I see so many people parking in a handicap parking space that have no disability. Is there a fine if someone parks in a handicap space without a parking permit? How and who do you report them to? Makro is an excellent example for complying with handicap parking. The parking attendants keep a close eye on violators. Lotus is the worst; they have no parking lot attendants. I am disabled and have heart disease that limits my walking. I get really upset with the attitudes and the inconsiderate Thai people. I want to park behind them but that's not a good idea. Any suggestion?

Are you in a wheelchair?

If not where you park does not make much difference.

 

30 minutes ago, Kenneth White said:

I see so many people parking in a handicap parking space that have no disability.

...that you can see.   Not all disabilities are externally obvious...such as heart conditions.

17 minutes ago, jvs said:

Are you in a wheelchair?

If not where you park does not make much difference.

 

What?

I am handicapped by definition as I am a foreigner. I always tell my wife to use the handicapped space when she is driving me.

33 minutes ago, Kenneth White said:

Is there a fine if someone parks in a handicap space without a parking permit?

If it is a private parking area any parking restrictions can be imposed or ignored by the owners, a Lotus's security guard, for example, couldn't issue a fine so I assume they'd have to sue the transgressor.   

As far as parking in public disabled areas is concerned, Thailand does not have an official system to issue disabled parking permits (I stand to be corrected here so, presumably, you do not have one) so I'd guess that the whole "system" boils down to courtesy and if someone doesn't approve of other people's parking decisions that's just tough.  You have my sympathy.

1 hour ago, jvs said:

Are you in a wheelchair?

If not where you park does not make much difference.

 

Wait to you get to the stage in your life where you do not need a wheel chair but your legs do not work like they used to. Every movement is painfull. Then you will be looking for the closer parks. My local tesco have elderly signs which my wife uses for me.

Some explaining to do on my part,i was not trying to be a smart xss

or being disrespectful.

All i meant was that only parking spaces for disabled people have extra room on either side of the car for easy opening of the doors and having room for a wheelchair to pass unhindered.

If you can park close to where you want to go the disabled parking areas

maybe even further away.

Usually they are close to the toilet area for obvious reasons.

If you want to go to another place it maybe a longer walk.

Looking for quick solutions that don't depend on enforcement:

In the instances where your wife or friend drives you to a commercial destination, you could be dropped off close to the store to minimize walking, park the car, then join you.

On your own perhaps you could use a wheelchair.

There are also many variations for mechanical walking assists such as the Rollator on Shopee for about 1,800 baht or compact seated electric scooters such as the UYIGO found in Lazada, for about 14,000 baht.

You might also consider using more online purchasing with delivery, ie., Tesco Lotus's.

As a wheelchair user it always amazes me how many disabled people are in shops I go to yet I never actually see one inside .
This parking was very special, done by 3 people with zero disability as I watched them come out and get into the car . 

14 hours ago, jvs said:

Are you in a wheelchair?

If not where you park does not make much difference.

 

Another FLAME by YOU get a life. go find another forum like the BP

I see this problem almost every day in Hua Hin - especially involving people driving luxury cars who seem to think they have a right to park anywhere..  And a few times I have seen cases similiar to the picture above.  Some times the worst offenders are farangs.  Last year, I parked in a disabled space; I was having problems with walking, and was using a walking stick.  A middle aged farang pulled into the space next to me as I was walking to the mall entrance.  He easily exited his vehicle with his 20+ something gf/wife, and briskly followed me to mall the entrance.  I greeted him, how are you going.  "I'm great" was the reply.  I responed, "Then why the <deleted> are you parking the disabled area?"  "Because, I can, <deleted> off" was the reply.

They must have fantastic insurances as they all drive "decent" cars and, not to inflict bad omen or spirits, not one car has a "handicap" sticker anywhere. 

Thainess - explained and a Lao car followed suit at the car park in Nong Khai ............. selfish bunch of pirkcs ???? 

48 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Another FLAME by YOU get a life. go find another forum like the BP

Thank you,your post is a classic example of flame.

 

 

For me Macro is a very bad example. The one I use have actually chained off the disabled spaces near the entrance as they erected a small table with a picture of the new king behind it and I presume they think it's disrespectful to have his portrait covered by exhaust fumes. Not my opinion, of course.

2 hours ago, ronster said:

As a wheelchair user it always amazes me how many disabled people are in shops I go to yet I never actually see one inside .
This parking was very special, done by 3 people with zero disability as I watched them come out and get into the car . 

You could be right but were you able to establish simply by looking at them that they, or one of them, were not suffering from some medical disability that was not visible to a casual observer such as, for example, a heart condition?   Years ago in the UK I had a 38-year old friend who drove an XJS (not a Mobility vehicle) and was able to walk normally as far as any observer was concerned but he was granted a Disabled badge because he had a heart condition and he was subjected to abuse from people such as you who were ignorant to his circumstances when parking in those allocated places until they were able to see the badge.  Disabilities are not always obvious.

35 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

They must have fantastic insurances as they all drive "decent" cars and, not to inflict bad omen or spirits, not one car has a "handicap" sticker anywhere. 

No official "Disabled" badges are issued in Thailand, that's why they are never seen!

deleted

41 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

They must have fantastic insurances as they all drive "decent" cars and, not to inflict bad omen or spirits, not one car has a "handicap" sticker anywhere. 

Thainess - explained and a Lao car followed suit at the car park in Nong Khai ............. selfish bunch of pirkcs ???? 

What has the quality or status of the cars or their insurance got to do with anything?

All parked on private premises, presumably with the authority of the security staff.   You may not like it (are you disabled?) but if they're told that they can park there (where there are plenty of other parking places in the same area) what has it got to do with you?

15 hours ago, Kenneth White said:

I see so many people parking in a handicap parking space that have no disability. Is there a fine if someone parks in a handicap space without a parking permit? How and who do you report them to? Makro is an excellent example for complying with handicap parking. The parking attendants keep a close eye on violators. Lotus is the worst; they have no parking lot attendants. I am disabled and have heart disease that limits my walking. I get really upset with the attitudes and the inconsiderate Thai people. I want to park behind them but that's not a good idea. Any suggestion?

Complain to store management.

15 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

If it is a private parking area any parking restrictions can be imposed or ignored by the owners, a Lotus's security guard, for example, couldn't issue a fine so I assume they'd have to sue the transgressor.   

As far as parking in public disabled areas is concerned, Thailand does not have an official system to issue disabled parking permits (I stand to be corrected here so, presumably, you do not have one) so I'd guess that the whole "system" boils down to courtesy and if someone doesn't approve of other people's parking decisions that's just tough.  You have my sympathy.

I can walk short distances using a cane.  50 meters out of the question.  I once complained to Lotus management and was told there was nothing they could do about the MB taxis, Grab Food and other non handicaped vendors parking in marked Handicap spaces.  I live in a condo and they have a handicap ramp to the elevators but not a handicap parking anywhere on the condo property.  Complaints fall on dead ears.

A few times I’ve been directed into a handicapped spot by the parking attendant. At this point I don’t care anymore; if I don’t take it, another Bon handicapped driver will. If directed so, I’ll take it. Hoping to keep it free for a real handicapped person is wishful thinking. 

My local 7/11 has 5 normal parking spaces, one mother & child space and one disabled space.

 

I try to use a normal space but if they're all occupied I will use the mother & child space first followed by the disabled space if that is occupied.

2 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

They must have fantastic insurances as they all drive "decent" cars and, not to inflict bad omen or spirits, not one car has a "handicap" sticker anywhere. 

Thainess - explained and a Lao car followed suit at the car park in Nong Khai ............. selfish bunch of pirkcs ???? 

Some truly saddening pics, I guess by the fact that they are straddling the bays that they know full well what they are doing and think that this is some kind of excuse for their behavior.

 

I am not disabled but have needed to use the parking from time to time. I try to park close to the store, leaving the bays free for people who need them more than I but if I do have to use them I'm really happy I have the opportunity to, I just need to explain to the security guard why and its never an issue, I think in the UK I would need a disabled sticker in my car. I also think that ignorant people parking in disabled bays is also an issue in the UK, its not exclusive to Thailand.

 

One time I tried to use the bays at KK dental hospital and there was a mini van waiting for a VIP party blocking the bays, he wouldn't move even when the security guard asked him, his reply was, its for people who cant walk, this guy is too young. I was behind the wheel, so i'm confused how he could assess my needs.

 

I don't have to use the bays at Makro as there are always bays close to the shop that are free, but I appreciate that they are secure and guarded, Big C doesnt offer any facilities. 

 

 

1 hour ago, dlclark97 said:

I once complained to Lotus management and was told there was nothing they could do about the MB taxis, Grab Food and other non handicaped vendors parking in marked Handicap spaces. 

As I said, I sympathise but they are private businesses and there are no laws covering parking in those areas, even if public laws did apply.  

 

What are "MB taxis", something relating to disabilities?

The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.
—  Mahatma Gandhi

1 hour ago, dlclark97 said:

I live in a condo and they have a handicap ramp to the elevators but not a handicap parking anywhere on the condo property.  Complaints fall on dead ears.

Did they have allocated handicapped parking when you chose to move in?   

58 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

My local 7/11 has 5 normal parking spaces, one mother & child space and one disabled space.

 

I try to use a normal space but if they're all occupied I will use the mother & child space first followed by the disabled space if that is occupied.

Are you disabled and if not why do you do that?  Can't you walk to the 7-11 from your parked car and give mothers and children and handicapped customers the courtesy that 7-11 clearly believes they deserve?

I needed a disabled parking space at swampy short term parking, all full with luxury cars, still there next day.

7 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Are you disabled and if not why do you do that?  Can't you walk to the 7-11 from your parked car and give mothers and children and handicapped customers the courtesy that 7-11 clearly believes they deserve?

There is no other parking