Panya Cafe paves jobs path for handicapped

Customers sense it as soon as they walk in the door and are greeted by Special Barista Thakolrat “Jin” Prongsuwan. The feeling is pride. 
From Monday until Thursday, you can find this cheerful and diligent 27-year-old man making brews carefully calibrated to the preferences of each customer.
Thakolrat has Down syndrome.
But that doesn’t stop him from remembering how each and every drink served here is made.
“I love making coffees. I can remember all the recipes for the items on the menu. I’m happy to get to work and earn a salary. I want to save money to use when I am sick so I can pay the doctor,” Thakolrat says, smiling. 

Working alongside him is 52-year-old Weerayuth “Boy” Lothongphetch, whose job is to help serve coffees, clear tables, wash dishes and buy provisions.
“I’m good at serving coffees,” says Weerayuth, who has autism. “I’m happy to meet and talk with people,” he adds, while clearing away cups to leave tables shining for new customers. 
The duo keeps this special cafe up and running smoothly under the close supervision of their coach from the Foundation for the Welfare of the Mentally Impaired. 
The cafe, open daily from 8am to 4pm since February, is the foundation’s pilot project. The foundation’s aim is to get more people with disabilities into work. Currently only one in four has a job. 
Panya Cafe provides an opportunity for people with intellectual impairments to work in environments tailored to their needs and earn money to take care of themselves, says foundation president Saisom Wongsasulak. The foundation boasts 10 centres across the country to help care for and provide assistance to people aged five to 50 living with intellectual disabilities.
The goal is to help prepare people to take care of themselves and develop vocational skills so as to be accepted by their families and society, Saisom explains. The cafe, for example, grew from a roadside stall selling coffees and drinks in front of Punyawuthikorn School in Chatuchak district in 2015. 
Thakolrat was a staff member at the stall. He did very well at preparing coffee for customers, and so was trained up over the past few years to be the Special Barista at Panya cafe, she says.

The cafe also sells cookies made by the foundation’s children with intellectual disabilities.
“When teaching children and youths with intellectual disabilities, you must repeat the lessons over and over so they can remember. They are honest people who won’t cheat and are willing to work hard in performing their duty,” Saisom says.
Thakolrat and Weerayuth each receive a monthly salary of Bt9,125 and split the income from tips to cover their daily expenses. 
“We’ve received good feedback in the past five months since the opening,” says Saisom.
The cafe generates revenue of Bt20,000-Bt30,000 per month. 
Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon has joined in the effort, with its Faculty of Home Economics Technology training the foundation’s youths to make the “Chotiwet” signature cookie, says university president Supatra Kosaiyakanont.
Inspired by the cafe’s success, the foundation recently instructed its 10 centres nationwide to train more people with intellectual disabilities, so that yet more special cafes could be opened, employing Special Baristas like Thakolrat.
Arming them with new vocational skills is an important first step in boosting the employment ratio for those with disabilities in Thailand.