Only one in eight disabled Nongprue residents are taking advantage of government welfare benefits that can pay them more than 100,000 baht to train for a job.
Sub-district officials are stepping up promotion of the benefits available under the Empowerment Of Persons With Disabilities Act of 2007 after only 117 of 800 people registered this year. In 2016, only 100 people claimed their benefits.
The law offers up to 109,500 baht to disabled Thais for occupational training or funding for small businesses. Each applicant must complete registration forms and sit for an interview, but few have come forward.
Nongprue officials say either people don’t know about what they’re entitled to or, for some reason, don’t want to claim them.
In 2016, 38 Nongprue families cashed in on their opportunities, earning 109,500 baht each. This year, 24 families have sat for interviews to pitch their employment ideas.
The low participation has frustrated welfare officials, who say they have organized many different events and workshops for the area’s disabled. They pledged to step up their public-relations campaign to bring more people into the program.
