Sai and Luther left Thailand on Thursday for the US where Sai will enrol in an intensive course of life skills training for the blind before going on to graduate school.
Sai is Kirin Techawongtham, my daughter, and Luther is her guide dog. They had returned to Thailand for a short stay after Sai graduated from college.
Their return, which was supposed to be a period of rest before graduate school, unexpectedly turned into a whirlwind of activities in a campaign to spread awareness about the rights of the disabled.
To many people, the disabled are almost like a different breed. They look different, their way of living is different, their needs are different and they enjoy life differently.
While they do not live in isolation, the disabled often maintain few friendships within the able-bodied community. It's almost like they are a diaspora in their own country.
The relative lack of contact between the two populations means that meaningful communication is few and far between and any misconceptions are left uncorrected.
When Sai and Luther returned five months ago, we were looking forward to a family reunion of relaxation and fun. However, a series of events, right from the moment they set foot on Thai soil, forced our attention to a different issue.
Luther, a black Labrador, became the main focus. Or, rather, whether he was to be accepted in public spaces was the question from which related issues evolved.
After being frustrated by denials of service and entry to places that are open to the general public, Sai opened a Facebook page "My name is Luther" or Phom chue Luther in Thai.
Being the only guide dog to live in the country, Luther became a curiosity. This fact allowed Sai to tell the story of their life together. The whirlwind slowly formed after she released an open letter, imploring operators of public establishments, such as shopping centres, restaurants, hotels and so on, to open their minds and allow them access.
The letter soon caught media attention and a series of interviews and appearances, including an audience with Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn, led to an explosion of public interest.
Before we knew it, "My name is Luther" had gone viral, with the number of followers shooting up from 100 to 100,000 in a matter of weeks; it now stands at 176K.
A great number of followers are drawn to the page because of their love for dogs and cats. They are eager to learn about Luther's conduct as a non-pet and guide dog. His self-control and ability to remain calm in chaotic situations astonish them.
They could not imagine Luther in the passenger compartment alongside Sai when they fly. Even more astounding to them was his ability to remain unseen and unheard and not make a mess for the entire duration, which on the recent US-Thailand trip amounted to 30 hours.
But curiosity aside, these followers were also inevitably drawn to Sai's life as the sole blind person with a guide dog in Thailand. How do they know where to go and how to get there? What kinds of obstacles do they run into and how do they deal with them?
Sai and her mum, who helps run the page, answered all these questions and more through posts and live broadcasts and various media interviews.
Sai's normal appearance betrays her blindness. That and her articulateness helped to get her message across and start conversations on the issue of disabled rights among people on and off her Facebook page.
In a sense, Sai has become the face of the Thai disabled community. Aware of her public status, Sai carefully and calmly addresses the negative aspects of her disabiliy and emphasises the positive ones.
The only difference between the disabled and the rest of us is their disability, she says. The disabled need opportunities and certain structural changes to alleviate difficulties and lead a more normal life. This should be something that we can all agree upon and strive for.
I'm happy to say that her campaign has started to bear fruit. Thai people, in general, are open-minded and compassionate insofar as the disabled go. They are willing to learn about people with different physical abilities if there is effective communication.
More and more establishments have expressed willingness to allow Sai and Luther access just like for ordinary people. Even better, some have solicited Sai's advice on how to improve their premises for the disabled.
Unfortunately, some corporate establishments continue to deny them their rights, including one franchise of a well-known American company. This is despite the fact that it is clearly stated in the disability law that guide dogs must be allowed wherever publicly accessible.
Needless to say, such discriminatory practices would not have been tolerated had they happened in the US or elsewhere in the developed world.
On a positive note, Sai and Luther's campaign has demonstrated that positive change can occur if there are effective media and channels of communication, slow though it may be.