A subcommittee will soon convene to talk about a domestic airline that does not let disabled passengers in wheelchairs board its flights.
Varawut Silpa-archa, the Minister of Social Development and Human Security, expressed his sadness today about the airline’s unfair treatment of disabled people. He instructed officials to bring up the issue with the subcommittee.
He acknowledged the challenges that disabled people face when they leave home every day and are unsure of how others will treat them.
He also mentioned that his 90-year-old mother relies on a wheelchair whenever she goes outside.
As Thailand's population ages, the minister admitted that there are still insufficient facilities for persons with disabilities.
Sorawut Noengchampong, the secretary to the transport minister, stated that the airline in question has been asked to clarify its rules for disabled passengers and explain why it has turned away passengers in wheelchairs.
He added that a working group, consisting of officials and representatives of disabled people, will be created to address discrimination against disabled people in public transportation.
