Thai deaf students learn farming

On the 15 acres of land at the Nakhon Pathom School for the Deaf in Thailand, its 40 residential deaf students have been farming rice and vegetables, according to MCOT English News. They raise the crops for the school's consumption and for sale to people in the region.

Farming is part of the vocational curriculum at the school, which hopes the students will gain the skills they need to support themselves when they become adults, and it allows the community to see how self-sufficient deaf people can be.

“People usually feel sympathetic for them because they are deaf and think they can’t do anything. But the deaf have potential like us. They can do farming very well,” said Somchai Wongsawat, Education minister.

Student Siwapan Chansopa said he was proud of earning a living through farming.

“We earn sometimes 300-500 baht ($9-$11) per person. Now I already have 8,000 baht ($240) in my bank account,” he said.

The farming curriculum has taken on even greater significance in Thai society due to rising food prices. The deaf school's farm provides clean and safe food for everyone to purchase.