Is Chiang Mai wheelchair friendly?

Mar 30, 2023
2 years ago
Keef *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi people, one quick question, is Chiang Mai wheelchair friendly?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The general consensus among community members is that Chiang Mai is not wheelchair friendly. Many users report that the sidewalks are poorly maintained, creating significant challenges for mobility, and few places in Thailand accommodate wheelchair users effectively. While some malls, like Central Festival, have wheelchair-friendly facilities, navigating most of the city proves to be difficult, often likened to an obstacle course for even able-bodied pedestrians. Overall, if assistance is available, some mobility is possible, but the infrastructure poses many barriers.
Arlene *********
No
Greg *********
Most sidewalks in Chiang Mai are an obstacle course for able bodied pedestrians.
Jason ******
No it’s not
Elly *******
Most certainly no. The only wheel chair friendly I have see are people sitting in motorbike side cars in their wheelchairs ...which is such a great idea but then the pavements are shocking, huge gutters and stairs everywhere.
Allan ******************
If you have help with you, then okay. I have just been there, and driving around on the road. The sidewalk is like hell.
Ludwig ***********
The infrastructure is certainly not, but people are very helpful.
Hans ******************
Sure, as long as you can find a Tuk Tuk that identifies as a wheelchair!
Geoff ********
Big holes on pavements, bikes and cars blocking. I knew an old lady who lives to Chiang Mai... She had bad walking.. I immediately thought what is she doing here??!! A total fxxxxxx nightmare!
Edgar ************
Even people died in the airport on a wheelchair. Thailand is a nightmare for wheelchair
Mark *********
NO
Joachim ********
Joachim ********
I guess this says it all…..
Leo ******
Probably better off catching a plane.
Tulip ********
no where is wheel chair friendly. Best to stay in a big resort, unless you are otherwise fit and healthy and have some sort of all terrain wheelchair.
Dave **********
It's really not funny but even though I'm partially paralyzed. I personally am amused when I see a wheelchair ramp here in Chiang Mai. The steepness of the ramp is such that even Arnold Schwarzenegger couldn't push me up the ramp 555. No, Chiang Mai, and all of Southeast Asia is not wheelchair friendly
LH *****
@Dave *********
I beg to differ regarding Southeast Asia. Singapore is very, very wheelchair friendly. You can travel almost everywhere on a wheelchair. Even on public buses too. And all buildings have to abide by barrier-free accessibility regulations.
Dave **********
@LH ****
you're talking about a city-state. I was generalizing about an entire Southeast Asian continent.
LH *****
@Dave *********
Well, you said “all” of Southeast Asia. That includes Singapore. And by the way, Southeast Asia is not a continent.
Dave **********
@LH ****
I'll bet you sit inside a closet and argue with yourself at night 555
LH *****
@Dave *********
There’s really no need to resort to ridiculing others just to win an argument.
Keef *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Dave *********
alternative will be a jet pack, I guess🙏
Geoff ********
No way. Only in Central Plaza shopping centre. If in wheelchair Thailand very bad 👎
John ********
No were in Thailand is wheelchair friendly
Kool *******
No. Very few places in all of Thailand are wheelchair friendly. There is a complete lack of understanding. Here is a very high scale hotel's handicap wheelchair access. There is a ramp, but notice the curbing. You can come down the ramp fine, but no room at the bottom to turn, and the curbing has no low point to allow a wheelchair to access the street, or sidewalk. This is typical
Peter *********
NOWHERE 🇹🇭
Eran *************
Most of Thailand isn't, unless you want to spend most of your time in your hotel.
Saran ***************
The whole Thailand isn't wheelchair friendly, mainly because of footpath. In certain areas, it can be even hard to walk there.

However, if it's inside a supermarket/mall, it shouldn't be any problem.
Mitchell *******
If you can get to a mall, then yes. But I have yet to see a sidewalk in Thailand that was pedestrian friendly, let alone wheelchair friendly unfortunately.
Ethel ********
I have never even seen anyone attempt it
Robert ************
Yes, all the Wheelchairs smile and say Sawasdee. 🙂
Jon *****
No, Chiang Mai is in Thailand
Kel ********
Have to agree with others here
@Ke**
, it is not necessary wheelchair friendly, but it does depend also on how dependent the person is with a wheelchair, and where you intend to go.

I pushed guests (I work here Thailand in travel) around Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam a few years back, when it was much more difficult than now. So it is possible but not advised.

Something to also know which maybe helpful for travellers here. You can hire wheelchairs from private hospitals if necessary across SE Asia or buy them fairly cheaply and sell or donate them to hospitals before you leave, if you need them due to an accident or don’t want to bring one from home.
****
FYI….Laos/Thailand/Cambodia/Vietnam or other 2 to 3rd world countries are not wheel chair friendly
Klaus ********
all thailand is not even pedestrian friendly, opposite. so wheelchair is worse
Duncan *******
Mike *******
No. Sorry to report this, but I can’t remember a major centre in Thailand that is wheelchair friendly. If you’re driving and you have an assistant with you, there’s lots of places you can stop which are reasonably accessible, however going for an idle push around any of the city centres will be quite challenging. Good luck. 🖖
Ursula **************
@Mike ******
Central Festival is wheelchair friendly. Large lifts, wide walking areas inside the mall.
Reidar **********
Even walking is a challenge. Sidewalks are a mess, reminiscent of China.
Stephen ******
Not lung friendly recently either.
Petrouchka ******
No
Robert ********
No
Michael ********
Nope
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