When life is perceived as a journey, each person has a unique narrative to share. It's always a good thing to explore new places and get to know new people. On a recent media trip to Hong Kong, I had the pleasure of meeting blind talent Sophon "Toffy" Thapklong, who always spreads his unfailing optimism.
In recent years, he and his fellow travel blogger Worachat "Cheang" Thamrongvarangkul have worked to create meaningful content that helps people comprehend how to treat those who are impaired without making judgements on their appearance. They aim to demonstrate that blind people can go to a bar, visit different locations, drink alcohol or even use rude words. They don't feel confined or hopeless all the time. Just like us, they have similar lifestyles.
When I initially found out that there would be a blind person travelling with us, I couldn't help but wonder how we ought to interact with him. We stayed in touch via a Line chat group, and since he could quickly write messages to respond to us, I figured he might not be fully blind in his eyes. Like many others, I was unaware of a smart program that can make it easier for the blind to read and type messages both on a mobile phone or a computer.
When we first arrived in Hong Kong, we started our sightseeing trip by riding the iconic Ngong Ping cable car to explore Lantau Island from all angles. In addition to seeing the famed Po Lin Monastery, which is renowned for its exceptional architectural art, we had a stroll through the Ngong Ping Village, which serves as a retail and amusement venue.
After that, Toffy and Cheang decided to split from our group and hastened to the Big Buddha, which is perched on the summit of Mount Muk Yue. They said that because they needed to take more time than others, they did not want to be a burden. Surprisingly, it took them only 30 minutes to get there and look around the monument, which is 10-15 minutes faster than my friend and I took.
Toffy walked without a pole as Cheang served as his navigator. Cheang let Toffy grasp his arm while he described the surroundings, including the layout of several buildings, pathways, the ambience and the activities of the people there. Toffy lost his sight at the age of eight due to an allergy to a drug that damaged his optic nerve. That explains why his behaviour seems to be that of a regular person with a greater understanding of things. It's easier for him to imagine since he used to see.
Dinnertime seemed to be the best time of the day for us to start chatting and discussing our jobs while we were waiting for our meal. Toffy and Cheang described how they first met and became friends before letting us see how they created a video clip that captured their entire experience. Although they did not have scripts and merely wanted to reflect their daily lives, their amusing dialogue made us all laugh.
Cheang liked to joke that since they usually walked side by side, everyone on the island might think that Toffy was his husband. Sometimes, we helped dice up some meat, eggs or sausages so that Toffy could easily eat it on his own.
Toffy did not seem embarrassed when he struggled to scoop and eat some food smoothly or needed our assistance. All he asked was for us to treat him normally. In fact, it seemed as though we were helping a friend whose hands or legs are hurt.
One of our travel companions said that she went to the Bangkok School for the Blind in order to narrate audiobooks, but in reality, the pupils came to talk to her and were more interested in her personal life. Toffy explained that the reason is because the blind enjoy it when we talk about our true experiences. They prefer to understand what is happening in the world rather than learning from textbooks.
Toffy can sing very well since he is a performer with street dance skills. He needed to know about anatomy, so he spent more time than other students understanding how to move by touching his teacher's body with his hands.
He said that it's challenging, but he likes it. Some people with good eyesight find it difficult to dance because they just don't know how to count or capture rhythms. After hearing his story, I couldn't help but wonder how far this man could go if he didn't lose his sight.
We spent a few days travelling around the island and engaging in many activities before our trip came to an end in Hong Kong Disneyland, where we all experienced thrilling rides and attractions. Toffy was one of the survivors and had a lot of fun, although some of our companions felt sick and dizzy. Toffy explained that despite his inability to see, he can sense the speed and environment.
When the sky darkened, we witnessed a colourful light, sound and mapping performance with lavish fireworks. To assist Toffy in visualising what was occurring, we helped describe every scene and character.
While Cheang learns how to take care of others through his encounter with Toffy, I learned from him that everyone experiences hardship and has different life circumstances. We should practise thinking positively, which is important.
In recent years, he and his fellow travel blogger Worachat "Cheang" Thamrongvarangkul have worked to create meaningful content that helps people comprehend how to treat those who are impaired without making judgements on their appearance. They aim to demonstrate that blind people can go to a bar, visit different locations, drink alcohol or even use rude words. They don't feel confined or hopeless all the time. Just like us, they have similar lifestyles.
When I initially found out that there would be a blind person travelling with us, I couldn't help but wonder how we ought to interact with him. We stayed in touch via a Line chat group, and since he could quickly write messages to respond to us, I figured he might not be fully blind in his eyes. Like many others, I was unaware of a smart program that can make it easier for the blind to read and type messages both on a mobile phone or a computer.
When we first arrived in Hong Kong, we started our sightseeing trip by riding the iconic Ngong Ping cable car to explore Lantau Island from all angles. In addition to seeing the famed Po Lin Monastery, which is renowned for its exceptional architectural art, we had a stroll through the Ngong Ping Village, which serves as a retail and amusement venue.
After that, Toffy and Cheang decided to split from our group and hastened to the Big Buddha, which is perched on the summit of Mount Muk Yue. They said that because they needed to take more time than others, they did not want to be a burden. Surprisingly, it took them only 30 minutes to get there and look around the monument, which is 10-15 minutes faster than my friend and I took.
Toffy walked without a pole as Cheang served as his navigator. Cheang let Toffy grasp his arm while he described the surroundings, including the layout of several buildings, pathways, the ambience and the activities of the people there. Toffy lost his sight at the age of eight due to an allergy to a drug that damaged his optic nerve. That explains why his behaviour seems to be that of a regular person with a greater understanding of things. It's easier for him to imagine since he used to see.
Dinnertime seemed to be the best time of the day for us to start chatting and discussing our jobs while we were waiting for our meal. Toffy and Cheang described how they first met and became friends before letting us see how they created a video clip that captured their entire experience. Although they did not have scripts and merely wanted to reflect their daily lives, their amusing dialogue made us all laugh.
Cheang liked to joke that since they usually walked side by side, everyone on the island might think that Toffy was his husband. Sometimes, we helped dice up some meat, eggs or sausages so that Toffy could easily eat it on his own.
Toffy did not seem embarrassed when he struggled to scoop and eat some food smoothly or needed our assistance. All he asked was for us to treat him normally. In fact, it seemed as though we were helping a friend whose hands or legs are hurt.
One of our travel companions said that she went to the Bangkok School for the Blind in order to narrate audiobooks, but in reality, the pupils came to talk to her and were more interested in her personal life. Toffy explained that the reason is because the blind enjoy it when we talk about our true experiences. They prefer to understand what is happening in the world rather than learning from textbooks.
Toffy can sing very well since he is a performer with street dance skills. He needed to know about anatomy, so he spent more time than other students understanding how to move by touching his teacher's body with his hands.
He said that it's challenging, but he likes it. Some people with good eyesight find it difficult to dance because they just don't know how to count or capture rhythms. After hearing his story, I couldn't help but wonder how far this man could go if he didn't lose his sight.
We spent a few days travelling around the island and engaging in many activities before our trip came to an end in Hong Kong Disneyland, where we all experienced thrilling rides and attractions. Toffy was one of the survivors and had a lot of fun, although some of our companions felt sick and dizzy. Toffy explained that despite his inability to see, he can sense the speed and environment.
When the sky darkened, we witnessed a colourful light, sound and mapping performance with lavish fireworks. To assist Toffy in visualising what was occurring, we helped describe every scene and character.
While Cheang learns how to take care of others through his encounter with Toffy, I learned from him that everyone experiences hardship and has different life circumstances. We should practise thinking positively, which is important.
Pattarawadee Saengmanee is a feature writer for the Bangkok Post's Life section.