Cycling marathon for the handicapped

BANGKOK, Jan 8 (TNA) – The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, a network of people with disabilities and Channel 9-MCOT HD co-organised a Bangkok-Chiang Mai cycling activity to raise fund for construction of the ASEAN job training centre. Director General of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Somkid Somsri said that the department, related agencies and the private sector launched the “No One Left Behind” campaign to collect donations for the building of the job training center for the handicapped in the northern province of Chiang Mai. About 67 million baht is still needed for the construction of the job training centre will begin on Jan 23. Under the campaign, 21 blind people together with 200 volunteers will ride tandem bikes for nine days from Jan 28 to Feb 5 from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. The 867-km route covering nine provinces will start at Thammasat University, Tha Phrachan campus. Activities will be held at each province to show the self-development potential of the physically challenged persons, who are able to work for the society. Public members can participate in the campaign by riding the bike with the volunteers or donating money through bank accounts of the Universal Foundation for Persons with Disabilities. They can also send an SMS to donate 100 baht each to the number, given by their mobile phone network providers. Souvenirs, such as caps and t-shirts are available for selling and proceeds will go to fund the project. The details of donation through various means can be found on the Facebook page of the foundation. (TNA)