Wheelchair accessible transport in Thailand

Already a week ago we wrote about our wheelchair accessible Toyota Commuter minivan. In a previous post you could have seen a picture of it. And in Hua Hin you sure cannot miss it while it is driving around.
Now we have made a movie with help of a nice Thai lady who take care of Jan in the morning. She is making some shots while I'm driving the car. So have a look up here and see how (powered) wheelchairs can be restraint with the Q-straint system. Also manual wheelchairs and scooters can be transported in this taxi.

Guests of wheelchair accessible Pool villa Coconut Grove and wheelchair accessible apartment Tira Tiraa get a FREE TRANSFER from Bangkok Airport or a Bangkok Hotel to Hua Hin.*
On request our guests can book this car with driver for trips to Bangkok, Cha-am, Pranburi, Damnoen Saduak Floating market, Kanchanaburi / River Kwai, Tiger temple, Rose Garden, etc.

The handicap van can also take bookings of people who stay in other resorts, hotels and/or individuals who are coming to stay in the Hua Hin area and want safe transfers from Bangkok to Hua Hin visa versa.

For booking and / or more information please contact us by email info@gehandicapten.com  

* Conditions apply.

Accessible restaurants Hua Hin Thailand

February 14, 2011
Valentine's Day in Hua Hin

I alrady wrote a lot of articles about accessible restaurants. This time I am writing about Papa John. In earlier times this restaurant was located opposite the Sofitel Hotel in the center of Hua Hin where we get to know this place. Now it is located opposite Amari serviced apartments on the way to Khao Takiab. You have to pass the Hyatt Regency Hotel and the Cicada Art and Deli Market to get there. It is about 5 km from downtown Hua Hin. So you need some kind of transportation to get there. But it is worth it.

When you are looking for superb European Food you have found your restaurant. They have a big choice of beef, pork and chicken. Big T-bone steaks, Chateau Briand, Cordon Blue and more. Some Thai food too to satisfy the mixed couples.

This restaurant is wheelchair accessible with a little bit of help. I expect that paraplegic can manage on their own. You have to enter the restaurant by ramp over the parking lawn. You enter the kitchen where there is a small step of 5 cm. Then you have level access to the first part of the restaurant where you can have a drink or in case you want can have your diner. The second part is already set for diner. To come here you have to vercome a step of 10 cm. I have done it with my powered wheelchair. So it can be done when you have some help. It is a brand new restaurant with a very nice atmosphere. Nice background music, good service and well trained waitresses. The only minor thing is it has no accessible restrooms. But don't miss out on this restaurant when you want a very good steak.

Have a nice dinner.

Markets Hua Hin, Cicada Art and Deli Market

February11, 2011
Cicada Market, Nongkea, Hua Hin, Thailand

In 2005 we have visited Hua Hin, Thailand for the first time. During this holiday we have stayed in the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The only thing close to the Hyatt was Sasi cultural dance and dinner show and a litle bar with sixties and seventies live music on the corner. Both are stil there. Next to the hotel was just empty land with a few wooden huts of poor people and some small local shops.

Now the empty land has been changed into Cicada Art and Deli Market. This market offers all kinds of art, theater performances, street dance demonstrations and serves good food for very reasonable prices. The market is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and starts at 4pm. It is frequently visited by rich Bangkok weekenders and foreigners.

You can easily spend an evening overhere. The market is wheelchair accessible and has a few ramps where needed but most of it has level access. It even has a wheelchair accessible restroom which has ample space for wheelchairs but no grips for a transfer. So when you are disabled and use a scooter or wheelchair you are now able to drink a few beers.

I'm just wondering what happened to the the people of the small wooden huts. I do hope the developer of the project has find new and more healthier living quarters for them. Or even better gave them a job at this market.

Have fun. We had fun and will visit the market again in the future.

Accessible restaurants Hua Hin Thailand

January 19, 2011
Hua Hin, Thailand

Another possibility to eat European Food. This time Italian food. We love pasta and we love Italian salads and pizza. So sometimes we visit an Italian restaurant.

We already talked about Pizza Pizza near Villa Market. Mama Mia is a brandnew good Italian Restaurant. Prices are a little bit high because of the ingredients, location and entourage.

It has an access ramp and the door is wide enough for all wheelchairs. The only minor thing are the restrooms. These are on the first floor. It is located on the Naresdamri Road close to the corner with Chomsin Road.
And this is just a 700 meter walk from our wheelchair accessible apartment Tira Tiraa. So you can drink a nice glass of Italian wine and walk home.

But no problem. The Seafood restaurant Shangtai Seafood is just accross the street. If you ask nice I think it is not a problem to use their restroom.

Have a nice dinner.

Wheelchair accessible restaurants Hua Hin Thailand

Februari 10, 2011

Another wheelchair accessible restaurant in Hua Hin. And again on the second floor in Market Village like Fuji the Japanese restaurant next door.

This restaurants has mainly European kind of food on the menu. Steak, pork chop, ribs, etc. with french fries, baked potatoe and salad.
It has a very good salad bar included in the price of the meal on the menu. And a small desert buffet.
You can sit outside on the terrace and watch people strolling by with their goodies or inside.

Accessible restrooms are not present in the restaurant but on the same floor as the restaurant.

Try this restaurant. You wil not be disappointed. Enjoy your meal.

Safe transport for Wheelchair Thailand alias Gehandicapten.com

Hua Hin, 10 Februari 2011
Company car

For many reasons people love to visit Thailand. The most appreciated reasons are the good food, the friendly and helpfull people and the climat in winter.
That and the fact that my muscles are working better is the reason I visit Thailand regurlarly.

Untill now I travelled around in a minivan from a taxi company. They took out a seat and I used my movable ramps to get into the van aware from the danger that the ramps can slip at any time. It happened a few times and the people around were not fast enough to hold me and my wheelchair. And in all these years I didn't feal really safe, because my wheelchair was not secured to the floor and the van had no seat belts for wheelchair users. Just like everyone else in Thailand with a "wheelchair accessible van". Some of them try to fix your wheelchair to the floor but they use suitecase straps and tie your wheelchair to the other seats at just one point.

To travel safe I have bought a Toyota Commuter minivan in October last year. It was delivered in January 2011. Since then we have been to a company in Bangkok who adapted the van for wheelchair transport. Jan has worked for a car adaptation company for 18 years. He guided the staff of the Bangkok company through the process of adaptions. And we have been to @Sticker co in Bangkok who fixed our logo. The logo was designed by a Dutch Company earlier last year.

Now we have a beautiful van in which I can travel safe. The van has fixed ramp access for wheelchairs and scooters imported from Germany. And original Q-straint wheelchair and occupant secure system all according to the latest ADA and European standards.

But not only I will benefit.

We will transfer all our customers for free from Suvarnabhumi Airport or a Bangkok hotel to our accommodations in Hua Hin.*

Why? We don't want people to use the unfitted cars. We want people to travel safe. The Toyota Commuter can accommodate two (powered wheelchairs / scooters) and 6 additional passengers with luggage and medical equipment.

So now safe transfer / transport for disabled is one more good reason to choose for Gehandicapten.com
besides good reasons as location, price, personal service and a lifetime of experience in being a wheelchair user.

In case you have any questions don't hesitate to email to info@gehandicapten.com .

* Conditions apply.

Wheelchair accessible hotels Bangkok

January 26, 2011
IBIS hotel, Bangkok

I have stayed in many hotels in Bangkok and always try another hotel in my search for wheelchair accessible hotels in Bangkok. I love Bangkok and like to explore this city together with my wife. I have a muscular disease since childhood which effects my whole body. I cannot walk, stand or transfer to another seat or toilet. I need help with almost everything. Therefore I use a powered wheelchair all the time to stay as independent as possible. When you use a powered wheelchair like I do you don't have an option. The hotel needs to be wheelchair accessible. And Thailand knows wheelchair accessibility in a lot of variations. So I was surprised by this hotel.

In this picture taken by my wife you see me at the reception of the IBIS hotel, my shower wheelchair and my Thai care taker Nahm. At first they gave us room 547 but this wasn't a room for disabled people. After a complaint they gave us room 406. And this was absolutely a wheelchair accessible room. The bathroom had a roll in shower, the bed was as high as the seat of my wheelchair and enough space for me turn my wheelchair next to the bed and in the bathroom.

The hotel itself is very good adapted for wheelchair users. The only minor disadvantage is a little step of a few centimeters from the hotel to the pool area. I needed help here, but a paraplegic can do this on his own.

The hotel is located at the Chao Praya Riverside. The terrace and garden along the river offers beuatiful views of the river, the passing boats and the Shangri-la hotel. And this for the nice price of 1800 Baht per night including taxes and breakfast.

For more pictures of wheelchair access of this hotel look at my Picasa Webalbum of IBIS Riverside Hotel.

You don't need a car and driver overhere. The Skytrain is closeby and this station is wheelchair accessible. For more info about the Public transport in Bangkok read my previous posts about BTS, Airlink and MRT.

Have a nice stay and leave your comments here.

Wheelchair accessible van manufacturer Bangkok

January 31, 2011
Bangkok

Since 2005 I have been visiting Thailand for many times. And all these times I have been travelling with a taxi with driver. Thailand doesn't know wheelchair accessible vans. So normaly I take ramps with me, ask a driver to take out a seat and make some space for my wheelchair. No floor fixings for my wheelchair, only the seat in front of me to hold me in case anything happens. This is not the way we are used to in Europe.

The traffic in Thailand is so intense, so dense and dangerous that I don't want to travel on the road anymore with these kind of threats. After 6 years I found a very professional company in Bangkok who is able to fit a wheelchair ramp, wheelchair fixings and removable seats. So now I couldn't resist to buy my own Toyota Commuter Van and get it adapted at the moment I speak. And when this is finished I can take my accessible van and go with friends, fellow wheelchair users or just my beach wheelchair and travel safe on the roads in Thailand.

Do you want to know more? Get in touch with info@gehandicapten.com

Accessible restaurants Shangtai Seafood Hua Hin Thailand

Hua Hin, January 25, 2011
Shangtai Seafood, accessible toilet

When we want to eat seafood we always go to Shangtai Seafood. Why? The have great seafood and a lot of Thai people go here. So something must be good. It is always busy and the service is good.

And now we have an additional reason to visit this resaturant. It has an accessible toilet for wheelchair users. How great this is. Ths first Thai restaurant in Hua Hin with an accessible toilet indoors.

Thank you Shangtai Seafood. We will have diner and drinks with you many times after our last visit.

For more information about restaurants with accessible toilets in Hua Hin look at Wheelchair Accessible Hua Hin - Thailand on Google Maps.