A Christian training centre for the blind opened in Pattaya with royal patronage
Bangkok (AsiaNews) - The Princess Chulabhorn Mahidol of Thailand and Queen Sylvia of Sweden attended the inauguration of a Christian vocational training centre Father Ray School, a specialized institution for the blind. The property is located in the district of Pattaya, Cholburi province, and boasts the royal patronage of Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
The Queen of Sweden attended the opening ceremony - held on 8 April - because the northern European royal house has contributed to the construction of the building. Currently it houses 144 students, from nursery to secondary schools. After completing this course, students can make their entrance into any of the institutions of the country, having received a preparation equivalent to that of able-bodied pupils. The school prepares blind students for the agricultural sector, in manual work and sport.
The Pattaya Redemptorist School - which houses the new Vocational Training Centre - was founded in 1986 and has seen more than 400 graduating students. The structure was built on the initiative of Reverend Raymond Brennan, a Redemptorist pastor of U.S. origin. He travelled in various parts of Thailand, met many blind people abandoned by their communities and forced to beg on the street, just to survive. They had no education or social opportunities. For this reason he decided to start courses at no charge dedicated to the blind, so they could learn to use computers. The first class consisted of 10 students. Today, the educational structure has the patronage of Princess Sirindhorn (pictured), better known as the "Princess of Technology" for her interest in science applied to the development of Thailand. The descendant of the royal family speaks English, French and Chinese fluently, and recently began studying German and Latin. At the opening ceremony of the Vocational Training Centre she was represented by her younger sister, Princess Chulabhorn, because she was previously engaged in the inauguration of another school in China.
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