Thailand: Call for legal action as airline refuses to let wheelchair user board flight

A wheelchair user wrote to the Lawyers Council of Thailand, calling for legal action against an unnamed airline for not letting him board a flight to Chiang Rai. Krisana Lalai, chairman of the Civilisation Foundation for All People, called on the council on Monday (March 18) to take steps to prevent discrimination against people with disability or those whose mobility is impaired. He said that an airline flying out of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport had not let him board its 6.30am flight to Chiang Rai on February 1. He said he had to fly to Chiang Rai and then travel by car to Phayao to meet the provincial governor there. He said this was the first time ever he has faced this problem with an airline. “An official told me that the airline does not have a policy to take care of wheelchair users who cannot walk,” he said. He added that the airline staff refused to let him board the flight even though he assured them that he had five colleagues with him, who were ready to help him. Krisana said he was shocked by this behaviour, saying that discrimination against persons with disabilities should not take place in Thailand.<br/>