Bangkok Post
Thursday, August 24, 2006

Mongkol Bangprapa
Amornrat Mahitthirook

A group of 20 disabled people has filed a lawsuit against caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Transport Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal, accusing them of dereliction of duty for failing to provide facilities for the disabled at Suvarnabhumi airport.

The group, led by Torpong Kulkhanchit, chief of the Asia –Pacific Office of the International Handicapped Organisation, filed the lawsuit with the Administrative Court yesterday.

The group also asked that the airport’s official opening be delayed from Sept 28 until their demand for such special facilities is met.

Lt-Col Torpong said the government had never invited a representative of the disabled to help plan special facilities at the new airport for them.

According to Lt-Col Torpong, he had sent a written petition asking the government to address the problem but to no avail. Last month he met Mr.Thaksin in Khon Kaen province and asked him to see to it that special facilities are provided at the new airport for the disabled. However, Mr.Thaksin appeared to believe his close aides who claimed that the problem had already been solved.

“The government has shown clearly that it does not care (about the disabled) and pays more attention to decorations.” Said Lt-Col Torpong.

He said the group would also file a criminal lawsuit against Mr.Thaksin and Mr.Pongsak, who is responsible for the Suvarnabhumi airport project, next month.

According to the group, the main problems for the disabled at the airport are the air-conditioning vents and stairs.

The tall air-conditioning vents rising from the floor in the passenger terminal pose a hazard for the blind and running children as neither warning signs nor detectable special floor tiles with tactile surface to warn the blind, the group said.

The stairs in the terminal have steel-wire guard rails with gaps big enough for a child to slip through. Also, the airport has no transport service provided especially for the disabled.

Warisara Takkrathoke, a public relations officer of the Association of the Disabled of Thailand, said the country would host the 9th Asian ParaGames next year and there would be chaos when arriving disabled athletes had to use airport restrooms in a hurry.

They would need to change their underwear at the airport because they could not use in-flight toilets, she said.

Airport general manager Somchai Sawasdeepon said he was aware of the need to provide special facilities for the disabled. A committee with representatives of the disabled on it would be formed to seek solutions, he said.

Mr.Somchai added that the airport was waiting for an additional budget to fund the construction of special toilets and elevators for the disabled.