(L to R) Wittaya Kunplome,
Father Michael Picharn Jaiseri, Father Pattarapong Srivorakul, Ruangwet
Withawaskanwet, Phatcharee Phronantarat, and Mongkol Kasemsant Na Ayuthaya,
during the signing ceremony.
Phasakorn Channgam
Pattaya’s Redemptorist Vocational School has inked an
agreement with the government and private companies to create more jobs for
the disabled.
Rev. Michael Picharn Jaiseri, vice president of the
Father Ray Foundation, signed the memorandum of understanding with Sumet
Mahosot, deputy director of the Education Department in the Ministry of
Labor; Ruangwet Withawaskanwet, assistant managing director of Central
Retail Corp.; and Mongkol Kasemsant Na Ayuthaya, director of Social
Enterprise Aug. 18.
Central Food Retail Co. has signed a contract to
financially support the Redemptorist Foundation in preparing and installing
recycling and managing waste machinery worth 625,415 baht at the Foundation.
Central Food Retail Co. also has signed with the
Redemptorist Foundation to prepare or supply 70,000 kg of shredded paper
worth 542,500 baht. Both contracts are aimed at creating jobs for the
disabled and bring more income to the foundation.
“The disabled can work as a force pushing the economy but
it is evident that of the 90,000 disabled in the country, only 10,000 are
ready to work,” Sumet said. “The others are hindered by travelling issues,
over-protective parents not allowing them to work, and employers who still
believe that the disabled are liabilities.”
The Ministry of Labor, he said, is working to change this
through legislation that requires 1 percent of a company’s workforce to be
disabled, subsidy programs and job training.
Earlier in the month the ministry and Tesco Lotus
department stores organized meetings with disabled prospective employees in
15 areas around Bangkok. More are expected around the country, he said.
Jaiseri said the agreement will help the foundation in
training disabled students for jobs in call centers, coffee shops, garbage
dumps, hospitality services, bakeries, and information technology.
“I believe the cooperation with Redemptorist Foundation
will become a prototype for social activities, regarding the quality of life
of the disabled, to become the main organization in pushing for projects
with other public networks of the society to continue pushing for beneficial
activities for disabled to, again, develop and elevate the lifestyles for
the disabled to have an equal opportunity at life with normal people of the
society,” Mongkol said.
Ruangwet said his company, “has become a part of
supporting employment for the disabled such as building an electronic
appliances repair center, training on creating things from unused materials,
etc.”
“In the past, the company has always created
opportunities for the disabled to work. It all depends on the readiness of
the disabled but we still cannot look for disabled individuals to work
according to the Support and Development of Disabled Lives Act, which
requires companies have 300 disabled as employees, and I believe that this
signing ceremony will benefit the disabled people’s readiness in employment
according to their personal skills.”
