Leading activist and staunch fighter for the rights of persons with disability Lt. Col Torpong Kulkanchit passed away Thursday of blood infection. He was 49 years old. 

According to co-worker Sureeporn Yupa, Torpong had been suffered from high fever when he was in the plane back from Bangladesh on Tuesday. He continued working on Wednesday when his ailment deteriorated and needed hospitalisation at Phra Mongkut Klao hospital. He was unconscious, stopped breathing four times and was resuscitated. Doctors diagnosed accumulated phlegm at his lung. Torpong later succumbed to blood infection.

The bathing ceremony will be held at hall 10, Sommanas Temple where his body will be kept for five nights.

Torpong headed the Office of the Disabled Peoples' International for Asia-Pacific, a regional branch of the Disabled Peoples' International. A wheelchair-bound activist, Torpong had been a staunch supporter for the rights and well-being of persons with disability. He dedicated his life working to solve the structural problems of the social welfare services.

Recently, he was elected to be National Health Insurance Committee. Earlier in May, as a representative from the Disabled and the Mentally-impaired Patients.

Torpong's relentless energy and his positive way of thinking and working always inspire his co-workers and fellow activists working on the arduous task of improving social welfare standards.  

For local and international rights activists, Torpong's death is a great loss, as attested to by an email sent out by fellow activist and acquaintance Saree Ongsomwang.   

"Brother Torpong is a leading fighter of the network of the disabled. He had been working and fighting throughout his life for social dignity and equality of the persons with disability. He had pushed relentlessly with all government agencies to protect the rights of the disabled. He had filed the suit with the Administrative Court seeking to redress the dearth in safety facilities for users of the new airport. The stream of his energy seemed to be endless," recalled Saree.

"In the past several years, he was the main force in the people's network pushing for the national universal coverage law. He was recently this year elected as the National Health Insurance Committee's member," noted Saree, of the Foundation for Consumers.

"Your endless energy, beautifulness and virtue will be forever remembered. Your inspiring force will be with us always,"

"May you rest in peace,"

 

With love and faitfulness,

Saree (Pum).

 

Translated by Mukdawan Sakboon