Powerchair / Wheelchair Transport

[LilWilly 0]

I am thinking of visiting either AC or Pattaya this year, but my biggest concern at the moment is figuring out how to get there with a powerchair (electric wheel chair).

 

My powerchair weighs 300lbs and isn't foldable.

 

Are there any wheelchair accessable vans with ramps available in Bangkok or Pattaya for hire? (Ramp prefered over lift as powerchairs are a lot heavier then wheelchairs - Lift/ramp would need to be rated for atleast 600lbs)

 

Alternatively, is there anyone living in Pattaya who has access to a cargo van and wouldn't mind nailing a couple of 2x6s to a sheet of plywood 3' wide by 7-8 feet long - and interested in offering a lift to/from Bangkok?

 

How accessable are the hotels/clubs? My powerchair will climb a max 3" curb or single step.

 

Thanks in advance.

[soi6 0]

shouldn't be a problem in beer bars many you can get to without big probs..

 

Here are a couple of sites of people to contact on travel/wheelchairing Thailand..

 

http://www.wheelchairtours.com/

 

http://www.disabilitytravel.com/independen...le-thailand.htm

 

I hope that they help man..

 

 

[ting_tong 63]

Hi, I did see a guy cruise around in a go-go on a "powered chair", he was cruising around a few places.

Pattaya is not too friendly for any mobility chalanged person, but I have seen a few guys in wheel chairs and scooters.

So it can be done. The sidewalks are not made for wheelchairs. I have a friend that has a converted motorbike made to carry his wheelchair, but he uses it for getting around to "kha thon" (ask for money)........................t_t

[eddy35 202]

I am using a scootmobile when in Pattaya and I have to say that I can get around quite well. You should try to find somebody with a pickup truck, they can transport the wheelchair without any problem.

I stayed in the Sabailodge hotel, there you can reach the rooms without any steps. Even the pool area is accessable with a wheelchair, no steps. When I stayed there last August and September, there were a few more people in a wheelchair at the hotel.

If you contact the hotel, they will reply to all your questions and demands very quickly and they are very eager to help people in wheelchairs.

 

their website is : http://www.sabailodge.com

 

The hotel is close to bars, the beach and a big shoppingmall ( also very accessable for wheelchairs )

 

If you have more questions, just ask me........I am an experienced Pattaya traveller using a wheelchair.

 

Eddy

[LilWilly 0]

Thanks everyone for the help. Can anyone tell me how far it is from Sol1 to Sol18? And how far from Beach Road to Second Road?

 

Thanks Eddy re Sabailodge. I was thinking of staying in the area of South Pattaya as it seems to have the most number of places to go within one area. I was wondering how much of the area would fall within the range of my powerchair. I'd hate to get kicked out of a bar at closing and not have enough juice to get back to the hotel!

[ting_tong 63]

Its quite far, 1 1/2 to 2 miles?

 

try looking it up on a map?

map

 

soi

[eddy35 202]

Pattaya is not that big and with a powerchair you can go from Soi 1 to Soi 18 in about 15 minutes. Maybe it's a 1.5 mile distance. I charge my batteries every second day, so don't worry about the distances. Pattaya is a very compact city.

From beach road to second road is a maybe 300 meters, not far at all. Pattaya is like a big village.

 

What I must add is that South pattaya can be a big traffic mess, I always find it very hard to move myself in that area. crossing the street is almost impossible, on second road as well as beachroad. Take that in consideration if you chose your hotel. North of Pattaya Klang road it is easier to move around.

 

Don't worry about the distance, try to find an accessable hotel and bars are everywhere between soi 1 and soi 18.

Sabailodge is really great for a wheelchair and you are in South pattaya within 20 minutes. The bar area around sois 2/3 is also great, and soi 7/8 is within reach.

 

Do you use a handchair as well? Are you ADL independent? These are all questions to consider if you come to Pattaya. If you also have a handchair, you could rent an engine in Pattaya, usually they were skirt and high heels

[LilWilly 0]

Thanks again. My power chair will do 7.5 mph and has a (stated) range of 25 miles on a full charge - so it doesn't look like range is going to be a problem.

 

I still have concerns over getting the chair to Pattaya although I still have leads to follow up on after the holidays. Budget Rent-A-Car use to rent wheelchair vans and they've given me 3 numbers to call to check. I'm thinking of renting a foldable manual chair for the trip as a last resort - I've never used a manual and not sure how well I'd handle one.

 

 

Eddy, I don't know what "ADL independent" means. I'm not totally dependent on the chair. I was planning to bring my walker as well as the chair - but am not sure how much I'd be able to use it as I'm very limited in range with the walker; even more limited with a cane. I will be traveling alone.

 

P.S. I was going to ask about the (Ahem!) 'portable motors' but though it better not to raise that in the public forums

[LilWilly 0]

Its quite far, 1 1/2 to 2 miles?

 

try looking it up on a map?

map

 

soi

Thanks for the map. I've been looking for one with the bars and agogos on it.

[ting_tong 63]

Chok dee LilWilly! (good luck)

 

You should PM (private message) eddy35 and start emailing each other, he's been there and done that!

 

Just be careful crossing the street(2nd road) maybe consider getting a flashing strobe light? Its dangerous for everyone!

 

good luck with your trip. t_t

[eddy35 202]

ADL means "activity of daily living"....it means that you don't need help for your normal daily little things.

 

I always bring my manual wheelchair and my scooter to pattaya. When I go out I prefer to use my manual chair. I put the chair in the back of a bahtbus and sit next to the driver. You will be everywhere in pattaya for a few baht.

 

The scooter I use for shopping and little trips during the day.

 

I know somebody who could pick you up from the airport, he is running a small taxi company and is also a policeman in Pattaya. the problem is that he only speaks thai. If you need him, you could give me your flight details and my wife could call him to see if he can help you.

 

If you want.....give me a private message

[sinbinjack 251]

hi lil willy

this may be a false lead but when i was in pattaya in june 04 i went to renew my visa on soi 8(i think)and in one of the bike rental stands i saw a disabled 4wheel buggy just like mine (now no longer needed)so why not ask if anyone knows if they are for rent in pattaya it would probably save you a fortune in airfreight charges. alternatively how far can you walk with your walker or sticks ? if you can comfortably make 25yrds and get in a cab by your own efforts then the only place in pattaya that would be difficult would be walking st after 7pm as they dont allow traffic to drive down it, the rest of pattaya is yours for the asking

I was disabled quite baddly but have luckily improved so i know the problems you face the baht busses are great if you can hop on and off even if you do it slowly but you can get the hotel to arrange a normal cab and the prices are realy cheap in both cases.If you would like to PM me we could get specific about what you can and cant do

sinbinjack