Accessible Facilities

We made a field survey on this site six months ago. We’ve gathered useful information, all possibly available, regarding the Bangkok BTS Green Line South Extension and provided with critical recommendations to the government sectors and civil servants. Despite our huge efforts for the better, today it seems that things get worse, truly worse! AS YOU CAN SEE!, this is a thing you won’t see from the wise man. The Prime Minister once has stated precisely that “We won’t leave a man behind”. The Minister of Transport was also quickly responsive to his policy. But the reality doesn’t reflect what …

The last time I took a photo of it was about two months ago. There was one step at the entrance which was completely inaccessible for wheelchair user and very risky for ordinary customers to slip on it. I’m a regular of this branch since I usually have a business meeting there. And I used to inform the staff many times regarding this growing concern. Recently I went there as usual and found this problem was fully disappeared. They redesigned a step to become a seamless slope. It’s a simple gentrification with ease of use and cost-effectiveness. I no longer …

The answer is “NO”. The cost of the installation of elevators and ramps on every access point on every station account for just about 1% of the whole project’s cost. To say, no matter the cost, this is a thing that needs to be done. There is no excuse of not doing that and even the law has regulated this clearly since 13 years ago. Importantly, given this emphasis, the Prime Minister has stated firmly that “We won’t leave anyone behind.”

Because it fails to provide, by law, the accessible infrastructure and its additional supports with perfect conditions which make PWDs, as well as less-abled persons, difficulties in getting access with maximum comfort and safety. This is especially true on elevators, with its ramps, in which there are only two of them installed on each station although each station comprises of four entrances-and-exits.

This incident was a story while I was travelling in Japan at the beginning of this year. It took place at Bic Camera, Namba Store in Osaka. Bic Camera is a leading consumer electronics retailer chain in Japan. The store was extremely crowded at the day. Most of them were seemingly foreign visitors. I was waiting for an elevator for so long to go to the upper floor. Due to the crowd, every time the lift opened, it was packed with tons of customers that I wasn’t able to get in it. Believe it or not, I had been waiting …

I came across here since I got a business discussion with my friend. I couldn’t help but went observing its priority parking down there at 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floor of the mall. The result was that only the 4th-floor one was left for the parking. It seemed there was a high demand on this type of parking. I always saw those ineligible people who were indeed unnecessary to park on this spot but insisted to do so: pregnant but perfectly good condition, or an elderly with good health.

27 August 2018, 13:00 p.m. The leading PWDs activists, in accordance with legal advisers, had approached on behalf of to request to the MBK Group Management in regard to the improvement of its priority parking and accessible facilities, as well as its premise management to avoid the same flaws in the future. In the private sector, innumerable buildings had failed to comply with the regulations regarding the use and design of priority parking, such as inadequate quantity, which subsequently damaged a wide range of users.

I believe that, practically, sometimes the rule of law comes after public mind, proper, and respect on people’s right. If we could achieve such a thing, we can live happily and equally with each other. Who has the right on accessible parking (only Wheelchair Symbol presented)? My sincerest answer is those in need.

I got this image from my young colleagues who was studying in the UK. It’s a priority park in Bicester Village, a large outlet in Oxford. At first sight, you must recognise immediately that it’s located in a developed country. Deep down you could see that: 1. It’s mostly unoccupied 2. No barrier on each lot 3. No staff authority or security officer Let’s do an anatomy, why this scene can happen: 1. Strict regulations and penalty 2. Justice law enforcement by authority 3. Respected by people In fact an violation and misuse of priority parking by selfish people happens …

The overpass, an innovation for pedestrians to safely cross a street. It’s considered safe and convenient yet highly inaccessible for some if built unintelligently like many footbridges in Thailand where wheelchair users are completely unable to use it. For developed countries, that might have passed the primitive state of trial and error, they recognise the limitations of the overpass and try to minimize its usage if possible. Last year, I visited Japan to see some of its fantastic infrastructure, including the overpass. Believe it or not, the entire 15-day time that I was touring around central Japan, any flaws in accessibility …