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nown Thai massage teachers. He began and Malaysia to help setting up massage
teaching Thai massage at the Skills Develop- courses.
ment Center and other organizations for and Thunburi Lifelong Learning and Career
of the Blind since then till his death in 2012. Demonstration Center for the Blind under the
The Skills Development Center for the Thailand Association of the Blind is another
Blind enrolls 40 blind men in a two year Thai organization conducting several Thai massage
massage course (1500 hours). Over 500 men courses in 1995, ranging from 100 hours to
have graduated from this institution and work 300 hours. In 1997, under the world bank pro-
in various massage shops and many of them gram, over one thousand blind men and
have set up their own massage shops. The women finished massage training. In 2005,
monthly average income of these masseurs the center was approved by the Ministry of
is over $900.00. Labor to set up Thai Labor standard test level
Sampran Rehabilitation & Vocational 1 and level 2 for masseurs and masseuses.
Training Center for Blind Women is another 150 blind men and women have been trained
institution under Foundation for the Blind in to be massage teachers.
Thailand under the patronage of HM the Sanamchaiket Vocational Training Cen-
queen conducting Thai massage course for ter under Foundation for the Employment
blind women. At the beginning, this institu- Promotion of the Blind located in Chacheonsao
tion conducted only art and craft and inde- province (120 KMûs to the east of Bangkok),
pendent living skills courses. Later they have in the area of 100 Rai or about 50 Acres. The
adapted massage course from the Skills De- compound consists of a number of buildings
velopment Center for the Blind because they and houses: dormitories, class rooms, meet-
realize that massage skill will enable these ing and seminar rooms, goal ball court, etc.
girls to earn their own living. The majority of the land is utilized in grow-
Thailand Caulfield Foundation for the ing fruits trees and herbs. Forty blind men
Blind under the Royal Patronage of her Royal and women, the age ranging from 18 to 40, a
Princes Maha Chakri Sirinthorn, established year are enrolled, taking several courses: Ori-
in 1980, is another organization conducting entation and Mobility, Independent Living
Thai massage courses. Kru Kruang Sribuapun, Skills, Braille, Music, Plant care, and Mas-
a renown blind masseur initiated the mas- sage.
sage teaching for the institution. The course The trainees are very much varied in
takes 6 months (720 hours). Over 600 blind education levels and personal skills. Some
men and women graduated from Caulfield have formal education, some never gone to
Foundation. Our neighboring countries: Laos, schools and some just became blind due to
Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, and Mongolia also accident. The training has to be adapted to
sent their blind students to take massage their individual needs. Of course, health mas-
courses in Caulfield Foundation. sage training is emphasized because after
Kru Kruang occasionally went to Laos one year at the center, most of them can