Attitudes toward disabled visitors?

[Guest]

I am strongly considering my first visit to Bangkok but have the following concern:

I am recovering from a badly broken leg and currently walk with a cane.  While thumbing through a travel guide I read that many Thais are uncomfortable with  disabled people, who are apparently considered bad luck.  Supposedly the belief is that the disabled are being punished for transgressions in a previous life.

I am wondering if this is outdated or incorrect information and if anyone has observed people in my situation being avoided or otherwise treated differently.

[robbo]

i wouldnt worry too much,i could be wrong but i think you are reading into the buddist way of thinking too much re: karma etc and that all thais take it so literal.
ive seen guys in wheelchairs in NANA PLAZA(being wheeled around by two thai lovelys ),guys with legs /arms in plaster also.
ive lost count of the number of guys ive come across who have had accidents on motorbikes while in LOS and end up walking around like they have just come from afganistan warzone.
in my experience on the street level at least thais are good with the disabled as they have many of their own many many deaf dumb etc etc,my ex gg was deaf dumb so i know.
as long as you have some baht in your pocket you could be without arms and legs and i would say youll still find a goodtime somewhere

[batman4ever]

just tell them it was an traffic accident...and that you now await for the 30mill. bath compensation from the insurance...

then they will carry you up the 17 floor if nessesary...

[robbo]

[Guest]

Thank you very much.

[robbo]

not sure where you come from but youll find less prejudice and bullshite in thailand than most western so called developed countries........have fun.

[batman4ever]

just make some funny stories about what happend....like your hand slipped your dick while taking a piss...and it fell down and crushed your foot/leg... or that your former thai GF was the one who broked it because you butterflyed to much , or that you just carry the stick to lift up the shirts of the girls.... they love that kind of bullshit as long as you smile when saying it...

as Oh would say to me...

you think to mut....

[Snick]

They consider all of us foreigners to be retarded; so a retard with a bad leg isn't that much different.

[batman4ever]

(Snick @ Mar. 21 2009,15:50) They consider all of us foreigners to be retarded; so a retard with a bad leg isn't that much different.

maybe......

but we are retarded ....with an ATM card...

[Looker]

(krw60 @ Mar. 21 2009,13:54) I am wondering if this is outdated or incorrect information and if anyone has observed people in my situation being avoided or otherwise treated differently.

I haven't seen yet any flight like those bound and from BKKwith such a high number (in percentage) of people with disabilities of any sorts, or simply with more or less serious injuries.

In simple words, if you can't get laid in LOS, nowhere else you will.

[Guest]

Yesterday I saw a guy with no feet laying face down on the sidewalk at Sukhumvit Subway station. His arm was outstretched with a styrofoam cup in his hand looking for handouts. Pretty shocking to see this guy right in the thick of pedestrian flow and face down. Thais with physical disabilities are usually very inmobile while I see plenty of westerners here getting around fine with their disability.
I have even seen high level Quadriplegics out alone in a power chairs. They may have had a Thai bargirl helping by wiping swet off their brow. I met a bloke in a manual chair from Australia who was hopping curbs and dodging street obstacles with ease. I asked him how he was finding it, and he told me he expected worse and was managing fine. He also told me he was able to talk taxi drivers through taking apart his chair and resassembling when arriving at destinations.

Ambulating with a cane is really pretty minor. I don't think anyone would target you because of your disabiity as long as your not in the wrong places.

I would replace the cane with a ladyboy if I was in your shoes.

[manarak]

ive seen guys in wheelchairs in NANA PLAZA(being wheeled around by two thai lovelys

That is Thailand!  certainly speeding up the recovery!!


Switzerland: be pushed around (not only on the wheelchair) by a fat 40-ish rude polish nurse which speaks broken german.

[Guest]

Thanks for all the kind responses, I now have no more excuses not to go.

[jadeite]

Yesterday I saw a guy with no feet laying face down on the sidewalk at Sukhumvit Subway station. His arm was outstretched with a styrofoam cup in his hand looking for handouts

Perfect description. That guy has been doing the exact same thing for years. Have seen him at patpong too so his mobility is better than you might think. The word is he makes a killing, usually his routine nets him over 10,000 baht a day!

[robbo]

(jadeite @ Mar. 21 2009,17:07)

Yesterday I saw a guy with no feet laying face down on the sidewalk at Sukhumvit Subway station. His arm was outstretched with a styrofoam cup in his hand looking for handouts

Perfect description. That guy has been doing the exact same thing for years. Have seen him at patpong too so his mobility is better than you might think. The word is he makes a killing, usually his routine nets him over 10,000 baht a day!

probably spot on. allthoug id rather still have my feet than 100,000 bt a day let alone 10,000.
many times seen the guy on SUK to, with no legs crawling along begging funny how you just kind of get used to it and end up walking around him just like everyone else after a while.
there have been times when some sights have etched at my conscience a bit (usually when im stone sober or too pissed),its best to just stay in the inbetween world when on hol in LOS .......the bit inbetween the fantasy good time world and some thai reality, sometimes. i say sometimes.