BAGNKOK – A number of young people in the southern border provinces have received occupational training from Phra Dabos Southern Border Province School. With this training, they have greater employment opportunities and are also able to run their own businesses.
Many people might have heard about this school before, but not many know about its important role in promoting occupational development in the deep South. Phra Dabos Southern Border Province School is operated by the Phra Dabos Foundation, at the initiative of His Majesty the King.
His Majesty started the Phra Dabos School project in 1975 to accept poor students who could not afford to attend other occupational training schools. The name Phra Dabos comes from the legendary hermits who taught people skills to earn a living. His Majesty offered his personal funds to support the project, while private companies have also given donations in cash and equipment.
Many young people in the southern border provinces have been deprived of educational and employment opportunities. Their Majesties the King and Queen and Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn have been concerned for them and offered the idea of education management in the form of Phra Dabos School for the deep South.
Later, in 2009, the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center has cooperated with various agencies, such as the Office of the Vocational Education Commission, the Community Development Department, and the Phra Dabos Foundation, in launching the Phra Dabos Project for the Southern Border Provinces, based on the concept of Phra Dabos School.
In 2010, the Phra Dabos Foundation established Phra Dabos Southern Border Province School at the initiative of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. The school is located in Mueang district, Yala province. It now offers occupational training in three fields: car maintenance, motorcycle repair, and agricultural machinery repair. One-year training is arranged free of charge for young people, aged between 18 and 25 years, in the southern border provinces each year.
Phra Dabos Southern Border Province School on 5 May 2016 officially opened a motorcycle service center to check and repair motorcycles at reasonable prices. The center will also serve as a job-training workplace for students at this school.
Director of Phra Dabos Southern Border Province School Banyat Jansena on 8 May 2016 presided over the presentation of royal bags, containing necessary items, to 81 current Phra Dabos students, Batch 7. At the same ceremony, 78 former Phra Dabos students, Batch 6, were also given bank accounts, with savings of 1,000 baht each, offered by the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center.
For Muslim former students, the savings will be used as the initial fund to help their parents to go on the Hajj pilgrimage. As for Buddhist former students, the savings will be used to enable their parents to perform religious practices according their beliefs.
