Bangkok: The Supreme Administrative Court has mandated the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) to develop travel maps for the visually impaired at all 16 stations along the Purple Line within a 120-day timeframe, highlighting the MRTA’s previous neglect of its legal obligations.

According to Thai News Agency, the Supreme Administrative Court’s decision overturns a previous ruling by the Central Administrative Court. The initial lawsuit was filed by the Association of the Disabled of All Types of Thailand along with six disabled users of the Purple Line electric train. They alleged that the facilities provided for the disabled on the Purple Line were neither convenient nor safe, thereby creating obstacles for disabled individuals using the service since September 8, 2021.

The court has instructed the MRTA to adhere to the Ministerial Regulation on the Characteristics or Provision of Equipment, Facilities or Services in Buildings, Places, Vehicles, and Transportation Services for the Disabled to Access and Use B.E. 2556. This includes the provision of travel maps specifically designed for the visually impaired at every station of the Chalong Ratchadham Line, Tao Poon – Bang Yai Section. The MRTA’s compliance must align with the listed equipment, facilities, or services specified in the Ministerial Regulation, along with all relevant laws for the disabled.

While the Supreme Administrative Court acknowledged that the MRTA has provided sufficient facilities at all Purple Line stations to enable disabled individuals and the elderly to access elevators, it emphasized that the lack of travel maps for the visually impaired constitutes a legal violation. The court stated that these maps are essential tools for the visually impaired, containing necessary information for travel, as stipulated in the Ministerial Regulation.

The court further clarified that if the MRTA interprets the regulation as allowing them to selectively implement provisions without considering the necessity for efficient access to public services for the disabled, such an interpretation would render the regulation impracticable. The absence of travel maps for the visually impaired at all 16 stations is deemed a failure to uphold legal duties, permitting the appeal from the Association of the Disabled of All Types of Thailand and the six disabled users of the Purple Line.