The research was presented at a meeting comprising representatives of the People with Disabilities Foundation and the National Council for the Elderly. The meeting heard that while bus stops were lacking in equipment for the elderly and disabled, rail and underground trains plus the BTS Skytrain were friendlier.
The seminar was the first of a series of planned meetings that will focus on improving facilities for the physically impaired at all transport stations in the Thai capital. The groups have scheduled monthly meetings through until February to press for infrastructure improvements.
The first meeting saw delegates put forward their ideas to enhance convenience of use and safety. The MRT subway is the newest of Bangkok’s transport options and disabled passengers praised its stations for the likes of lifts, ramps and access to parking spaces. Many also complimented station staff and noted they were helpful.
Bus stops in Bangkok not equipped for disabled people
News in Asia
A leading Bangkok academic says research has shown that only 10 per cent of the bus stops in the city are equipped for disabled people. Thammasat University’s Choomket Sawangjaroen says that means another 700 bus stops do not comply with the Transport Ministry’s regulations.