Thailand's buses to serve PWDs

BANGKOK, May 26 (TNA) - The Thai government, through the Ministries of Social Development and Human Security and Transport, jointly plan passenger buses which are friendly to persons with disabilities (PWDs). The two ministries, thus, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in Bangkok on May 25 to study bus-related facilities for PWDs ahead of the delivery of low-floor buses to Thailand in July 2015, with the ministers of the two ministries jointly presiding over the signing ceremony themselves. Social Development and Human Security Minister Police General Adul Sangsingkaew told journalists that under the agreement, both ministries and local educational institutes will jointly study facilities to allow PWDs to conveniently board new, low-floor passenger buses fueled by natural gas for vehicles(NGV). According to the social development and human security minister, the new fleet of low-floor NGV passenger buses will first run on 20 main roads in Bangkok, including Phetchaburi, Rama VI, Rama IV, Vibhavadi Rangsit, Taksin and Ratchadaphisek Roads. Transport Minister Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong said that the production of the 3,183 new NGV buses has been completed and designed to also serve PWDs, with 50 of them to be delivered in July and 489 more in September. Meanwhile, a wheelchair user welcomed the new buses with facilities to serve PWDs,opining that everyone should have access to public services. The wheelchair user told reporters that she has always had to use taxis to commute because existing buses are not friendly to PWDs and have caused high travel costs to her. (TNA)