Irish eyes smile on abandoned toddlers

The reason the Scott family from Northern Ireland chose to adopt an abandoned Thai child with severe developmental disabilities is quite simple. "If we didn't, no one else would," Colin Scott said.

The Scott family during a visit to Government House yesterday. Colin Scott holds his adopted Thai daughter, Jindarat, while his wife, Vivien, holds Saichon. APICHIT JINAKUL

Mr Scott and his wife Vivien have two biological sons but also take care of two adopted daughters from Thailand, Jindarat, 8, and Saichon, 7. The girls, from different mothers, were abandoned and lived in foster care before being adopted.

The Scotts are no different from other families who joined the Native Land Visitation Programme, organised by the Department of Public Welfare, other than that Saichon suffers from cerebral palsy.

Saichon was born with the developmental disability and abandoned. When she was four, her misfortune took a turn for the better when the Scott family came into her life.

Mr Scott said the first time he saw Saichon, her condition was worse than it is today and she could not walk. But the Scotts took her to Northern Ireland, where she received treatment and was sent to a special school.

Her overall development has gradually improved.

The Scotts say there is nothing more important than love and good care from a family.

"We love her, and my sons also love her," said Mr Scott, 43, who works for the Northern Ireland government.

"We are lucky to have her as part of our family."

Sign language is used to communicate with Saichon.

For example, she curves her hand into the shape of a rainbow when she wants to speak.

Mr Scott said caring for Saichon was hard work. Some nights she does not sleep well, cries and is afraid of the dark, but this was not a big problem.

"I do not get tired of looking after her," he said. "My family is quite big, so there are a lot of people to help me take care of her."

The Native Land Visitation Programme is held every three years to give children adopted by foreigners and their new families a chance to visit the country to experience Thai culture and traditions. This year, 100 adoptive families made up of 362 people from 14 countries joined the programme which ends on Saturday.

Public Welfare Department director-general Panita Kampu Na Ayudhya said abandoned children were given help to find their real parents. If that failed, adoptive families from other countries were considered.

Since the Child Adoption Act came into force in 1965, about 82,000 abandoned children have been adopted by Thai families and 10,000 by overseas families.

The three countries adopting the most Thai children are the US, France and Germany.