Page 311 - Social Enterprise A New Business Paradigm for Thailand

1) Creating Jobs and Income for Vulnerable Communities:
The Case of Café Amazon for Chance and Akha Ama

Café Amazon for Chance Project
Café Amazon for Chance was launched with the aim of creating employment opportunities for
marginalized groups in society, specifically individuals with hearing impairments. The initiative
is one of seven social projects 190 operated by San Palung Social Enterprise Co., Ltd., a subsidiary
of PTT Oil and Retail Business Public Company Limited (OR). San Palung is jointly owned by
seven companies within the PTT Group and is responsible for managing and expanding socially
oriented goods and services.

The project began when OR explored how its commercial operations could also deliver social
value. After identifying key pain points in society, OR recognized the importance of creating job

opportunities for vulnerable and underprivileged populations. This led to the development of
Café Amazon for Chance, one of the first social initiatives launched by San Palung, as part of
OR’s broader community and social development agenda. The initiative aligns with OR’s shared
value (social) framework, focusing on employment generation for disadvantaged groups.

Café Amazon for Chance officially launched in 2018 with the goal of creating employment
opportunities for vulnerable and marginalized groups. In its initial phase, the project focused
on individuals with hearing impairments, Thailand’s second-largest group of persons with
disabilities after those with physical impairments, who are often employed in roles that fall

short of their educational qualifications. It also targeted individuals with learning disabilities,
providing training in barista skills and coffee shop operations. The aim was to offer stable, fairly
compensated employment and help build participants’ capabilities in the coffee business. The
project was developed in collaboration with Ratchasuda College, Mahidol University, which
specializes in supporting people with hearing impairments. Hearing impaired graduates from
the college were selected to join the program and received hands-on barista training based on
Café Amazon’s professional standards. Upon completing the training, participants were offered
employment at Café Amazon branches. The project operates under the slogan: “Café Amazon
for Chance – Creating Opportunities, Creating Jobs, and Building a Sustainable Future for People

with Disabilities in Thailand.” 191 As of 2024, San Palung has established seven pilot Café Amazon
for Chance branches in Bangkok and neighboring provinces 192 . The first location officially
opened on July 17, 2018.

190 These include Café Amazon for Chance, Community Coffee Sourcing, PTT Group Lounge, PTT Day Care, PTT
Sandbox (Baan Dek Ying Thanyaporn, Smile Community, and SE Solar Energy Business), Upcycling SE, and ThaiOil
Haven for Community.
191 Thai Post. (n.d.). [Title not specified]. Retrieved December 3, 2024, from https://www.thaipost.net/hi-
light/188157/
192 The seven prototype branches of Café Amazon for Chance are: (1) Office of the President, Mahidol University,
Nakhon Pathom, (2) Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, (3) Sky
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