Laugh or Cry....

A couple of weeks ago I was sitting in a restaurant, when (whom I thought were a mature sensible couple) struck up a general conversation with me about Chiang Mai and Thailand in general, as you do!

Out of the blue the guy asked me, “Do they have disabilities here?”

I said, “I’m sure they do”.

He said, “Well we haven’t seen any since we’ve been here”.

I said, “There are all manner of disabilities here just like anywhere else in the world”.

(I didn’t know if he thought there was a parade scheduled).

I had to excuse myself and leave.

I suspect the issue was the lack for wheelchair usage in public/transportation and parking and public facilities for such.

They are either cared for at home if financially able, or they sell lottery tickets or beg if poor. Unfortunatly won't see too many rolling down the footpath in wheelchairs due to the miserable state of pavement so, accesability is a huge problem . That's why you don't see them.

Well, after they removed the Parking for Cripples sign at my local Tescos, I now believe everyone here is super healthy!

You could get some serious air off that.

He said, “Well we haven’t seen any since we’ve been here”.

It is true that you see them seldom.

Being disabled is a harder fate than in the west.

Indeed almost impossible to move on your own if you are wheelchair bound.

Even worse here in upcounty

They are often locked to the house, hidden away.

There is so little mercy/sympathy as some still believe its all bad karma from former life

If they don't have a family that cares and has adequate transport they are lost.

You could get some serious air off that.

...anyone know where that is...I been looking for a decent skateboard ramp for ages.

Always something to laugh at here, is that seriously meant to be wheelchair access?

Always something to laugh at here, is that seriously meant to be wheelchair access?

Maybe for the mother in law?

A fews years back I was walking down the road in Hat Yai when I almost tripped over a begger, he had all of his arms and legs and from what I could see he was just dressed in ripped clothing and had dirt all over him, he looked at me and made this gesture and handed out his bowl, just then I noticed that he had a cheap gold watch on but it was sparkling clean and looked quite new. I looked at it pionted and said in my best Thai "Nalica tong suay mak mak" he laughed and withdrew his bowl, as I walked down the road, I turned back and saw him get up take off the watch and put in his poket, just as his next victim arrived.

Thanks for taking the time to read my post

i seem to recall the BTS were supposed to provide lifts for disabled access at a certain number of stations but basically they didnt bother doing it at some of those stations and didnt upkeep the lifts they did install. the government may recently have ordered them to get their act together on this which would be a step in the right direction.

The observation made by the tourists to whom the OP refers is understandable, as others have pointed out the lack of public space for disabled people in Thailand creates a society where the disabled are not seen or heard.

That is something to ponder when we next hear a debate of giving the disabled back home more access in education, work and the public space, their condition excludes them, we society need to provide for their inclusion.

In what the OP might recall as a similar crass observation, when I first came to work in Thailand 25 years ago I was asked by my then Thai teacher if I would like to join a state school English camp. At the camp I observed and asked the question - do Thai children have good eyesight?

It was explained to me that no, many Thai children have poor eyesight, few can afford glasses.

I mentioned this at work, the response from a handful of expats was to offer to buy glasses and for the next two years a bunch of rough-a£sed construction workers provided glasses for dozens of kids.

A memory from this time I have is of a girl, perhaps 12 or 13 years old putting on the first pair of glasses she'd ever worn and then standing eyes and mouth wide open, she had never seen the trees or the hills.

Asking a silly question can result in a remarkable answer and not understanding is an opportunity to learn.

As much as anything we need all of us to count our blessings.

You could get some serious air off that.

It's gnarly khrap!

Imagine a light sprinkling of rain at the base, then a 100kg person in a wheelchair tryng to be pushed (dragged) up that thing !!

That must be a disability creator.

Always something to laugh at here, is that seriously meant to be wheelchair access?

Yes, But would be safer to open the window first.

The observation made by the tourists to whom the OP refers is understandable, as others have pointed out the lack of public space for disabled people in Thailand creates a society where the disabled are not seen or heard.

That is something to ponder when we next hear a debate of giving the disabled back home more access in education, work and the public space, their condition excludes them, we society need to provide for their inclusion.

In what the OP might recall as a similar crass observation, when I first came to work in Thailand 25 years ago I was asked by my then Thai teacher if I would like to join a state school English camp. At the camp I observed and asked the question - do Thai children have good eyesight?

It was explained to me that no, many Thai children have poor eyesight, few can afford glasses.

I mentioned this at work, the response from a handful of expats was to offer to buy glasses and for the next two years a bunch of rough-a£sed construction workers provided glasses for dozens of kids.

A memory from this time I have is of a girl, perhaps 12 or 13 years old putting on the first pair of glasses she'd ever worn and then standing eyes and mouth wide open, she had never seen the trees or the hills.

Asking a silly question can result in a remarkable answer and not understanding is an opportunity to learn.

As much as anything we need all of us to count our blessings.

Bit off topic but I know exactly how this girl felt...I got my glasses when 21 years old but nobody realised that I am almost blind and for me it was normal to see the world like this.at this time I had a girlfriend who had glasses and I've been just curious how I look with glasses though I borrowed them...big shock and next day straight to the optician...now part of my life....

The observation made by the tourists to whom the OP refers is understandable, as others have pointed out the lack of public space for disabled people in Thailand creates a society where the disabled are not seen or heard.

Also don't see that many cognitively disabled people here. One of my friends has a daughter that appears to have autism or something, but off the top of my head that's the only cognitively disable person I've seen here.

I suspect the issue was the lack for wheelchair usage in public/transportation and parking and public facilities for such.

Plenty of access in Tescos.............................especially car parking.................nicely filled by those idle fooookers who cant be arsed to walk more than 1 metre to the entrance..oh yes plenty of those in Thailand

Imagine a light sprinkling of rain at the base, then a 100kg person in a wheelchair tryng to be pushed (dragged) up that thing !!

Baa! Glass-half-empty comment

A little effort to get up the ramp for sure. But then you can look forward to coming down without any pushing needed at all

In my local town there are at least six ATM machines. I am wheelchair bound and only one of these machines is accessible to me. Why they have to put these machines at the top of stairs is beyond me.

Normally because of flooding. And to protect from rain. But if inside they are normally at floor level.

Perhaps a work around for you local situation would be to have two accounts with internet banking and deposit into the ATM account as needed and have maid or friend withdraw when you instruct. That would protect your main account and provide access.

I suspect the issue was the lack for wheelchair usage in public/transportation and parking and public facilities for such.

Plenty of access in Tescos.............................especially car parking.................nicely filled by those idle fooookers who cant be arsed to walk more than 1 metre to the entrance..oh yes plenty of those in Thailand

Oh so true

At the South Pattaya Tesco the owner of the building (Tesco ?) decided to rent out the walk way to the South parking lot to a mattress store, next to the front entrance, which means that everyone, disabled or not, is forced to walk and push their shopping carts facing traffic coming in from Sukumvit

I point this out since the only place with a disabled ramp is now blocked because someone can make a few baht selling sidewalk (footpath) space to a mattress vendor

Not only do they have no concern for the disabled, they actively do stupid things to cause accidents so that there will be more disabled

Looks like a skateboard ramp for them to launch themselves through the unopened window to gain entry.

Wait!!

What skateboards here?

Or the launch ramp on an aircraft carrier, or ............

The observation made by the tourists to whom the OP refers is understandable, as others have pointed out the lack of public space for disabled people in Thailand creates a society where the disabled are not seen or heard.

That is something to ponder when we next hear a debate of giving the disabled back home more access in education, work and the public space, their condition excludes them, we society need to provide for their inclusion.

In what the OP might recall as a similar crass observation, when I first came to work in Thailand 25 years ago I was asked by my then Thai teacher if I would like to join a state school English camp. At the camp I observed and asked the question - do Thai children have good eyesight?

It was explained to me that no, many Thai children have poor eyesight, few can afford glasses.

I mentioned this at work, the response from a handful of expats was to offer to buy glasses and for the next two years a bunch of rough-a£sed construction workers provided glasses for dozens of kids.

A memory from this time I have is of a girl, perhaps 12 or 13 years old putting on the first pair of glasses she'd ever worn and then standing eyes and mouth wide open, she had never seen the trees or the hills.

Asking a silly question can result in a remarkable answer and not understanding is an opportunity to learn.

As much as anything we need all of us to count our blessings.

...thanks 'Guesthouse' for picking up on the real issues..not just wheelchairs..the couple were referring to most other disabilities ie. blind, deaf, mute, mentally affected etc. etc...sorry I was not 'detailed specific' in what they meant. I have been directly involved in assisting another generous expat locate a small enclave out Doi Saket way, where an elderly American gentleman has devoted his life and savings to helping a group who have genetic and hereditary disorders causing mal-formed and withered limbs. Most have been left on the floor in one room of their homes and have never seen the outside world. This man raises money and brings a yearly container of wheel chairs to distribute. Many of the Thai people with other disabilities in his ever expanding group are unable to sit or get into a wheelchair and as a result he designs and gets made tailored mobile devices into which the person can be supported and operate a handle to propel the contraption about. (You should see the elation on their faces). My purpose of titling my post "Laugh or Cry" was about how we all approach this delicate subject and should speak openly without offending etc. This couple were compassionate, but it came over initially quite the opposite, as if they were of the opinion Thailand didn't have citizens with disabilities! We all cry inside for folk with any disorders. Thanks.

There is a lot of info and advice for people that are so easily offended. Low self esteem is the main factor. Perhaps the OP has some social disability.

In Indonesia the disabled are locked away and in many cases chained up.

Here in Thailand if one is disabled they must have committed aboration in a previous physical body. So Buddhist teachings profess.

..no Im not socially disabled..far from it!..the couple that I was speaking to felt the way they had made their intitial statement about Thais with disabilities may offend them, not being experienced at talking about disabilities openly ok!

Yes you may encounter unfortunate panhandlers with heavy handicaps, the kind of disabilities you scarcely happen to see in the streets back in your home country...

The OP sounds like a bundle of laughs to hang out with!

The couple in question may well have been a bit crass, but ther observation is a valid one. Disabled (can I still say that? physically challenged?) people are not nearly as visible as in many other countries.

They are either cared for at home if financially able, or they sell lottery tickets or beg if poor. Unfortunatly won't see too many rolling down the footpath in wheelchairs due to the miserable state of pavement so, accesability is a huge problem . That's why you don't see them.

The OP sounds like a bundle of laughs to hang out with!

The couple in question may well have been a bit crass, but ther observation is a valid one. Disabled (can I still say that? physically challenged?) people are not nearly as visible as in many other countries.

Many of them visible in wheelchairs in Pattaya around Soi Yume/Arunotai that runs along the side of Big C Extra from The Father Ray Foundation. They even tried to create a wheelchair dedicated walkway along one side of the road but unfortunately it normally gets parked on along much of its length.