Pattaya taxi rider praised after helping disabled foreigner on blocked footpath
A Thai app-based motorcycle taxi rider made headlines after helping a disabled foreign man in Pattaya when a street light pole blocked a footpath and prevented a wheelchair from passing.
A video of the incident circulated on Thai social media this week, showing the rider stopping his motorcycle to assist a foreign couple. The foreign man, who has a disability affecting his legs, is seen holding onto a street light pole to stand while waiting to return to his wheelchair.
The rider, later identified as 33 year old Fan, told Channel 7 he was on his way to pick up a passenger when he noticed the foreign man struggling because his wheelchair could not pass the area due to the street light blocking the footpath.
Fan said the foreign man stood up and held the street light while a foreign woman, believed to be his girlfriend, tried to move the wheelchair through a small gap on the footpath.
He said he then lifted the wheelchair and moved it past the street light. The couple were then able to continue their journey, crossing the road to the other side.
Channel 7 reported the incident happened on Central Pattaya Road and involved a new LED street light installed last year. The city installed about 4,000 new lights, with some placed in the middle of footpaths where space is limited.
Thai social media users praised Fan for helping, while others questioned officials about universal design facilities and the narrow footpaths. Some called for improvements to make public spaces accessible for everyone.
A similar issue was reported in Bangkok last week, when a disabled man in a wheelchair was rejected by public buses. A video of the incident showed the man moving his wheelchair onto the road to block a bus, forcing the driver to stop and allow him to board.
The man said in the video that he had been refused twice before taking action. He said the driver and ticket staff appeared dissatisfied after picking him up, suggesting they were unwilling to serve passengers with disabilities.
The incident led to criticism of the bus company, which issued an apology and said it would reprimand staff who rejected disabled passengers.
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