Dr. Prapot Petrakard, president of the Foundadtion for Children with Disabilities delivered the opening address and special lecture at the Dousa-Hou Academic Seminar.
Mr. Koichi Tani from the Osaka Dousa-Hou Society gave a key note presentation on the principles and history of Dousa-Hou
Panelists from Thailand and Japan shared their experiences and insights on implementing Dousa-Hou in the community.
Mr. Somchai Rungsilp from APCD delivered the closing summary at the Dousa-Hou Academic Seminar.
Key participants and organizers from Thailand and Japan gathered for a commemorative group photo after the seminar.
On 8 August 2025, the Foundation for Children with Disabilities (FCD) hosted Dousa-Hou Academic Seminar in Bangkok, marking 29 years since Dousa-hou, the Japanese method of movement, was introduced to Thailand. The event, co-organized between the Osaka Dousa-Hou Society and the FCD. There were around 50 participants in-persons and about 1,000 participants via online at Facebook Live.
The program featured opening remarks by Dr. Prapote Petrakard, Chairperson of the FCD., a keynote speech by Mr. Koichi Tani of the Osaka Dousa-Hou Society, and a panel sharing experiences from practitioners and parents. Representing the Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD), Mr. Somchai Rungsilp delivered the closing remarks, highlighting the importance of continued cooperation to promote family-based rehabilitation and disability inclusive development for children with disabilities.
Dousa-Hou is an intregrated body-mind therapy which was created by Dr. Naruse Gosaku. Then Dr. Prapote Petrakard of FCD. initiated to introduce this approach in Thailand from 1996 by cooperation with Osaka Dousa-Hou Society conducting training staff and parents of children with cerebral palsy in Thailand. Now Dousa-Hou becomes famous and one of powerful rehabilitation process among teachers and parents of children with disabilities in Thailand.
The seminar reaffirmed nearly three decades of progress and the enduring friendship between Thailand and Japan in advancing disability rehabilitation services.
