 12 beds were donated by the World Vision Foundation of Thailand. Prayat took care of living skill and academic skill training for the blind while Mrs Bantom worked as guide, housemate, administrator and teacher of morals and music. They earned a little food and money by singing and begging for help from donors in the community. Today there are 33 blind students.

Photo: Members of ARA at the School for the Blind with Multiple Disabilities Cha-am, Thailand.