Cabinet approves principles for providing equipment and facilities for the disabled

Government House, The deputy government spokesperson revealed that the Cabinet has approved the principle of the draft ministerial regulation to determine the characteristics or provision of equipment, facilities or services in buildings, locations, vehicles and transportation services to enable the disabled to access and use them. Mrs. Ratklao Intawong Suwannakiri, Deputy Government Spokesperson, revealed that the Cabinet meeting resolved to approve the principle of the draft Ministerial Regulation on the characteristics or provision of equipment, facilities or services in buildings, locations, vehicles and transportation services to enable the disabled to access and use them, B.E. ... as proposed by the Ministry of Transport (MoT). Mrs. Ratklao said that the draft ministerial regulation is an amendment to the ministerial regulation specifying the characteristics or provision of equipment, facilities or services in buildings, places, vehicles and transportation services to enable disabled people to access and use them, B.E. 2556, to be appropriate and consistent with the ministerial regulation specifying facilities in buildings for disabled or handicapped people and the elderly (No. 2) B.E. 2564 and the current situation, with the following important points: To repeal the Ministerial Regulations prescribing the characteristics or provision of equipment, facilities or services in buildings, locations, vehicles and transportation services to enable disabled people to access and use them, B.E. 2556 Additional definitions from the original Ministerial Regulation include: 'pier', 'passenger ship', 'transportation service', and 'refuge area'. The provision of facilities in buildings for the disabled shall be in accordance with the Building Control Act. It is stipulated that vehicles such as trains according to the Railway and Highways Arrangement Act, electric trains according to the Mass Rapid Transit Act of Thailand, aircraft according to the Air Navigation Act, etc. must be provided with equipment, facilities or services to provide services appropriate to the actual conditions and practices. Vehicles used for passenger transport of both regular and non-regular types are required to have equipment, facilities or services to enable disabled persons to access and use them, such as vehicle doors, equipment for transporting disabled persons or equipment for lifting wheelchairs on and off the vehicle. The characteristics of the equipment, facilities or services must be in accordance with the list of equipment, facilities or services in vehicles used for passenger transport specified in the list at the end of this Ministerial Regulation. Trains under the Railway and Highways Arrangement Act are required to have toilets and sleeping rooms for the disabled, seats for the disabled, announcements of the next station, sound signals, and light signals. Passenger ships under the law governing navigation in Thai waters must have a sleeping area for disabled persons for passenger ships that have sleeping areas, stairs, seats f or disabled persons, and at least one ship officer who has undergone training and has the qualifications to meet the needs of each type of disabled person to provide services for boarding and disembarking from the ship. It is required that passenger transport stations, train and skytrain stations, piers and airports have equipment, facilities or services to enable people with disabilities to access and use them, such as doors, tactile surfaces for the visually impaired, seats for the disabled or areas for parking wheelchairs for the disabled, plans for the location of facilities in the station, stairs and handrails. Specify that there must be a list at the end of the draft Ministerial Regulation to determine the characteristics of equipment, facilities or services, such as signs showing equipment or facilities for the disabled in accordance with the announcement of the Land Traffic System Management Committee on standards for signs in public transport systems, language translation manuals or language symbol signs for bus staff to communicate with the disabled in accordance with the manual of the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning, ticket booths with space and height for wheelchairs. This draft ministerial regulation will enable people with disabilities to access and use public transportation services conveniently, appropriately, safely, and equally. It will improve the quality of public transportation services in the country, resulting in economic development and sustainable national development. During the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Settha Thavisin emphasized the importance of this matter and asked the Ministry of Transport (MTR) and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS) to cooperate and work in an integrated manner to achieve rapid results. Source: Thai News Agency