OPINION

Let's enable change

Re: "Wheelchair activist smashes door after BTS access row", (BP, March 13).

Mr Manit Intharapim's predicament illustrated on the front page of the Bangkok Post, and the subject of subsequent editorial comment, illustrates and highlights once again the difficulties of disabled access to the BTS. These problems have long been known and the BTS management seems unwilling or unable to resolve them.

By contrast, disabled access to the MRT is much easier: Lifts and escalators are ubiquitous and also available to able-bodied passengers. Moreover, as a frequent ageing and slightly disabled user of both the MRT and the BTS systems, I have always found the MRT station staff to be unfailingly helpful and considerate, sometimes even over-solicitous.

I sympathise with Mr Manit, and I understand his problem. But I cannot understand why the BTS does not consult the MRT for ideas and suggestions about improving its disabled access, or endeavour to match, or follow, its excellent example.

At the time when the world mourns the passing of a celebrated scientist, a handicapped one at that, who defied the odds, and celebrates wonderful athletes at the Paralympic games in South Korea, role models all, one cannot but be appalled at the shabby treatment inflicted on disabled citizens here in Bangkok -- the BTS lift episode being one more case in point.

Progress has been made, to be sure, and one should gratefully acknowledge it. However, cases like the one at Asok BTS station shows there remains a lot to be done.

Are BTS lifts so precious that they cannot be used freely as in any civilised country? Besides, lifts are still only available at some stations when they should be at every station.

One hopes that the renovated Taksin bridge station will have one or even two lifts as well as escalators to go to the platforms on both sides.

Re: "Physicist Hawking dies at 76", (BP, March 15).

An intellect as large as the universe he explored and shared with us was yet tragically captive to an increasingly twisted and disabled body.

Farewell Stephen. Today the millions of atoms that formed your unique and tortured physical being start their return to the cosmos.

Thank you for sharing your life with us.

If one subscribes to the belief in a "benign" supreme being and a vision of afterlife as well as debates of what happened here a very long time ago, one can only chuckle at the thought of cross-examination by the late Stephen Hawking with said divinity now and his (her?) obfuscation of the issues and rebuttals by Dr Hawking.

The 10 targeted industries which the EEC has deemed desirable includes electric vehicles, robotics and other sectors heavily dependent upon a highly educated workforce (Business, March 5). Currently the private sector faces a huge shortage of such people and businesses seeking to take advantage of the many perks offered by the current government in the EEC would be well advised to ask where their workforce will come from.

Take, for example, an electric car hypothetically manufactured in Rayong. Unless the regulatory environment changes drastically it won't be sold here, can't be serviced here and will have to be shipped a long distance to seek a viable market. Without an investment of money and political will in education and regulatory reform equivalent to what is being granted to the EEC, this ambitious project will not succeed in the short or medium term, at least as far as the Thai public is concerned.

In a news report in the March 13 edition on fish imported from Fukushima, "authorities" revealed that "all of the products were safe". A great relief to all, no doubt. However, one fervently hopes that these "authorities" are not the same ones that declared that there is no sex in Pattaya.

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