Saturday 17 March 2018

Public Transport Accessibility for Disabled

What I read


In "London wheelchair travelers get Google Maps help"Perveen Akhtar (2018) says that It seems to have problems among London wheelchair users to have fully functional access to public transportation. Even though, the government has already invested in reconstructing 50 metro stations around London from 270 stations. They still have found problems with metro facilities such as platform gap and the need to ask random passengers or staff to get off the train at certain stations. Moreover, Google maps information is also said to be outdated for the disabled which cannot provide appropriate features such as an elevator to a platform or construction. 
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My response 


First of all, As soon as I read this news, It showed how difficult disability people life would be in every day. I think that elevators and station's gap-free could help some wheelchair users use subway easier. On the other hand, another kind of transport does not provide a suitable way to get on it such as Thailand buses and trains. Most of them have an only small entrance for one person and high step to get in which made the disabled's life is troublesome.

Secondly, this article only mentioned about immobile people. It doesn't include other kinds of disability such as the blind, hearing-impaired people, special needs children or even elderly who cannot walk properly. They also should be treated well as same as others. For example, in metro stations should also have Braille code to tell the station name and convex walkway to lead the blind to an appropriate place. Apart from that, escalator and elevator also should be installed in every station for immobility and elderly in order to help them move comfortably.

Personally, only MRT and BTS stations provide service and facilities for the disabled quite well. I have seen MRT many staffs helping disability people from terminal station to their destination safely. Moreover, supporting them use transportation conveniently, We also should help them enter the train or bus and provide seats or area for them when they need.

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My question


Do you think transportation facilities in Thailand support the disabled properly ?
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Reference


4 comments:

  1. As soon as I saw Bank's title, I immediately thought of the recent news in Thailand where a disabled BTS user got so angry with the bad service that he smashed the glass door to the lift intended to help people such as himself. It was locked with no one in attendance.

    And I guess that answers Bank's question.

    It wasn't something I had thought about much, but a few years ago, a friend in a wheelchair visited Bangkok, and he said it pretty awful getting around. He found the footpaths so full of obstacles that he often had to go out onto the roads, which is not a safe option. I think that it's probably better today than it was ten or more years ago, but I'm sure there is more to be done, not only in Thailand, but also in Australia and elsewhere.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree with you that Thai public transportation need more improving because nowadays, it does not support disable people. When I see them at BTS station or MRT, I always feel pity on them, and if I can, I will help them. Also, the government should create the stricted laws for protect their rights because public transportation does not suit on them. I have been in New Zealand. When disable people with wheel chairs get into and off the buses, the driver will put the bottom for releasing slide to help them. Also, they spare the space for disable wheel chairs.

    I wish in the future, Thailand will have useful bus and any equipment to support them.

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  3. I have been using BTS since it opened its services. I think its supports for person with disabilities is improving. I can see new elevators in many stations reflecting the company supporting to those person in needed. However, I think the problems is not mainly the facility (but more improvement will be better). The service offices usually neglect those persons who need helps. I once saw person on wheelchair trying to opening the gate while the officer just stare from his position.

    Even in my university, they installed new system to assist wheelchair students access the lecture hall. This shows the good signs in other organization supporting those people.

    I hope that more people will understand and try to help those limited people. Not only the officer in charge that responsible to the circumstance I mentioned before, everybody could give the helpful hands to them.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Personally, I have worked about this issue with disable people in Thailand before, and it is very upsetting. BTS and MRT seem to have a good support for disables but actually, it is not that good as I thought. I have discussed this issue and asked disable people about it. They said every time they want to use an elevator at MRT, they have to go find a security guard first because the elevator is locked. Security guard said that it has to be locked to prevent children playing with it, Which make it even more inconvenient. For the buses, there is a big NO for disables. Buses have only stair for people to get in and get off, so there is absolutely no place for wheelchairs. Thai Busses should have a big develop about all the conveniences and to serve disable people. For example, buses in developed country have leaning function. Whenever there are wheelchairs or baby's strollers, the bus will lean down to the side and make it easier for pushcart to go in the bus. Thailand should really borrow this technique to served disable people and also baby carts and sidewalk is also a huge problem.

    ReplyDelete

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