Metro Train System

BTS National StadiumLast Saturday at BTS National Stadium, I took a field survey to observe any updates of a brand-new skywalk connected to MBK, which was still under construction. As I observed, there was no accessible lift from the platform floor to floor ticket, only escalator at opposite side of MBK. Disabled passengers, especially wheelchair users, would have to face troubles getting off the station. They inevitably needed to deploy by escalator which required at least 3-4 staffs to help. This movement on this way could cause from slight injury into risk of serious accident.

For a year and a half that I’ve jointly work with the “Transportation For All (T4A)” team to improved the public metro train system. Some of our T4A members have been working on the relate issue for more than 20 years. Here is a summary that represents a failure of the accessible facilities design on the rail system in Bangkok which will be implement within 6 years.

Strong Network is what I’m always paying attention for, specially friends from oversea. Some of their member are interesting and working on the accessibility since so long. They wanted to try out our Bangkok Train system, yes we’re on the same page. But it was not easy for a group of my new friends from Singapore to try out by them self. So I volunteered on the last day to send them back, travelling from Siam area to the Su-varn-na-phu-mi International Airport. We could also save some money too.

On 29 June, 2016 Accessibility Is Freedom, as a representative of “Transportation For All community”, had addressed our serious concern on the accessibility problems on BTS and MRT, as well as feasible solutions in our perspective, to the National Human Rights Commission.

It is not easy to encourage people with disabilities to step out of their comfort zone and start living-out to the public communities. It is the government’s responsibilities to help them having normal living life and also living equally and in harmony with people in their communities. Some of community’s facilities such as accessible parking lots should be built differently due to extra accessing spaces are needed. If we can choose, people with disabilities would love to share facilities and live peacefully in the community. That’s right, we don’t want to be viewed as aliens in the community. Elevator is one of facilities which …

The following story was a conversation between me and the Deputy Bangkok Governor, Mr. Amorn Kitchawengkul. We’re been talking about the BTS Accessibility and human rights issue that, since last year, the Supreme Court ordered Bangkok Metro Administration and BTS, to complete enable full accessibility on BTS sky train system.

Ma-noch Poot-tarn went out traveling with the man on wheelchair. By testing the Bangkok transportation system. And found that the current transportation system is not connecting together.

  Time line: 13 September 2007: The people with disability sued by using The Administrative Court to force BTS Sky Train prepared the basic of accessibility. 22 September 2009: The people with disability lost the case because on that time the accessibility Thai law have got any detail & description. The Reason of the the lawsuit: 1. While constructing BTS Sky Train, What is The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration have done for the disability person? >>They said “None” 2. Since the first constructing BTS Sky Train did they have the elevator and any accessibility supported? >>They said “Not from the beginning, …