Wheelchair Access

[lindosfan1]

BB a daft question I think I know the answer. Is it feasible to use a mobility scooter in Thailand, on the pavements/roads and on trains.

[Big Boy]

There are a few mobility scooters that I see around town. They seem fine on the roads, although I wouldn't be brave enough to try it.

So A to B, it is fine. When you get to your destination, I think most places would be a challenge e.g. my regular daily journey to the lake with Mrs BB's wheelchair needs her to get out and walk a minimum of 4 times. To go to Market Village, it would be possible, but you'd need to use the car/motorcycle entrance. I think Bluport would be similar. Neither has a usable ramp into their front door. Market village has a huge step to get up. Bluport had a ramp, but it was removed when they modernised the entrance.

Forget anywhere that involves pavements - some of the kerbs are 18" high. Even modern wheelchair friendly buildings are rarely 100% friendly - they often forget, and put in the odd step here and there.

Trains - every train I've caught in Thailand there have been steps to go up i.e. UK style train platforms are rare here, so they can't put down a little bridge between the platform and carriage.

[lindosfan1]

Thanks BB confirms my thoughts, if you want to go in a flat straight line with no gates etc it would be ok, unfortunately life is not like that.

[Big Boy]

Pushing a wheelchair has been an eye opener.

[lindosfan1]

Like wise I now have to use a mobility scooter, living in the UK now, The conditions of the pavements is not good, not helped by idiot drivers thinking pavements are for parking on. However my thoughts are often of you having to negotiate Thailand;s wonderful pavements and car parks.
Like yourself I have to plan trips, Trying to work out getting round Thailand is not easy, I am hoping I can find a mobility scooter that I can take on a plane and is flexible enough to negotiate Thailand.

[Big Boy]

There must be a few dozen scooters running around Hua Hin now, so they must be be either available here or somebody is bringing them in.

[lindosfan1]

Thanks BB I am hoping to bring a scooter with me. Much better if you know the capabilities of the scooter. They are improving all the time over here, so I am hopeful I will be able to plan a trip.

[hhinner]

There are a few mobility scooters that I see around town. They seem fine on the roads, although I wouldn't be brave enough to try it.

So A to B, it is fine. When you get to your destination, I think most places would be a challenge e.g. my regular daily journey to the lake with Mrs BB's wheelchair needs her to get out and walk a minimum of 4 times. To go to Market Village, it would be possible, but you'd need to use the car/motorcycle entrance. I think Bluport would be similar. Neither has a usable ramp into their front door. Market village has a huge step to get up. Bluport had a ramp, but it was removed when they modernised the entrance.

Forget anywhere that involves pavements - some of the kerbs are 18" high. Even modern wheelchair friendly buildings are rarely 100% friendly - they often forget, and put in the odd step here and there.

Trains - every train I've caught in Thailand there have been steps to go up i.e. UK style train platforms are rare here, so they can't put down a little bridge between the platform and carriage.

All the new stations on the double track project have raised platforms, so ramping from platform to carriage will be possible. Ramp availability and access to/from platform will then be the problem, as it is on Bangkok mass transit trains (notably BTS with it's lack of lifts).

[Big Boy]

Yes, I was thinking that as I was writing yesterday, but then I thought about what I've seen of the new Hua Hin station so far. Whilst there are lifts to platform level, I'm still not convinced the lifts would be accessible with a double track and a subway between the road and the lift. I'm hoping there will be a cunning plan, but I haven't seen it yet.

[hhinner]

There must be a few dozen scooters running around Hua Hin now, so they must be be either available here or somebody is bringing them in.

We see "mobility scooters" around a lot. Even two-seaters. People use them for local shopping, getting to the local market or 7-eleven. They used to be available in Bike Club (Market Village) and through Fascino pharmacy. Probably on Lazada and Shopee too. We also see them intermittently being promoted in the HH Big C.

[Pagey]

if you head South from Soi 112 on the slip road past the market, just before you reach the end where the lights are to access Phetchakasem Road, there is a shop on the right hand side that sells mobility scooters.

[Big Boy]

I haven't had a moan about wheelchair access for a while, but there are 2 places that regularly wind me up:

Market Village

They have 10 disabled spaced that are perfect for my truck and the wheelchair. In a country like Thailand, that is actually going above and beyond, so well done MV for that. Where they fall down is they have barriers protecting each bay to prevent lazy boneheads using them.

On the face of it, the protection is a brilliant idea. Where it falls down is me having to block access to the car park whilst I get down from the truck to move the barrier. This then results in Somchai who is late for work trying to squeeze his car through a gap that isn't there rather than wait whilst I move the barrier. If the driver behind Somchai doesn't have a brain, he tries to follow Somchai, and goes right up his arse. I can't move into the bay because Somchai has blocked me. Somchai can't reverse because bonehead is up his arse. Meanwhile, the security guard who SHOULD have moved the barrier for me is still sat smoking in the cancer zone. Gridlock.

Hua Hin Hospital

They have 8 fantastic disabled bays. Huge and next to the lifts. Problem is, the spaces are so big, lazy Thais have worked out they can squeeze their cars into the space as well, and they then don't have so far to walk to the lift. The problem this creates is I can't drop the tailgate to get the wheelchair in or out. The lazy Thais often do this when there are many empty spaces only a few yards away. Result is I have to stick the truck's nose into the main thoroughfare, blocking other traffic, whilst loading and offloading the wheelchair.

HHH has a security guard on each floor mornings. His job is obviously to watch the lazy Thais block disabled parking spaces to prevent them having to walk 5 yards further.