Bangkok, Thailand Travel Guide
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Accessibility in Bangkok
Accessibility in Bangkok
Accessibility of the streets, sidewalks, curbs and buildings in Bangkok can present a challenge but you can master them and find routes and businesses to make Bangkok accessible. I’ve seen many determined wheelchair warriors get around just famously in Bangkok. Most of these guys are middle-aged. They’ve mastered Bangkok.
Some districts and areas are much easier than others. China Town, which is southeast of the Riverside area, presents not only inconsistent sidewalk accessibility but the sidewalks are filled with vendors. Yet the sois (streets) branching off the main road are wide and smooth. Khoa San Road (just north of China Town), however, may have vendors on the sidewalks yet the sidewalks are wider and the main market street of Khoa San is more of a pedestrian street. It’s blocked off from cars. Tuktuks can drive through.
On Sukhumvit, it’s easier just to wheel on the streets where, vendors and pedestrians alike, seem to roam about. You will have to maneuver in and out of people, bicycles and motorcycles. This may seem daunting and strange but consider that Bangkok has countless vendors with portable wagons and stalls milling about on the streets. In addition, the locals themselves walk on the streets.
Areas around the palaces, Riverside area east of the Chao Phraya River, are easier to negotiate as the sidewalks are more even and the curbs have dips so you can mount them.
Streets, Sidewalks, Curbs, Buildings
The sidewalks around the Grand Palace area, where Wat Phra Kaew is, are accessible in terms of width and flatness. Curbs here have ramps at the corners. As you go further away from this palace, the sidewalks get to be a bit more challenging.
Bang Lamphu comes to mind. Here, you’ll find China Town on the streets of Yaowarat Road and Sampheng Lane. Sidewalks to have ramps but sometimes, vehicles block the ramps. Remember, there is a profusion of street stalls and shops selling. With this wealth of retail opportunities comes streams of people.
Patpong in the Silom/Sathorn area is a fairly wheelchair accessible area in terms of streets and sidewalks and ramps. Again, there are many markets here and it gets crowded. A lot of businesses do have steps. Some don’t and some businesses have realized Bangkok’s draw of disabled tourists. Surawong is a street running east and west and parallel to Silom. A main street, Surawong has ramps at the corners of curbs.
Siam Square, Bangkok’s famous shopping district, is an area that is wheelchair accessible but the sidewalks at the north end on Sukhumvit are uneven and the ramps a bit steep.
Sukhumvit east is one of the most entertaining spots for tourists. Yest, the sidewalks and curbs in the area do get a bit spotty owing to the fact that they can get very high, uneven and crowded. Again, this is where a wheelchair must use the street to roll on sometimes.