August 19, 2019 we attended the National Assembly of Persons with Disabilities 2019. The event was hosted by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEP). It’s fascinating and well-organised.

การเดินทาง เราได้เห็นสิ่งที่แตกต่าง การเดินทาง เราได้รับประสบการณ์ใหม่ๆ การเดินทาง เราได้เกิดความรู้   แค่จองที่พักก็สนุกแล้วว วว วว ว   พบกับซีรีส์การเดินทางไปญี่ปุ่นในแบบฉบับของพี่ซาบะ มาร่วมเดินทางไปด้วยกันครับ    

Featuring with our guests from all around the world: – Khun Awn, our lead fundraiser (from Australia) – Khun Joom, Director-General of Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (from Bangkok) – Khun Andrew Biggs (from Bangkok) – Khun Lauren Avery, Saba’s Angle (from the UK) – Khun Michael Yon, a journalist (from Hong Kong)

Last month I went to observe the extension work of MRT Green Line (Northern Bound). Workers were doing their jobs at the construction site at Sai-yud station. At first sight, I recognised there was a glass room at the front of the elevator (What da heck!). Surprisingly, I later found the same thing on the next 3 stations. (What da…!)

On the mission, I brought N’Fah—a British lady with Thai heart—and BBC News Thai down on the street to see the real city of Bangkok. This was to unveil the reality, of what’s actually going on at the bottom level, to the general public.

The vast majority of public space of Bangkok or perhaps, the whole country of Thailand, is still extremely inaccessible and uncomfortable, and certainly not safe enough for people’s life. This short video reflects the statement clearly, with no doubt, and also manifests that it is far worse for wheelchair user. This is what happens in real life. With highly unwalkable footpath, the PWDs, including myself, we have no choice but to step down onto the road surface along with fellow vehicles. The urban development and public space design must be built in coincidence with the expansion of public transportations. Indeed, …

This is a part of the policy that will be delivered to the Parliament on the upcoming 25th of July 2019. I’m pleased to hear that and would like to share with everyone. The government policy affects significantly the degree of accessibility. There is, of course, other details that emphasize the enrichment of the lives of people with more equality.

I’ve known this young wheelchair boy for quite so long. He moved to his home town, Lopburi province, his school is 4km away from his house. His family decided to buy a 3-wheeled electric motorcycle so that he is able to go to school by his own. Currently the vehicle’s battery is dead, and his family needs to get and pick him up from school every day.

The world is changing too fast. The pace of development is swiftly unprecedented. Thus, nobody can afford to remain behind, so does the PWDs. But the reality in Thailand tells a different story. With poor accessibility, PWDs are being let down to the bottom line. They’re not just falling behind, but they’re falling APART! If we don’t do something, consequently the gap between the fit and the unfit (ex. PWDs) might become not bigger, but actually unbridgeable. This is not a wish to live up to an ideal. It’s just an accessibility, not advanced technology or breakthrough innovation, which requires …

The Accessibility Is Freedom and Transportation for All (T4A) have been encouraging to bring up the issue of public transport for all to the spotlight. Recently, we had a wonderful opportunity to have the first meeting with the Department of Rail Transport in order to highlight the issues. It’s a general first meeting in an attempt to share insights and information. The participants in the meeting consist of diverse people from various groups including contractor, rail service provider, PWDs representative, and many related parties. From a holistic point of view, this is a good starting point.