General Information
According to the survey of population census on persons with disabilities and persons with health problems or persons with continuous illness more than six months from National Statistical Office. The outcome of the survey in year 2002 found that the estimated number of persons with disabilities is 1,098,000 people. Among all types of disabilities, group of deaf, mute and hard of hearing people in Thailand come the second in the rank or 10.3% of disabilities. Bureau of the Empowerment for Persons with Disabilities has registered total of 74,713 people with disabilities throughout the country (40,456 Men and 34,257 Women). North-east region found the most number of deaf people and following by north region, central region, east region, south region and Bangkok respectively. (Data collected on 29 February 2006).

1. Implementation on advocacy and deaf rights
From the past National Association of the Deaf in Thailand has cooperated with disabled organizations in Thailand to fight for deaf rights in many aspects which have been achieved.
- Right on medication
National Health Security Office allocated rehabilitation fund for disable people since year 2003 until present to support rehabilitation services for disabled people such as urging deaf people to be registered, increasing budget to purchase hearing aids for deaf people and allocating budget for private organizations to implement health project and organizing community-based disabled rehabilitation service.
- Right on politics
Office of Election Commission of Thailand produced video with sign language, a promoting spot, to campaign and persuade deaf people to cast vote for senator election.

- Right on accessible media and facilities
In September 2005 Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning, Ministry of Interior has legislated ministerial order on accessible buildings and public places for disabled people. New building or renovated building which constructed after the ministerial order are requested to provide the facilities for all type of disabilities. Deaf people need light signal, vibrating signal included accessible information, news on signboard, symbol and electronic sign.
- Right on accessible public transportation
Representatives from National Association of the Deaf in Thailand and disabled organizations met director of Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand to propose facilities for disabled people during design and construction process and proposed Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) to reduce bus fare for disabled people and provide facilities inside the bus.

2. Issues and problems concerning employment and working condition of the deaf
Most of deaf people graduated in low level resulted them with poor literacy skill in Thai language combining with lack of training venues and lack of sign language interpreter to communicate for job counseling service caused most of deaf people to work in the business enterprises as cheap and unskilled labors and earned low wages which is insufficient for living expenses. Besides most of business enterprises are undesired to recruit deaf people to their workplaces because they afraid of communication problem. When they are unable to get into employment system, deaf people have turn to be self-employed as vendor or hawker in restaurants and entertainment venues. For deaf people who need money to start their own business, they could loan disabled rehabilitation fund of 20,000 – 40,000 Baht per person and pay by installment within five years without interest.

3. Training, certification, employment, and provision of sign language
Training
National Association of the Deaf in Thailand has implemented trainings as follow.
- Motorcycle and car driving license training for deaf people with the total of 60 persons at the Land Transportation Department
- Educating on gender, laws and deaf women right for deaf women in North region, South region and Central region (30 persons in each region) supported by Ministry of Social Development and Human Security
- Computer training on Photoshop for deaf people organized two courses (30 persons in each course) at Charunsanitwong business administrative school supported by Department of Skill Development and Bangkok Noi non formal educational Center
- 2nd deaf smart leadership training organized two times. Sixty regional and provincial deaf leaders have been invited in each course to develop new generation leader to manage deaf organization efficiently.

Employment
Bureau of the Empowerment for Persons with Disabilities cooperated with disabled organizations organized a pilot project for disabled people on job training for 90 days and earned 200 Baht per day from the project. Giving an opportunity for disabled people to be trained in the workplace and assessed by standard evaluation system. Trained person will be given certificate as a document to apply for job in other workplaces.
Besides this will be the example on disabled employment within government agencies. In 2006 Bureau of the Empowerment for Persons with Disabilities has initiated a project to recruit disabled people to work with Social Development and Human Security Office in 76 provinces (1 person in each province) to experiment on hiring disabled people to work in government agencies and be the role model for civil service department to recruit disabled people to their workplaces.

Provision of sign language interpreter
Provision of sign language interpreter is an essential social service which National Association of the Deaf in Thailand has provided for the deaf such as participate in the meeting, seminar, training, see the doctor, file a lawsuit, contact government agencies. Servicing method, clients are able to request for sign language interpreting service by themselves, by phone or by facsimile. For members or poor deaf will not be charged for servicing fee, but government sectors, private sectors and disabled organizations will be requested to pay servicing fee according to rate chart. Sign language interpreting service for deaf people in Thailand is lack of servicing person, lack of good management system and lack of budget.
In year 2003 sign language interpreters have gathered to establish National Association of Thai Sign Language Interpreter (NATSI) but the association has not been set up successfully as staffs and budget are inadequate.
National Association of the Deaf in Thailand has submitted the proposal to Minister of Social Development and Human Security Ministry for establishment of sign language interpreter service center for the deaf in Thailand which will responsible for management and providing sign language interpreting service in the central and regional areas. Administrative committee of sign language interpreter service center should be set up to supervise, manage and follow up during the first phase of the implementation. After that government will take charge in management and provide supporting fund. Now this matter is under the consideration and information study process by National Association of the Deaf in Thailand in cooperate with academic research section from educational institutions to make a research on sign language servicing guideline in Thailand. When the research has been done, we will propose it to be the policy in the future.