LOPBURI: They may not be the most advanced pieces of kit in Thailand’s military arsenal, but “buffalo soldiers” are being deployed to help autistic children come out of their shells.
Under sweltering skies in central Thailand’s Lopburi province this week, some two dozen children took rides on the backs of buffaloes. But this animal therapy is part of the military’s softer side, one of the hundreds of projects up and down the country the army is using to build support among civilians.
Recent research has shown that some autistic children — who often struggle with human interactions — respond well to animals, helping them learn key skills like being more patient and sharing. Pimporn Thongmee said she had seen a major improvement since her five-year-old autistic grandson — nicknamed Shogun — enrolled in the military’s three-month animal therapy course which sees children interact with buffaloes twice a week.
