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Published on August 8, 2007

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin told a press conference yesterday that the BMA would cooperate with Disabled Peoples' International Asia-Pacific Region (DPI Asia-Pacific), Thai Health Promotion Foundation, Association of the Physi-cally Handicapped of Thai-land, Siam CPAC Block Co and others on the project.

The road and the footpath are to be made usable by people with all types of disabilities, especially the blind and those using wheelchairs.

"After the project's completion, we will block the road to celebrate the Day of Disabled Persons on November 11," Apirak said. "This is BMA's first road improvement for the disabled, based on their own survey and report. I think it's good because the city will now know their actual problems," he added.

DPI Asia-Pacific officer Sureeporn Yupa said her inspection of pavements in July with others who were wheelchair-bound or blind had revealed many problems, including pits and low-lying sections on the footpath; low-hanging electric wires; sewage covers with grills wide enough for wheelchairs to get stuck in; and lack of warning buttons for the blind at road crossings.

"These are only some of the problems we found," she said, adding that the BMA should also remove some street furniture or grow small plants around those that cannot be removed.

Apirak said he would use the pilot project to improve 60 other roads and the city' rail transit facilities.

"We will survey the problems on the 60 improved roads because many of them are not fit for all disabled," Sureeporn added.

Wannapa Phetdee

The Nation