| 4. In which ways is the initiative creative and innovative?
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DEP implemented the initiatives through Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) and holistic approach for disability development in living daily life by providing accessibilities throughout the cycle.
Planning and implementation process in 2014: A Universal Design (UD) approach had been introduced at policies based and area based level through brainstorming meetings in policy planning, budget allocation for concrete action.
Communication and public relation in 2014 : DEP had communicated the initiatives in 2 levels; policy level by introducing Thailand Accessible Community Model : KOH KRED as New Year Gift from the government in 2014, and operation level, people have better understanding from the very beginning.
Research and analysis in 2015: DEP works collaboratively with relevant stakeholders such as the Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University in making research for socio-cultural and economic structure of community including fact finding for environmental modification.
Participatory Action Research in 2015: community leaders and people in the community worked as partnership with the public and private sectors in development.
Designing UD Environment and Evaluation in 2015, environmental modification has been designed in line with people’s opinion. The operation was supported by municipalities such as modification of floating landings, ramps and boats and the process monitoring and evaluation.
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| 5. Who implemented the initiative and what is the size of the population affected by this initiative?
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The project administer is the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. The initiative is one of the significance policies of the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. The ministry works closely with research units for appropriate environment for elderly and persons with disabilities, Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University, Koh Kred municipality, local administration and Koh Kred people.
Direct impact: Koh Kred Local Administration Area, has a population of 5,722 people consisting of 2,629 males, 3,093 females, 218 persons with disabilities, 989 elderly people whereby elderly and persons with disabilities are the first group facing difficulties when traveling.
Indirect impact: Koh Kred is one of the tourist attractions of Nonthaburi province. The initiative has a major impact on 17,000 persons with disabilities living in Nonthaburi province and 600,000 tourists/year to be able to travel freely and to be able to work independently.
The initiative also has a major impact by raising awareness on environmental modification for equal access of elderly and persons with disabilities.
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| 6. How was the strategy implemented and what resources were mobilized?
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The DEP implemented the project through a holistic approach for disability development in living daily life by providing improved accessibility from primary level up until final level. The initiative covered throughout the cycle. The Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) techniques had been adapted for concrete action to support persons with disabilities independent living and social inclusion.
Planning and implementation process through brainstorming meeting in policy planning, budget allocation for concrete action. DEP is responsible for budget allocation and public relation at policy and area based level. Academic institution is responsible for research and survey at community level. Koh Kred municipality and local government are responsible for construction and environmental modification. Whereby representatives of civil society organizations and persons with disabilities are asked for opinions, suggestions and monitoring and evaluation. The strategy that had been adopted is a role model for people of all age, sex and groups especially the most vulnerable group; persons with disabilities, elderly, women and children to be able to travel safely and same as other members of society. The Thailand Accessible Community Model: KOH KRED was promoted to be a New Year Gift from the government in 2014. It gave a strong impact to Koh Kred people and relevant agencies that there is high political commitment to make the project sustainable.
Communication and public relations are at core function both at policy and area based level. With communication, people will have better understanding from the very beginning up until final process. Communication can also set paradigm shift towards persons with disabilities and create better understanding of the challenges persons with disabilities faced in traveling around Koh Kred. The key important strategy is how DEP worked closely with the media especially persons with disabilities who are in the media to survey Koh Kred and share knowledge with Koh Kred’s people from project startup until project’s experiment throughout completion of the project.
Procedure and Systematic analysis through brainstorming approach between relevant stakeholders by using participatory action research (PAR) methodology. The analysis was made orderly and was accepted by people in community. The content of the research mainly focused on the real situation faced by people especially persons with disabilities in community and what lead to the achievement is participatory approach and teamwork.
On the other hand CQI technique allowed development in every step of the project and lead to consultation among the team which lead to sustainability of project which later on was expanded across the country.
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| 7. Who were the stakeholders involved in the design of the initiative and in its implementation?
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The relevant stakeholder of the initiative can be divided into 3 groups:
1. Key stakeholder :
- People who live around Pak Kred pier who will be benefit from public space those are accessible and increasing number of tourists and persons with disabilities who travel to Koh Kred. Construction was operated during the night time throughout the project in order to avoid the effects on daily life of people living around the area.
- People who live in Koh Kred especially the area that is connected to pier and floating landing. After the construction, they can travel by land or by river freely and safely.
2. Primary stakeholder
- Porramaiyikawat temple which is a major of tourist attraction in Koh Kred and the construction area. The construction will somehow have an effect on tourism.
- Boat entrepreneurs
3. Secondary stakeholder which are all relevant agencies such as
- Policy level : Working group had been set up between related ministry such as Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Sports and Tourism, Ministry of Health, private sector, disable people’s organization to implement the initiative and expanded it to local level through law enforcement.
- Operational level: Working group had been set up between Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Department of Tourism, Faculty of Architecture Chulalongkorn University, Nonthaburi province, Amphoe Pak Kred, Nonthaburi province Disabled People’s Organization to work collaboratively in providing accessibilities and monitor and evaluate progress of the project.
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| 8. What were the most successful outputs and why was the initiative effective?
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The target of this initiative is to have universal design access for people of all ages, gender and status including persons with disabilities, elderly, children, women, and patient at rehabilitation phrase. After its completion, the initiative could lead to the following achievements:
1. A n-handicapping environment for all throughout the cycle such as ramp from Pak Kred pier and s at bus stops, signposts, toilets at pier, ramps at floating landing, etc. 55 area of construction in total. Whereas in Koh Kred, 90 areas was identified to be renovate to support universal design project such as information board, hall, and housing modification. The construction is somehow designed to be in line with the old tradition of the community such as brown/orange hall to match with pottery which is the product of Koh Kred.
2. Accessibilities items at Pak Kred pier and Koh Kred are universal design and are designed to meet the standard as indicated by law. Persons with disabilities also had an experiment before final construction in order to ensure that accessibilities item are effective.
3. Attitude of family of persons with disabilities in community towards persons with disabilities was changed positively. From the stigma that persons with disabilities are to stay at home and lack of knowledge on rights and welfare. After the construction, persons with disabilities are able to travel freely and access to rights and welfare.
4. Public relation enhance awareness on disability and lead to number of tourists and persons with disabilities travel into and out of Koh Kred to participate in social activity.
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| 9. What were the main obstacles encountered and how were they overcome?
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1. People in community initially misunderstood on the project concept. After explaining by DEP through media, people understood the project concept which increased a sense of belonging and became a partner of the initiatives with related stakeholders.
2. Identification of role model areas especially piers. There are a number of piers around the Koh Kred area but mostly the popular piers for tourists belonging to the private sector. Closing down for construction may take time and lead to economic recession. Therefore, the research team carefully identified role models in the area which have least effects to solve the problem.
3. Unwillingness to involve of boat entrepreneurs and people in community for this project because of investment and income concerns. The solution is to conduct a public hearing and discussions on these issues with stakeholders consisting of academic, Nonthaburi and Pakkred leaders, and local organization offices, monks, temple committees, and ferry owners.
4. Negative attitudes and Karma believes of people in the community towards persons with disabilities still strongly exist. During the initial period, the field visit from DEP and media changed mindset and acknowledged people in community regarding difficulties and benefits of this project. TV channels are the other method that had been implied on the tourism.
5. Provided accessibility does not meet the basic needs of all types of disabilities. According to this, DEP is aware of the fact that most of the modification in the past were for only wheelchair users. Consequently, the initiative is designed to meet requirement of all 7 types of disabilities.
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