Among all students with disabilities, the students with visual impairment are the group that may experience more difficulties comparing to other groups. Hence, the university has organized several groups of volunteers to produce learning materials for visually impaired students as well as to read books for them. The materials include e-books, audiobooks and braille books for class materials or textbooks.
Volunteers are invited and recruited through Facebook, LINE, and banners advertised around the campus area. The volunteers will receive a free lunch, receive the community service hours, and can choose a date and time as convenient to them. Those who are good in typing will rewrite the class materials or textbook in braille. Those who are good in reading will read and produce audiobooks for visually impaired students.
Thammasat University is regarded as the first higher education institution to establish “Students with Disabilities Project” to expand educational opportunities for people with disabilities to receive equal education. Thammasat has established Disability Support Services (DSS) Center to ensures that Thammasat is an accessible, equitable, and inclusive learning and living environments for all students with disabilities.
The key access schemes for students with disabilities are such as:
1. Pre-university counseling program, admission and course registration
In addition to the key support and services and accessible facilities that the DSS center at Thammasat University provided, the center has organized a mentoring program called “Pre-university Preparation Program for Students with Disabilities” support and access schemes to help students with disabilities to prepare themselves prior to attending the university. The skills require in their daily life such as using all assistive devices and instructional materials, learning equipment, supporting technologies, accessing to all facilities and dormitory are essential. The “Preparation Program for Students with Disabilities” include the orientation on all university’s facilities, coordinate with faculties, courses registration, how to use learning equipment, computers, internet, audiobooks, how to read braille from computer screens and other electronic supports, and most importantly, what are the facilities, support and services available at the Disability Support Services (DSS) Center.
2. Scholarships, grants, internships, and career mentoring
The students with disabilities that have the disability identification card will receive up to 60,000 baht from the government and up to 70,000 baht if the student study in science-related fields. The money will be used directly only for study fees that the students registered in each year.
The admission program also provides scholarships to students in need. Each year the service center gives around 25 scholarships with 55,000 baht ( approx. US$ 1,600) per year. The students don’t have to pay back to the university, they only have to check in with the service center at least once a week in the first few months and then once a month for the rest of the study years. These check-in session aims to keep track of the students’ study and any other problems being in the university. ทุนการศึกษาโครงการนักศึกษาพิการ ปีการศึกษา 2566
The DSS Center organizes a “mentee meet mentor” program to provide career counseling/mentoring and prepare students with disabilities for the workforce. This program is designed to help current students, soon-to-be graduates, and interested students with disabilities develop their potential, skills, and essential knowledge needed for employment. The goal is to ensure that they are well-equipped and ready in various aspects before applying for jobs
Regarding accommodation, every student with disabilities who wants to stay in the campus will be arranged into the dormitory without any exception. Buddy or volunteer staff (by request) as well as assistive devices matching with their disabilities will be allocated to them.
The admission program also provides scholarships to students in need. Each year the service center gives around 25 scholarships with 55,000 baht ( approx. US$ 1,600) per year which could cover the cost of room and board, depending on the type of scholarship and the terms & conditions.
For dormitory applications at the Rangsit Campus, students can apply online and fill out your details through online registration. Disabled students can fill out the dormitory reservation form with the necessary information so that the appropriate dormitories could be allocated for them.
Students can specify their gender (Gender) according to their preference, and this will not affect the selection process. However, the office will assign dormitories based on the student’s biological gender.
Every student with disabilities in Thammasat has the rights to every assistive device they need. Everyone will receive a laptop computer and a voice recorder. Each student also receives the devices according to their needs. For a blind student, they will receive the white cane. For students with visual impairments, they receive an image enlarging devices. For students with mobility impairment, they can borrow both normal and electric wheelchairs to use for the whole time they study in the university and then return when they graduated. For the students with hearing disability, there are hearing and speaking aids and they also can request a class coordinator from the service center to help communicate with the faculty staff and the teachers. The center also takes care of the maintenance cost of all the devices.
4. Tutoring, buddies, mental counseling and volunteer to support on daily life
Currently, there are English tutoring sessions at the language center available for students with disabilities. A group of volunteers (TU Buddy) that aims to help students with disabilities by giving some tutoring in a specific subject, or any other support such as walking with the students to the building that he or she has never been to, or typing the documents to create the digital version for producing a braille version and even recording for audiobooks. Up until now, there are over 30 volunteers in the program.
The staff of DSS also provides a mental counseling session, talking with the students about their problems, mental, school-related and others.
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5. Instructional and online learning materials
Among all students with disabilities, the students with visual impairment are the group that may experience more difficulties comparing to other groups. Hence, the university has organized several groups of volunteers to produce learning materials for visually impaired students as well as to read books for them. The materials include e-books, audio books and braille books for class materials or textbooks. Instructional materials for courses they take will be provided in the forms that match with their types of disabilities, e.g. braille instructional materials for students with vision impairment, audiobooks for those with hearing impairment, textbooks with enlarged text, textbook files that compatible with the voice-over program. There are 4 recording rooms for audiobooks with staff and volunteers help recording the books.
Volunteers are invited and recruited through Facebook, LINE, and banners advertised around the campus area. The volunteers will receive a free lunch, receive the community service hours, and can choose date and time as convenient to them. Those who are good in typing, will rewrite the class materials or textbook in braille. Those who are good in reading, will read and produce audio books for the visually impaired students.
6. Other supports on rights, freedom and dignity of people with disabilities
The Office of the Constitutional Court, in collaboration with the Disability Support Center of Thammasat University, has organized a training program titled “Constitutional Law Education for People with Disabilities.” The objective of the program is to ensure that students with disabilities in higher education institutions are made aware of their rights, freedoms, and human dignity as guaranteed under the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, B.E. 2560 (2017), with equality. The training was held on Monday, March 13, 2023, at Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus.
The “May I Have Your Hand” Project (Health Promotion Program for People with Disabilities) led by students from the Sports Training Program, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences offered to all students and staffs with disabilities to join the exercise and various recreational activities designed to promote health and well-being for people with disabilities in campus.
To promote the awareness of gender equality, diversity and inclusion, this “All Genders Restroom” project was created. All gender restroom serves as symbolic and practical expression of the equality of all genders, to create awareness and recognition of gender diversity. The restroom for all genders locates at Gymnasium 7 building. For more information, please refer to: All Genders’ Restrooms
Thammasat University is a pioneer in promoting educational opportunities for individuals with disabilities, being the first in Thailand to implement a comprehensive initiative.
Since 2012, the Disability Support Services Center has completed 21 projects to enhance physical accessibility, including ramps and tactile sidewalks.
The university supports 70 students and 14 staff members with disabilities in various roles.
Thammasat University was honored with the ‘Accessible Place 2023’ excellent award during the International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2023.
Key improvements include elevators with braille buttons and voice announcements and dormitory upgrades with grab rails for safety.
Thammasat University is a leader in promoting educational opportunities for individuals with disabilities in Thailand. As the first higher education institution to implement a comprehensive initiative in this area, the university currently supports 70 students and 14 staff members with disabilities, serving in various roles such as technical officers, analysts, practitioners, and educators.
Aligning with the SDG 10 “Reduce Inequality”, the university has implemented structural improvements across various areas such as adapted its EV Shuttle Bus system on campus to be fully accessible for wheelchair users and remodeled buildings to meet universal design standards, with the construction and renovation of ramps, restrooms, parking spaces, signage, and classrooms, all aimed at making life easier and more inclusive for everyone especially people with disabilities.
Accessible facilities for people with disabilities at Thammasat University:
Thammasat University was honored with the ‘Accessible Place 2023’ excellent award during the International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2023. This recognition was given by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, in collaboration with the Association of Persons with Disabilities Council of Thailand. Thammasat University was the only organization to receive the highest-level award this year.
Facilities and building renovations (ramps, parking space and walkway) with “universal design” concepts
Since 2012, the Disability Support Services Center has been dedicated to transforming the university into a “universal design” environment, ensuring equal access for all community members. Currently, more than 25 projects have been completed which include the improvement of the facilities for the students with disabilities such as ramps, accessible toilets, handicap parking, signs, braille block on sidewalks for visually impaired students, elevators, etc. The renovation of the elevators in several faculties are done by adding braille numbering buttons and voice announcements, the additional supports in the dormitory such as holding rails in bathroom, kitchen sink and closet.
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Other examples are at the Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Social Sciences and Faculty of Sciences. All elevators are specially designed to accommodate students with disabilities by adding braille numbering buttons and voice announcements. Braille map is available for visually impaired students.
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Dormitory and ramps for wheelchairs
Regarding accommodation, every student with disabilities who wants to stay in the campus will be arranged into the dormitory without any exception. Buddy or volunteer staff (by request) as well as assistive devices matching with their disabilities will be allocated to them.Dormitory Reservation for Students with Disabilities_Thammasat University Rangsit Campus
For dormitory applications at the Rangsit Campus, students can apply online and fill out your details through online registration. Disabled students can fill out the dormitory reservation form with the necessary information so that the appropriate dormitories could be allocated for them.
Students can specify their gender (Gender) according to their preference, and this will not affect the selection process. However, the office will assign dormitories based on the student’s biological gender.
The Thammasat University Property and Sports Management Office follows the international standard of “Universal Design,” which aims to make spaces fully usable and equally accessible to everyone, particularly individuals with disabilities or mobility challenges. This concept, often referred to as “Accessible Architecture,” ensures that all areas managed by the office are designed to promote fairness and equality for everyone, regardless of their physical abilities. Ramps are constructed in all dormitory buildings for those who use wheelchairs.
Library with ramps and blind blocks
The Thammasat University Library prioritizes all user groups, including individuals with disabilities or impairments. It has installed walkways for the visually impaired and ramps for wheelchair users, allowing them to access the library and learning center. Additionally, the spaces between bookshelves are wide enough for wheelchair users to independently find books. หอสมุดป๋วยฯและศูนย์การเรียนรู้ฯ จัดทำทางเดินสำหรับผู้พิการทางสายตาและทางลาด (Aug, 2023)
Ramps are available at the side and front entrance of Puey Library, and front & rear entrance of the Learning Center. For the visually impaired, blind blocks have been installed from the library entrance to the interior, including up to the study rooms or meeting rooms.
Restroom for disabilities
The Puey Ungphakorn Library has renovated its restroom facilities for individuals with disabilities to promote equal access to amenities and ensure fairness for all users, located on the 1st floor.
Museum and Exhibition for Visually Impaired Persons
One of the key “universal design” projects is the external and internal building structure of museums to facilitate blind visitors such as elevator and braille block. For exhibition design, sound and touch were used as means to present and describe objects in the exhibition. The audio description is the basic source of data that museums provided to blind visitors through individual guide or audio guide. The sound and touch in the exhibition allow blind people to increasingly gain information and participate in the museums.
Service center common room
The service center also provides other miscellaneous services like the office area for the staff and the common room for the students. There are 4 recording rooms, 28 computers set with the screen reader program, and the image enlarging devices for the staff to produce the instructional media. The service center opens Monday through Saturday exclusively for students with disabilities. Students can use the common room for both academic purposes and for relaxing in their leisure time.
For more information regarding the accessible facilities for people with disabilities, please refer to:
Political Science Association, Thammasat University, together with the Governor of Khon Kaen Province, gave houses to the poor and underpriviledged people of Ban Na Kham Noi, Village No. 3, Wang Hin Lat Subdistrict, Chum Phae District, Khon Kaen Province. The Political Science Association donate funds for the amount of 100,000 baht to support the home renovation project for Chum Phae District on September 10, 2022. With the additional support from the military engineers from Mahasak Phonsep Camp, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion and other local volunteers, the total funds raised were 133,000 baht which could complete the renovation of two houses in Chum Phae District.
Thammasat University has appointed The Board of Directors for the Disability Support Services since the launch of the Disability Support Service Center in 2005. The board is responsible for planning, recommending, supervising the operations of the Disability Support Service Center, improving the physical environment and managing the allocation of funding to maximize the benefits of students with disabilities.
With the recognition of freedom for student’s gender identity and student uniforms, in June 2020, Thammasat University announced a guideline for non-discriminatory treatment toward LGBTIQN+ students and how they dress. This guideline allows the students to behave and dress in accordance with their gender, even in the graduation ceremony. It also prohibits actions of harassment, discrimination, bullying or any form of harassments. If one infringes or discriminates, there will be disciplinary actions.
Thammasat want to emphasize the importance of non-discrimination for transgender and think that this should be a policy to provide equal rights for everyone regardless of their genders. We believe that this will be the beginning of the message to the society that everyone has a right to dress according to what they are comfortable as long as they are abided by the same rules and dress politely and appropriately for their settings.
As for the previous guidelines, the rules did not allow students to dress according to their genders. The regulation is now addressed and give permission to students to be able to dress and wear graduation gowns to fit their gender identities.
Continue to recognize the importance of equality and the pursue of diversity and inclusion, the Office of Registrar, Thammasat University, allowed students to specify their gender in their personal history and graduation record with an additional “other” gender field, in addition to just the male and female fields like before. Understanding the rights of LGBT+ and the recognition of more than two genders are therefore very important for educational institutions. สำนักทะเบียนมหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์ เปิดให้นักศึกษาได้สามารถระบุเพศตัวเองในประวัติส่วนตัว (2022) Non-discrimination campaigns (Jun,2022)
Thammasat University established “Sexual Safety and Sexual Awareness Promotion Board” in 2019 to regulate and manage all issues related to sexual safety and gender equality. Practice Guidelines for Sexual Molestation or Harassment Prevention and Solution was issued covering the definitions of sexual molestation or harassment, characteristics of inappropriate behaviors considered as sexual molestation or harassment, scope of victim protection, place of incident and feeling of victim, appropriate steps in case of potential sexual molestation or harassment, the process in petitioning a complaint about sexual abuse or harassment, and the measures for petitioner and witness protection.
In the year 2022, the Office of Registrar, Thammasat University, allowed students to specify their gender in their personal history and graduation record with an additional “other” gender field, in addition to just the male and female fields like before. Understanding the rights of LGBT+ and the recognition of more than two genders are therefore very important for educational institutions. สำนักทะเบียนมหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์ เปิดให้นักศึกษาได้สามารถระบุเพศตัวเองในประวัติส่วนตัว (2022)
Another example is the “Graduate Scholarship Program for Excellent Foreign Students” by Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology which grants scholarships to “low income” foreign students with academic excellence to allow access to international university’s education. In 2020, there were EFS students from Cambodia, Indonesia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. Thammasat University also has several scholarship programs for low-income students in the rural areas of Thailand.
In academic year 2022, Thammasat University continued to offer the admission programs specifically for two underrepresented groups, namely, (1) “White Elephant Program”: poor-but-well-performing students from rural areas and from Bangkok, and (2) “Deep South Program”: poor-but-well-performing students from three deep southern provinces. The admitted students were provided with full or partial scholarships. The White Elephant Program provides 285 positions for rural poor students (from the 38 provinces) and 65 positions for urban poor students (from Bangkok). Fifty full scholarships and 100 partial scholarships are provided. For the Deep South Program, 9 positions with full scholarship are offered.
The students who would be eligible for this program must be from low income household (such as farming or wage laborer households, or low-level government staff), whose total annual income (income of parents and those who pay for educational expenditure) is no more than 240,000 baht/year (estimated 6,500 US Dollar)
The eligible students must also be registered in the 38 provinces as follows: (1) Central region (8 provinces) – Ang Thong, Singburi, Chainat, Lopburi, Suphanburi, Ratchaburi, Karnchanaburi, Prachuab Kiri Khan; (2) Eastern region (3 provinces) – Prachinburi, Srakaew, Trad; (3) Northern region (9 provinces) – Lumpang, Tak, Sukhothai, Nan, Phrae, Phayao, Uttradit, Chiangrai, Mae Hong Sorn; (4) Northeastern region (15 provinces) – Udorn Thani, Nong Bua Lampoo, Sakonnakorn, Yasothorn, Mukdaharn, Amnart Chareon, Burirum, Surin, Sri Saket, Nakornphanom, Kalasin, Mahasarakham, Nakorn Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Ubon Ratchthani, (5) Southern region (3 provinces) – Ranong, Trang and Pattalung. For the Deep South Program, the provinces include Yala, Narathiwat, Pattani.
