Employer dilemma over disability employment policy in Thailand

This article analyses factors that present employers with a disability employment dilemma. Research on labour market discrimination among disabled jobseekers is abundant. However, very little is known about the reasons why employers cannot hire these people. It was noted that (i) the government passed disability laws and related regulations without sufficient study; (ii) universal design in society is not well placed; and (iii) the family always overprotects disabled members. These three major factors have demotivated disabled people. Despite strong intentions, employers fail to hire people with disabilities, while, at the same time, they are forced to pay into the Fund for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Physically disabled women's creditworthiness in Village Development Fund: evidence from Thailand

The Village Development Fund (VDF) is used in Thailand to empower the rural poor, especially women living with disabilities. This article investigates the problems of gaining access to credit faced by physically disabled women in rural Thailand. In-depth interviews with 20 women with physical disabilities in north-eastern Thailand indicate that these women still do not benefit from small loans from the VDF because they face significant attitude barriers from the VDF chairpersons and from their own families. The author argues that non-disabled communities and their own families believe that disabilities make these women less creditworthy.

Capacité d'emprunt des femmes physiquement handicapées dans le cadre d'un Fonds de développement villageois : données de Thaïlande

Le Fonds de développement villageois (FDV) est utilisé en Thaïlande pour autonomiser les pauvres en milieu rural, en particulier les femmes handicapées. Cet article traite des problèmes rencontrés au moment d'obtenir l'accès au crédit par les femmes physiquement handicapées en milieu rural en Thaïlande. Des entretiens approfondis menés avec 20 femmes physiquement handicapées dans le nord-est de la Thaïlande indiquent que ces femmes ne profitent pas encore de petits prêts du FDV parce qu'elles se heurtent à d'importantes barrières attitudinales de la part des président(e)s du FDV et de leur propre famille. L'auteur soutient que les communautés non handicapées et leurs propres familles respectives estiment que ces femmes sont moins solvables du fait de leurs handicaps.

Capacidade financeira das mulheres deficientes físicas de obter crédito no Village Development Fund: evidências da Tailândia

O Village Development Fund (VDF) é utilizado na Tailândia para empoderar as pessoas pobres da zona rural, especialmente mulheres portadoras de deficiência. Este artigo investiga os problemas para se obter acesso a crédito enfrentados pelas mulheres deficientes físicas na zona rural da Tailândia. Entrevistas minuciosas com 20 mulheres com deficiência física no nordeste da Tailândia indicam que estas mulheres ainda não se beneficiam com os pequenos empréstimos do VDF porque elas enfrentam grandes barreiras de atitude dos coordenadores do VDF e de seus próprias famílias. O autor argumenta que comunidades não-deficientes e suas próprias famílias acreditam que a deficiência torna estas mulheres menos capazes de pagar seus empréstimos.

La solvencia crediticia de mujeres discapacitadas del Fondo de Desarrollo Comunitario (Village Development Fund): el ejemplo de Tailandia

El Fondo de Desarrollo Comunitario (FDC) promueve en Tailandia el empoderamiento de campesinos pobres, en especial de mujeres discapacitadas. Este ensayo examina los problemas que tienen las mujeres discapacitadas para obtener créditos en el área rural de Tailandia. Entrevistas a fondo a 20 mujeres con discapacidades físicas en el noreste de Tailandia mostraron que las mujeres siguen sin beneficiarse de los pequeños préstamos del FDC por las actitudes negativas de los directivos del FDC e incluso de sus propias familias. El autor sostiene que las personas sin discapacidades y los propios familiares de las mujeres con alguna discapacidad creen que por esta situación tienen menos solvencia crediticia.     

What has gone wrong with inclusive education in Thailand?

This article critically reviews the inclusive education policy in Thailand. Since 1939, the Thai government has promoted the right of persons with disabilities to education. However, very little is known about the reasons why the inclusive education policy in Thailand has failed to motivate school‐aged children to participate in mainstream schools. This article argues that (i) the government has no coherent policy implementation; (ii) school teachers are not well trained to deal with students with disabilities; and (iii) universal design is not well placed. These three major factors have hindered the Thai government in its efforts to empower persons with disabilities through education. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Why does Community-Based Rehabilitation fail physically disabled women in northern Thailand?

Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) has been adopted in many countries to help disabled people. This article analyses the interplay between CBR and the self-alienation of physically disabled women from their communities. In-depth interviews with 40 women with physical disabilities in northern Thailand found that CBR was barely capable of enabling women with physical disabilities to realise their sense of self within their community, because in itself CBR was unable to change the community's false impression of disability. Despite participating in CBR programmes, the self-alienation of physically disabled women from their community remained; the authors argue that this was due to the heavy reliance of CBR on medical practice, ignoring gender as a major contributing factor. In addition, CBR field workers obviously failed to grasp the magnitude of social models in disability rehabilitation.     

Municipality and food security promotion for disabled people: evidence from north-eastern Thailand

This article puts forward a qualitative method for analysing the role of municipalities in promoting food security for people with disabilities, and examining barriers that affect their food access and food utilisation. Findings from face-to-face interviews with mayors, street vendors, and disabled persons from three major municipalities in north-eastern Thailand clearly indicate that a lack of knowledge of food security among mayors and street vendors, and financial restrictions suffered by families, have become insurmountable barriers to food among people with disabilities. The article recommends that municipalities should create paid employment for people with disabilities and incorporate universal design into infrastructure improvement.