It’s always good to have someone in help, but it’s always better to be the last and let us be able to rely on ourselves.

I came across a post from JS100 Radio that a blind gentleman was given a generous help by a security guard on the street.
This is an inspiring and heart-touching story which should be encouraged.
However, I would like to share another perspective as a person with disability (Note: I’m not a vision impairment person)

The people with disabilities is given help by someone is always a beautiful moment.
Thai people have a reputation of being kind, generous, and helpful.
This is some of our positive nature that is acceptably well-known from visitors around the world.
This scene of humanity is intrinsically positive, and we’re all happy, let’s put it down for that.

However, seen from another perspective, if you manage to ask PWDs according to this topic, a majority answer that you might encounter is “Yes, it’s always good. But deep inside, we actually prefer to be able to rely on ourselves.” Therefore, what’s more important is the creation of an efficient system that allows PWDs to be able to stand on their own feet. A kind and generous help by someone should be positioned as a supplementary assistance, while self-reliance should be the priority.

This incident of “A security guard is walking a vision impairment person to his direction”, in fact, raises so many consequent questions like,
how many security guards should be stationed? How perfect that they could cover their service?

For the vision impairment person to be capable of walking safely by themselves, an introduction of “Tactile Paving” in a well-designed construction is required. In short, this tactile paving provides a distinctive surface pattern that serves as a detectable guidance for visually-impaired pedestrian to travel safely along the sidewalk. It is prevalent in Japan and practically can be used in real life there.

We might hear some vision impairment people in Thailand reflect their denial for this invention. It is not because they don’t want it. But it is because, with uncontrollably external factors, it leads them to electric poles, potholes, litters, or street vendors along the sidewalk. Thus, they just simply reject it to save their own life. (which is miserably understandable)

Imaging that what the foreign visitors would do when they experience this? They’re absolutely going to demand it. (I’m decisive because I’ve received lots of feedback from many friends) I would like to raise this concern for all parties. We must figure out the agreeable solutions in real quick.

[Image: A generous security guard is walking a blind to his direction.]