MMN June Mag 2026 Online - Flipbook - Page 8
Mobility, Faith & Hope:
Reshaping the Landscape of
Disability in Thailand
Contributed by Joseph Tell, RICD & Stronger Together
T
hroughout the year, the
RICD Wheelchair Project
serves thousands of pa琀椀ents all over Thailand
and occasionally even in
neighbouring countries throughout Southeast Asia. We encounter
thousands of stories, many of them
are heartbreaking and desperate,
featuring tragedies that would be
en琀椀rely avoidable if there was even
slightly be琀琀er access to a support
system. Children who have spent
their forma琀椀ve years con昀椀ned to
a few small rooms, where educa琀椀on and voca琀椀onal opportuni琀椀es
are far beyond reach. These stories are not just about physical
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mobility; they are about the deeply
rooted cultural and religious overtones that permeate the culture
they live in. And it’s through these
stories that we have seen just how
transforma琀椀ve and impac琀昀ul disability ministry can be, transforming
en琀椀re communi琀椀es through these
church outreach programmes!
Culture
To understand the impact of disability ministry in Thailand, you
must 昀椀rst understand the cultural
context of a predominantly Buddhist na琀椀on where religion and
na琀椀onal iden琀椀ty are inseparably
