The Pattaya Relief Group led by Steve Graham, MD of European Safety Concepts (Thailand) Co., visited the Pattaya Autistic Life Skills Development Center on May 2, for the purposes of seeking avenues of giving assistance to the home in its many needs.
Accompanied by committee member Peter Malhotra of the Pattaya Mail Media Group, the team met with Supang Samrit, the kind hearted director of the centre who briefed the visitors of her work with autistic children.
Steve Graham (3rd left) and Peter Malhotra (4th left) visit the Pattaya Autistic Life Skills Development Center, guided by Supang Samrit (5th left), the kind hearted director of the center.
Supang, who is also the head of the Thailand Autism Foundation (Pattaya Branch), said that the home was established in 2009 to help not only parents understand and learn about how to care for their special children but also to help train the children develop skills and abilities so that they can look after themselves as much as possible.
Graham said Malhotra alerted him to the Life Skills Center’s urgent need for repairs and renovations of the activities room which had been heavily damaged by flooding on Sukhumvit Road late last year.
“Together with donations accumulated by the Pattaya Relief Group and funds from my company, we will make repairs to the centre which will include expansion into a second room. We will supply all the necessary learning tools and equipment to the centre and also acquire 2 touch screen computers which will be most suitable for the needs of the children.”
Supang and the team of volunteers who are mainly parents of the children were thrilled to hear the news and thanked Graham for the most benevolent gesture, saying, “It makes feel so happy to know that there are people who care for autistic children.”
Supang said she began the autism center to help parents learn to live happily with their children, who we want to help learn as much as normal children if they are taught properly. “It’s vital for parents to understand and accept their children,” she said.
The Autistic Life Skills Center currently cares for eight children, offering them lessons in language, communication, and social and movement skills.
