July 06, 2016 at 06:34PM

They cannot see but they can hear and play music to make themselves and the audience happy. The Thai Blind Orchestra is Thailand’s first orchestra made up of young musicians who are blind, visually impaired and or multiple disabled. It was established in 2014 from an idea of classical musician Alongkot Chukaew. He teaches disabled children by using audible aids and the natural environment. The children were introduced to a braille system to read music and are taught individually to memorize the positions of their fingers when playing their instruments. -- By European Pressphoto Agency

Blind Thai student Kritsada Thanyawanichapong practices cello prior to a band rehearsal at the 'School for the Blind and the Blind with Multi-Handicapped' in the city of Lopburi province, Thailand, on May 12. The Thai Blind Orchestra was established in 2014 and is made up of young musicians aged between 9 and 18 years who are blind, visually impaired and/or multiple disabled. It is the country's first orchestra of its kind. In Thailand, Buddhist devotees believe in karma and attitudes towards disability suggest that disabled people are to surrender and accept their fate. The Thai Blind Orchestra was created with the aim of using music to encourage the children and help change negative attitudes towards disability. (Rungroj Yongrit/EPA)


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