Controversy leads to calls for more sign language interpreters

Story by ANCHALEE KONGRUT, Sign language demonstrations by Kanitha Rattanasint

In her career as a sign language interpreter for nearly a decade, Kanitha Rattanasint has never before seen the media so frenzied by her interpretations like what she experienced early in the week.

''Media members kept calling us the whole day. TV crews even jumped with excitement in our interpreters' room and asked us to give every politician a name in sign language,'' Ms Kanitha said, referring to Monday's parliamentary session.

That came after media reports that executives of the People Power party (PPP) were angered after watching the interpreters touching their noses when referring to PPP leader Samak Sundaravej.

The party has requested that a more appropriate gesture be used in sign language to describe the new prime minister who has a unique rose-apple-shaped nose.

Ms Kanitha insisted that interpreters had used the same sign to identify Mr Samak for years without facing any complaints or fuss. Other prominent politicians are also being identified through their special facial features or height.

''Deaf people don't make fun of other people. They only look for an outstanding feature in that person to make him easily identifiable,'' she said.

A good thing that has emerged from this sign language controversy is that it has drawn public attention and interest to the language and louder calls for the country to produce more sign language interpreters.

At the moment, Channel 11 is the only station providing sign language translation for the deaf during news programmes, covering a total of just one hour and 30 minutes.

''That is not enough. Like most people, they too need access to information,'' she said.

Ms Kanitha said the broadcasting authorities should consider proposals made by the National Association of the Deaf in Thailand (NADT), requesting a change in policy and budget support.

NADT has also asked the state to provide facilities and separate airtime hours for the newly-founded Thai Public Broadcasting Station (TPBS) for the deaf to produce their own television programmes.

Calls have also been made for mandatory TV programmes containing interpretations in sign language for the deaf.

They have even suggested that TV manufacturers install a special device in remote controls enabling viewers to choose between the normal and the deaf-version language features.

Bangkok Post Saturday February 02, 2008