Pavement problems in Bangkok are more than just disrepair

[snoop1130]

 

There are 22.55 square kilometres of pavement in Bangkok, just 1.44% of the city’s whole area. Despite the small fraction of space they occupy, the footpaths of Bangkok are infamous for their state of disrepair.

 

For Choompol, the disrepair and obstacles, such as utility poles and billboards, are considered problems, but what he thinks is the most concerning are the pavements in most of the alleys or side streets in Bangkok.

 

He said, “Many alleys in Bangkok have the same problems. For example, in Ramkhamhaeng Soi 53, the level of pavement is the same as the road surface and, somehow, the pavement blends into the street, which reduces the safety of pedestrians. Besides pedestrians who are walking on the pavement, we have to beware of motorcycles that sometimes drive on the pavement, honk at us and scrape against us. The pavement should be a safe area for pedestrians.”

 

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Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/pavement-problems-in-bangkok-are-more-than-just-disrepair/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-03-22

 

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[Will B Good]

Our pavement, from Condo to Sukhumvit, about 250m was replaced/refurbished both sides last year.

 

There are loose slabs, cracked slabs, missing slabs, redundant pieces of pipework sticking out, unfinished sections......cracking job.

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, snoop1130 said:

He said, “Many alleys in Bangkok have the same problems. For example, in Ramkhamhaeng Soi 53, the level of pavement is the same as the road surface and, somehow, the pavement blends into the street, which reduces the safety of pedestrians.

And when it isn’t... there is a little ramp to aid motorcyclists access to the pavement !!!... 

 

2 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

the disrepair and obstacles, such as utility poles and billboards, are considered problems,

Issues like this are not resolved - its impossible to push a pushchair or wheelchair down many pavements / sidewalks, access is simply impossible. Its even impossible to walk down some of them without having to step into the road... and in some cases its impossible to walk down some of them without stepping out in to the road, outside food vendors and carts....  

 

 

It's just part of Thailand....   I hate the manner in which pedestrians are completely disregarded here....  I hate the manner in which the disabled are not regarded as pedestrians, they are not regarded at all when looking at much of the accessibility around the city. 

 

 

 

 

[overt2016]

Just now, Will B Good said:

Our pavement, from Condo to Sukhumvit, about 250m was replaced/refurbished both sides last year.

 

There are loose slabs, cracked slabs, missing slabs, redundant pieces of pipework sticking out, unfinished sections......cracking job.

That sounds normal. Come and visit Pinklao

[Pmbkk]

The reason my parents never come to visit - they'd be prisoners in the Condo block.

 

My Dad has a mobility scooter - taxis don't suffice other going from A- B, to see the city no window shopping.

[Benmart]

Little will change due to corruption, greed and ignorance. There is usually fanfare when something new goes up, but when the cameras and crowds are gone and time rolls on, the new object of worship falls into decay from the lack of simple maintenance. Sidewalks/footpaths are part of this this illusion, often being encroached upon by merchants, scooters or simply a case of falling apart. TAT should feature this mess in their advertising schemes.

[Sydebolle]

Don't forget the passovers built in the middle of a pavement and another beauty remains the various power poles. 

Other cities pride themselves with "walking city centres" which are even kept free from private vehicle traffic with street coffeeshops, beautiful fountains and flower spots inviting people to stroll around and enjoy life. 

Here it's the usual race-for-life, jumping up and down the pavement (if possible) ...... and if it rains the the puddles fill up it even gets better. 

Those being around for a while might remember the SEA games of 1998. Bangkok's pavement on lower Sukhumvit got a facelift and they managed in no time to present lovely pavements. Once the games were over, I witnessed myself trucks along the curb with workers removing the concrete plates used for the beautification of pavements and within no time the old conditions of "World War Two" battle field was reinstated again ........... 24 years ago! 

[RichardColeman]

Have to say that I am getting a feeling that in places like Pattaya they are trying to force people in wheelchairs away from the city. 

 

The entire government in Pattaya should be forced to sit in a wheelchair on their own and get from one side of the city to the other using the pavement and zebra crossing only. 

 

If Pattaya was graded on pavement, I seriously doubt it would reach 1 out of 10

[Bangkok Barry]

15 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

And when it isn’t... there is a little ramp to aid motorcyclists access to the pavement !!!... 

 

Issues like this are not resolved - its impossible to push a pushchair or wheelchair down many pavements / sidewalks, access is simply impossible. Its even impossible to walk down some of them without having to step into the road... and in some cases its impossible to walk down some of them without stepping out in to the road, outside food vendors and carts....  

 

 

It's just part of Thailand....   I hate the manner in which pedestrians are completely disregarded here....  I hate the manner in which the disabled are not regarded as pedestrians, they are not regarded at all when looking at much of the accessibility around the city. 

 

 

 

 

I have a friend I was at school with in the UK who has travelled the world in his wheelchair, including getting himself onto the Great Wall of China. And he told me that the provisions for wheelchair users in Bangkok were the worst he has found anywhere. I wouldn't doubt that for a second.

 

And it isn't only in Bangkok. It is beyond belief that both there and in Pattaya (and in many other places too) there are so many places where people are forced to walk in the road due to poor infrastructure or encroachment. Of course, there are those with rose-coloured glasses who see that as charming, characterful and something different. 

[JeffersLos]

The pavements are a disgrace, some of the bumps could easily throw the riders off their scooters.

[alex8912]

Thai PBS World should learn that most Vernacular English speakers do NOT know what they are referring to as "pavements". Not to upset some older British posters but everyone knows what a " sidewalk " is. Pavements do not equal sidewalks with the majority of English speakers.  

[klauskunkel]

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

somehow, the pavement blends into the street, which reduces the safety of pedestrians

not to forget that markets and eateries blend into the pavement, and trees specifically chosen for their roots' ability to push through stone are planted right in the pavement center along with power poles to give the pedestrian a bit of a zig-zag.  

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, alex8912 said:

Thai PBS World should learn that most Vernacular English speakers do NOT know what they are referring to as "pavements". Not to upset some older British posters but everyone knows what a " sidewalk " is. Pavements do not equal sidewalks with the majority of English speakers.  

"Pavements do not equal sidewalks with the majority of English speakers".  Yes, they do but the article also used the word "footpaths" so there's plenty of explanation for the minority who don't want to understand basic English.

Edited March 23, 2022 by Liverpool Lou

[khunjeff]

19 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Our pavement, from Condo to Sukhumvit, about 250m was replaced/refurbished both sides last year.

 

There are loose slabs, cracked slabs, missing slabs, redundant pieces of pipework sticking out, unfinished sections......cracking job.

Exactly the same on my soi and the adjacent sois - you would never know the sidewalks were less than five years old.

 

19 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Issues like this are not resolved - its impossible to push a pushchair or wheelchair down many pavements / sidewalks, access is simply impossible.

I can't even pull a suitcase on my sidewalk - I need to walk in the street if I'm trying to get to the MRT or Airport Link to go to an airport.

[robblok]

48 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"Pavements do not equal sidewalks with the majority of English speakers".  Yes, they do but the article also used the word "footpaths" so there's plenty of explanation for the minority who don't want to understand basic English.

Id say banish the UK English and go full US English, its spoken by more people and makes a lot more sense to cater to those people instead of a minority.

[Liverpool Lou]

2 minutes ago, robblok said:

Id say banish the UK English and go full US English, its spoken by more people and makes a lot more sense to cater to those people instead of a minority.

"...full US English, its spoken by more people..."

So sad that you (presumably) googled that!

[robblok]

1 minute ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"...full US English, its spoken by more people..."

So sad that you (presumably) googled that!

Why google ? Its only natural for US English to be far more influential and spoken and understood by more people. Most movies come from the US same goes for TV series not to mention the size difference in countries. 

 

So why would anyone have to google something that obvious.  

[JonnyF]

14 hours ago, Pmbkk said:

The reason my parents never come to visit - they'd be prisoners in the Condo block.

 

My Dad has a mobility scooter - taxis don't suffice other going from A- B, to see the city no window shopping.

Yep it's bad enough when you're able bodied. I was walking down Sukhumvit 33 the other day, stepped on a normal looking paving stone and it rotated about 30 degrees into the hole underneath it and the muddy slush that was under there splashed up covering one shoe completely and most of my shin. If I was elderly I could have easily fallen or broken my ankle.

 

My father also used a mobility scooter for the last 10 years of his life. No way I could have ever contemplated him visiting. The lack of consideration for the disabled is disgraceful.

[rott]

3 hours ago, alex8912 said:

Thai PBS World should learn that most Vernacular English speakers do NOT know what they are referring to as "pavements". Not to upset some older British posters but everyone knows what a " sidewalk " is. Pavements do not equal sidewalks with the majority of English speakers.  

About time they did then. 

[rott]

47 minutes ago, robblok said:

Id say banish the UK English and go full US English, its spoken by more people and makes a lot more sense to cater to those people instead of a minority.

I do not know this US English of which you speak.

There is correct English and incorrect English. 

[alex8912]

49 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"...full US English, its spoken by more people..."

So sad that you (presumably) googled that!

Dear Liverpool, people in Manchester and London can't even understand you! ????

[alex8912]

10 minutes ago, rott said:

I do not know this US English of which you speak.

There is correct English and incorrect English. 

He's talking about vernacular English.  It just isn't ancient old British English.  But I'm sure you are a nice "bloke" ???? Just try to name a few new "vernacular " English terms that have come out of England In the last 5 or even 8 years?  Brexit does not count. 

Edited March 23, 2022 by alex8912

[John Drake]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

Id say banish the UK English and go full US English, its spoken by more people and makes a lot more sense to cater to those people instead of a minority.

True. Because 330 million Americans do not care what 65 million British think or say. 

[alex8912]

53 minutes ago, robblok said:

Why google ? Its only natural for US English to be far more influential and spoken and understood by more people. Most movies come from the US same goes for TV series not to mention the size difference in countries. 

 

So why would anyone have to google something that obvious.  

I agree of course. I don't think it's catering to US citizens, but it's more uniform and of course understood by more. I think you are from Netherlands for example. And Dutch and Germans and yes even French seem to use vernacular popular English especially more than older people from England. For the exact reasons you mention but they also seem to want to keep up with what is clearly understood by English speakers everywhere. Other Europeans and even Australians seem very adaptable. I think it's healthy. 

[Liverpool Lou]

40 minutes ago, robblok said:

43 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"...full US English, its spoken by more people..."

So sad that you (presumably) googled that!

Why google ? Its only natural for US English to be far more influential and spoken and understood by more people. Most movies come from the US same goes for TV series not to mention the size difference in countries. 

 

So why would anyone have to google something that obvious.  

So you don't know that "its [sic] spoken by more people" you're speculating.

 

You could well be right but bear in mind that British English is spoken in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Singapore, Malaysia and some parts of the Caribbean, not everyone's language relies on films and television series.

[John Drake]

16 minutes ago, rott said:

I do not know this US English of which you speak.

There is correct English and incorrect English. 

So you speak like the characters in Beowulf? 

[alex8912]

1 minute ago, John Drake said:

True. Because 330 million Americans do not care what 65 million British think or say. 

Case in point.  You are only singling out Americans.  The vast majority of English speakers want to speak the English that is most common and up to date. That's it.  Don't be insulted.  All languages change.  No one is asking you to speak like a gangster Rap singer. But the world and languages and life are all updated so is the internet. 

[Liverpool Lou]

3 minutes ago, John Drake said:

True. Because 330 million Americans do not care what 65 million British think or say. 

There are many millions more British English-speakers worldwide than just in Britain and most of them don't care what Americans think or say, either, why would they?!

[alex8912]

3 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

So you don't know that "its [sic] spoken by more people" you're speculating.

 

You could well be right but bear in mind that British English is spoken in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Singapore, Malaysia and some parts of the Caribbean, not everyone's language relies on films and television series.

People in all those countries know and speak American slang dude!  It's a fact. Especially in Australia, India , Malaysia and the Caribbean. I've even heard the word sidewalk in British movies.  

[orchidfan]

4 hours ago, alex8912 said:

Thai PBS World should learn that most Vernacular English speakers do NOT know what they are referring to as "pavements". Not to upset some older British posters but everyone knows what a " sidewalk " is. Pavements do not equal sidewalks with the majority of English speakers.  

How about "footpath" ?

That's what they were called where I grew up !