Thai PWDs grab 8 medals at Int'l Abilympics

BANGKOK, March 28 (TNA) - Thailand's persons with disabilities (PWDs) have won a total of eight medals, including one gold, at the 9th International Abilympics in France's Bordeaux City. The Thai representatives competed with contestants from 39 countries around the world and won one gold, three silver and four bronze medals to the nation from the International Abilympics 2016, scheduled for March 25-26. The gold medal went to Viriyawat Tuiram for his excellent inventions from wastes, while other Thai PWDs grabbed the three silvers for the nation for pottery, computer architecture design and poster design and the four bronzes for knitting, inventions from wastes, drawing and basic electronic circuit assemble. The Thai medalists, who returned home on Monday morning amid a warm welcome by officials concerned, as well as his relatives and friends at Thailand's Suvarnabhumi International Aiports, would receive a cash reward of 300,000 baht for the gold medal, 200,000 baht each for the silvers and 100,000 baht each for the bronzes, while those with consolation prizes would get a cash reward of 30,000 baht each. Kreetha Sopchoke, Director-General of Department of Skill Development, under the Thai Ministry of Labour, expressed his satisfaction with the Thai contestants' performances, announcing that his department would find jobs for the winning PWDs as soon as possible. The gold-medalist, meanwhile, expressed his happiness for winning the top prize as he had hoped, saying that he would use the experience gained from the international competition to introduce more inventions from wastes to earn his own living and extended his thankfulness to the public for their support, proclaiming that the gold medal is for the whole nation. (TNA)