RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB
After two near-fatal traffic accidents, a one-time actor has devoted himself to helping the disabled find meaningful work
From a farang-looking showbiz sweetheart who starred in a soap opera, television commercials and music videos 17 years back, today Christopher Benjakul is selling bread. “These days I spend most of my time here at the bakery, doing almost everything,” said Christopher, referring to 60 Plus Bakery, operated by the Asia-Pacific Development Centre On Disability (APCD), where he also serves as a public relations officer.
The 40 year old is no ordinary bread seller. Working at and promoting the bakery, Christopher is an advocate for public awareness of the rights of those with disabilities, which is in fact the idea behind 60 Plus Bakery. Opened last December to mark the 60th birthday of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, 60 Plus is a collaboration between APCD, Japan-born baking company Yamazaki, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Japanese government, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and other allies.
60 Plus has 22 employees, all with disabilities. The majority have autism and intellectual impairment or hearing disabilities. In a way, the bakery functions as a training centre for them. If, after around six months, they’re qualified based on working standards established by Yamazaki, they’ll be accepted as staff and transferred to a branch near their home.
Christopher said he arrives at the shop every day at around 6am and might have to stay until 8pm if there are lots of orders. But despite such tedious working hours, he admitted this is the job that makes him truly happy. Apart from handling routine tasks at the bakery, Christopher also greets customers — many of whom learned about this place from the recent Facebook post of customer Pinhathai Nunuan sharing the feel-good story of Christopher himself. Yet his charm and sense of humour might be the secret behind the escalating sales.
The former TV personality would not be here if not for a road accident that took place in Hua Hin when he was 23 years old and on his rise to stardom. While on his way back to Bangkok with friends, Christopher saw two people lying on the road, badly injured from their motorcycle accident. He got out of his car to help.
While sitting on the hard shoulder, Christopher was hit right from behind by another motorbike, whose rider was intoxicated. The clash threw him metres in the air, where his head hit a concrete utility pole. He suffered a severe brain injury, and Christopher spent three years in the hospital.
That, unfortunately, was not all. He fell victim to another road accident 12 years ago, leaving him with a badly broken leg. He had a metal plate implant for three years.
All this forced him to call it quits as an entertainment figure. He decided to resume his education at the School of Communication Arts, Assumption University, majoring in advertising. After graduation, he worked in several businesses — motorcycle insurance, floristry, local cable TV, marketing. Then he was unemployed for two years before being approached by the APCD.
“My job at the APCD is to be responsible for training as well as doing paperwork,” he said. “I really am not picky when it comes to jobs. I was once thinking I wanted to be a taxi driver, but my knowledge of routes in Bangkok is quite limited.”
With his experience applying for jobs, Christopher believes Thailand falls short of awareness when it comes to career opportunities for people with disabilities. It’s a sad truth, he said, that many organisations still cling to the attitude that people with physical or intellectual impairment have no potential to work and live with normal people.
“Many Thais still do not recognise the rights of people with disabilities,” he added. “I once applied for the position of creative [designer] at an ad company. Back then I still had to walk with a crutch. When I arrived at the interview, the staff asked me if I would be capable of working there. I was branded handicapped because I used a crutch.
“What if you get old and need support? Will you call yourself handicapped too? I threw the application form into the bin and told them their company did not deserve to have a person like myself working for them.”
As an advocate on behalf of people with physical and intellectual impairment, Christopher said Thais still need considerable education as to what the disabled are capable of.
“If you’re to give people with disabilities a career opportunity, you must learn to get the right people into the right jobs. The hearing-impaired, for example, can make bread but they’re definitely not able to take orders at restaurants. Failing to do so affects not just your organisation but the dignity and self-confidence of the disabled.”
After two major accidents that left him bedridden for years, today Christopher’s brain fully functions. He can drive, speak, and do things like everybody else. Though he still walks with a limp — a result of his previous leg injury and vigorous use of muscles in his everyday life — Christopher does not fully define himself as a person with a disability. Whether he knows it or not, he is today a beacon of hope for the able-bodied and disabled alike. “We should fight no matter what,” he said. “Especially people with disabilities — they must never give up. Look around for opportunities and they’ll certainly find things that are right for them. While they maintain their strength to live on, society should also stop discriminating against them. These people cannot be overlooked. On the contrary, they can become a valuable part of this society if they’re put into the right place doing the right thing.”