The Redemptorist School for the Blind Pattaya was founded in 1986 by two key figures: Father Ray Brennan, the Director of Social Welfare at the Redemptorist Center in Pattaya, and Mrs. Aurora Sribuapun, a blind civil servant and the school's first principal, who dedicated herself as a volunteer for the Redemptorist Foundation of Thailand.
As the only school for the blind in the eastern region, the Redemptorist School for the Blind Pattaya began its classes on May 18, 1987. It initially operated out of a single building on a little over 1 rai of land, generously provided by the Salesian Foundation. The school officially came under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Private Education Commission in 1991. Later, due to a growing number of students, it became necessary to expand operations. The Pattaya Cemetery Association permitted the school to use 3 rai and 3 ngan of land in Soi 16, Pattaya-Naklua Road, completely rent-free. The Redemptorist congregation then constructed the current facilities, which include a 4-story school building, an auditorium, a cafeteria, and essential public utilities.
The school moved to this current location on May 14, 1992. It received the royal grace of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, who presided over the official unveiling of the school's sign on June 17, 1993, and officially accepted the school under her royal patronage on June 2, 2004.
Educational Information
"The Redemptorist School for the Blind Pattaya accepts visually impaired children aged 3–20 years old, providing tailored education from kindergarten through the third year of junior high school (Grade 9) based on each child's aptitude. Here... we do not just teach academics; we also provide life skills training, physical rehabilitation, vocational training, music, and sports, empowering the children to grow up with confidence and live their lives just like anyone else."
"Because we firmly believe that... no one wants to be a burden on society, if only they are given the right 'opportunities' from the very beginning of their lives."
Today, up to 96% of blind people in Thailand still lack these opportunities. "Redemptorist" (Phra Mahathai) represents a place or an initiative established to help the underprivileged, which includes the Redemptorist School for the Blind Pattaya. What the blind receive from this place encompasses education, rehabilitation, and training in vocations, music, sports, and various other skills—equipping the visually impaired to function and thrive just like normally sighted people.
