His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn on Monday ordered a modified bicycle from a bike shop for a disabled boy who participated in the Bike for Mom event for Her Majesty the Queen's 83rd birthday on Aug 16.
The Crown Prince asked the Healthy Person Bike shop at Royal Sukhothai Palace to manufacture a special bike which the Crown Prince had designed for Wattana "Nong Time" Kham-in, an 11-year-old handicapped boy with no arms, who lives in Phitsanulok.
The order came after Nong Time was photographed cycling in the Bike for Mom photo contest and won a consolation prize.
The height of the special bike's handlebars will be adjustable, with gears and brakes that can be controlled using the feet.
The Crown Prince asked representatives to take the bike to Nong Time in his hometown this Thursday. He also told them to give the boy detailed instructions on how to ride it.
Wattana "Nong Time" Kham-in, the 11-year-old with no arms who rode in Bike for Mom, is to receive this special bicycle with foot controls designed by HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn. (Photo at left by Chinnawat Singha. Bicycle photo by courtesy of Bike For Mom PR Team)
According to Suriyan Sujaritpalawong, the adviser for the Bike for Mom event, the Crown Prince has also asked the government to provide educational assistance for Nong Time.
After receiving news of the bike Monday, Nong Time said he was delighted and grateful to His Royal Highness for his kindness.
"I am very happy and will take good care of this bicycle. I will use it for educational purposes by riding it to school every day," he said, adding he is now practicing painting to join an upcoming contest in the province.
Nong Time's mother, Dokrak Kham-in, said his daily life is not so different from able-bodied children, as he cycles 600 metres to school every day and is a talented painter, using his feet.
"I will raise him to be a good person and live his life like a normal kid," she said.