Accessibility Is Freedom

Lectures

Articles

  • Tuk-Tuk Noise Control Measures – What Do We See?

    Tuk-Tuk Noise Control Measures – What Do We See?

    In late July 2026, the Department of Land Transport (DLT) proposed a draft regulation to ban internal combustion engine tuk-tuks from inner Bangkok, exempting electric tuk-tuks. The proposal is open for public comment until August 27, 2026, with no ban yet in effect. There are 8,582 registered tuk-tuks nationwide, regulated by the DLT under the Land Transport Act B.E. 2522 as “public three-wheeled hire vehicles.” All must display yellow plates, pass annual inspections, and their drivers must hold public transport licenses. The proposal follows accumulated complaints — particularly loud modified exhausts disturbing patients near the Police Hospital — and a…

    Read more →

  • Bangkok Tomorrow

    Bangkok Tomorrow

    Wouldn’t it be amazing if Bangkok, in the future, became a city where everyone can travel easily and safely? Whether you’re a wheelchair user, a parent pushing a stroller, or a tourist dragging a suitcase, imagine sidewalks that meet international standards—with smooth, continuous surfaces, no electric poles or advertising signs blocking the way, no motorcycles riding on the sidewalk, no vendor carts encroaching, and no buildings squeezing the road edge. I’m confident Bangkok can do this. Japan has proven this isn’t just a dream. Tokyo has had Barrier-Free Law since 2006, and it got stricter in 2020. This law requires…

    Read more →

  • 3 countries that reduced roads, increased sidewalks, connectivity, and public transportation

    3 countries that reduced roads, increased sidewalks, connectivity, and public transportation

    Imagine a country where over 500 children died from car accidents in a single year, then turned around to become the safest place in the world for pedestrians and cyclists. This isn’t a utopia — it’s what the Netherlands 🇳🇱 actually did. The turning point came in the 1970s from “Stop de Kindermoord” protests, forcing the government to reverse policies and create “woonerf”—living streets prioritizing walking and cycling over cars. Today, the Netherlands has over 37,000 kilometers of bike lanes and “autoluw” low-car city centers. Accidents dropped massively, people got healthier, cities became more livable, and investment attracted businesses and…

    Read more →

  • Seoul’s Public Transport and Accessibility — Progress That Never Stops Moving Forward

    Seoul’s Public Transport and Accessibility — Progress That Never Stops Moving Forward

    Seoul’s subway is one of the largest mass transit systems in the world, with 9 lines and 7 million daily passengers. But what makes this system compelling is the continuous effort to make it accessible to everyone, under the 2005 Mobility Enhancement Act which mandates low-floor buses, subway station elevators, wheelchair spaces, and accessible taxis as compulsory standards. Tactile paving tiles are widely installed throughout Seoul’s subway stations, alongside audio announcements, Braille signage, and priority seating for seniors and people with disabilities. Yet the oldest line — Line 1, operating since 1974 — still needs elevator retrofits at many stations,…

    Read more →