Dutch cyclist completes near-18,000km overland journey to visit dad in Thailand

[snoop1130]

Dutch cyclist completes near-18,000km overland journey to visit dad in Thailand

By Wattanapol Matcha 
The Nation

 

 

A 28-year-old Dutchman has reportedly completed a 17,900-kilometre cross-continent bicycle ride from the Netherlands to visit his 58-year-old father, who lives in Thailand.

 

The 10-month and four-day journey, which began in mid-February, ended for William Coniris as he arrived his father Paul Coniris’s home in Suphan Buri’s Mueang district on Monday, after three years of not having seen each other.

 

Having worked in the field of meteorology in his home country, the man said the journey passing through 28 countries had exposed him to new things and different scenes that would be inspiring for his work when he returned home.

 

The Dutch cyclist recalled that he had stayed overnight along the way in a tent and spent about five to six hours cycling every day.

 

He said the most frequently occurring issue was a shortage of drinking water and food, as some countries did not have many shops on their roads.

 

In Thailand, however, there are so many shops and people are friendly, he added with a smile.

 

Coniris will travel back home on November 27, after what has been his third visit to the Kingdom.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30358871

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-11-19

[damascase]

Quite a performance! Sure he’s Dutch? Or is his name misspelled?

[Phuketshrew]

After taking 10 months to get here and not seeing his old man for 3 years you would think he would want stay longer than a week.

[zzaa09]

A romantic notion.

Bicycling half-way around the world.

Good for him.

 

Be curious of his route.

[doremifasol]

What a great experience! Well done!

[TeaMonkey]

2 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

After taking 10 months to get here and not seeing his old man for 3 years you would think he would want stay longer than a week.

 

Yes, but his work only gave him 10 months and 7 days holiday.

[AhFarangJa]

Happy to see he survived the gauntlet of the Thai drivers.....well done.

[lamyai3]

Great achievement, glad no misfortune on the roads here. Been more than one occurrence of round the world cyclists meeting an untimely end on Thai roads in recent history. 

[Borzandy]

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Dutch cyclist completes near-18,000km overland journey to visit dad in Thailand

Please stop cycling when you reach Thailand.

[KKr]

Dutch are known to be stingy. 
One would have expected many budget airlines flying there but cycling instead ....

Well done Clogs !

[Bullie]

11 hours ago, damascase said:

Quite a performance! Sure he’s Dutch? Or is his name misspelled?

His bicycle shows a Dutch flag, so I guess he' s Dutch. Not all Dutch people have typically Dutch names. Some Dutchman are called Mohammed Aboutaleb, or Benir Cacici, or Vlad Rostock. Other Dutchmen even have English, or Italian names! There are fewer and fewer Dutchmen with original Dutch names. We are, literally, a dying breed.

[RotBenz8888]

1 hour ago, AhFarangJa said:

Happy to see he survived the gauntlet of the Thai drivers.....well done.

Even if he went through warzones like Afghanistan, it's still safer on the roads than Thailand

[damascase]

10 minutes ago, Bullie said:

His bicycle shows a Dutch flag, so I guess he' s Dutch. Not all Dutch people have typically Dutch names. Some Dutchman are called Mohammed Aboutaleb, or Benir Cacici, or Vlad Rostock. Other Dutchmen even have English, or Italian names! There are fewer and fewer Dutchmen with original Dutch names. We are, literally, a dying breed.

You are right, of course. It’s just out of sheer curiosity that I typed the unusual name into the Meertens familyname data bank and didn’t get a hit. 

[Ramdas]

Well done making it all the way here ininjured and most importantly alive, as a sport man myself I’m truly impressed !

Once in Thailand though he better not cycle at all unless he’s got a all round bullit proof metal protection covering his bycicle too ! These reckless and public danger drivers have no consideration for anyone on the roads  They’re an accident waiting to happen  at any given moment this while the police looks the other way ( since there may be no money involved ) if anything happens to a foreigner doing something perfectly normal in his home country.. 

[webfact]

Thai mini vans are the most dangerous thing, says Dutch cyclist who rode to see his dad in Thailand

 

Pictures: Daily News

 

The Dutch cyclist who has ridden from the Netherlands to visit his father faced many dangers on the way.

 

But none compared to what he faced in Thailand after his near 18,000 km journey was just about over. 

 

Thai mini vans. 

 

William Coniris , 28, was resting up after arriving at the home of his dad Paul, 58, and his Thai wife Ploipailin Iamyim, 41. 

 

 

Ploipailin said that William had told his father that the vans were the scariest thing he faced on the journey, reported Daily News. 

 

Even though he was creeping along on the hard shoulder they got close and caused him great concern. 

 

William is planning on staying a week visiting a temple and going to Bangkok with his father to see friends. 

 

But he won't be doing anymore cycling here before flying back to Europe. 

 

Those vans are just too dangerous and besides - he needs a rest!

 

He'll be eating plenty of "laap moo" instead, his favorite dish. 

 

Source: Daily News

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-11-20

[lemonjelly]

2 hours ago, damascase said:

You are right, of course. It’s just out of sheer curiosity that I typed the unusual name into the Meertens familyname data bank and didn’t get a hit. 

He’s actually called Williem  Cornelissen

Edited November 20, 2018 by lemonjelly

[hotchilli]

14 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

After taking 10 months to get here and not seeing his old man for 3 years you would think he would want stay longer than a week.

At the age of 28 I'm surprised he got 10 months off work so no holiday, more likely he quit his job, in which case I wonder how he funded his trip for that length of time & how he's going to get home, another 10 months or a flight?

[Cricky]

I’ve been riding motorcycles in Thailand for years.

Long ago before the mini vans became part of the public transport system I felt close to 100% safe on Thai roads.

 

These days if I see a minivan behind I keep it in sight and pull over to the left to let him pass.

The drivers are a danger and a nuisance, I am a foreigner and always on the lookout for foreigner haters (easy to spot), they pass you at speed and quite close, the minivan drivers do this on most occasions.

 

They also drive as if they own the roads, always hogging the left lane that normally allow the scooters through, these people are evil on our roads.

[damascase]

56 minutes ago, lemonjelly said:

He’s actually called Williem  Cornelissen

That surely sounds more like it!

[Tarteso]

My simpathy for this guy.

 

Not exactly are dangerous those mini vans... but Theirs drivers, bikers, truckers, bus drivers...

Edited November 20, 2018 by Tarteso

[kotsak]

Good for him, he made it through and lived to tell the tale. ????

 

[MaxYakov]

4 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Even if he went through warzones like Afghanistan, it's still safer on the roads than Thailand

Thailand has IEDs also - Improvised Eradication Devices - they are usually referred to as motor vehicles. ????

[Assurancetourix]

6 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

Happy to see he survived the gauntlet of the Thai drivers.....well done.

 I cycle more than 18,000 km each year since 12 years on thai roads; yes, I'm a little bit  ; maybe more ..

Today only 73 km ;

since the 1st of the month I did nearly 600 km and I don't cycle every day ..

 

But what he did is more difficult than to cycle here . So " Chapeau dude " 

I have a belgium friend living no far from Chiang Mai who did a " Tour du Monde " with his bicycle when he was young - he is as old as I am , 70 y old - 

 

Sorry this site is in french , it's about the " Tour du monde " by Marcel Hendricks in 1981 , 37 y ago !

 

http://www.racu.be/monde/monde.html

Edited November 20, 2018 by Assurancetourix

[ZeVonderBearz]

I bet his dad was surprised when he opened the door. 

[Syduan]

6 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

Happy to see he survived the gauntlet of the Thai drivers.....well done.

He has another week to go yet.

 

[Chassa]

2 hours ago, VYCM said:

Long ago before the mini vans became part of the public transport system I felt close to 100% safe on Thai roads

Buffalo carts were a menace though! 

 

Been coming to Thailand for 38 years, mini vans have always been part of the scene.

[balo]

I am also using my bicycle a lot , but my butt starts hurting after 2 hours on the seat .

I wonder how his butt feels like after 7 months ? 

 

[thecyclist]

2 hours ago, VYCM said:

I’ve been riding motorcycles in Thailand for years.

Long ago before the mini vans became part of the public transport system I felt close to 100% safe on Thai roads.

 

These days if I see a minivan behind I keep it in sight and pull over to the left to let him pass.

The drivers are a danger and a nuisance, I am a foreigner and always on the lookout for foreigner haters (easy to spot), they pass you at speed and quite close, the minivan drivers do this on most occasions.

 

They also drive as if they own the roads, always hogging the left lane that normally allow the scooters through, these people are evil on our roads.

The 'rot tu' have been part of the public transport system for as long as I can think back, and I lived and cycled in Thailand for over 2 decades till I moved to Vietnam a year ago. 

And yes they are a bunch of suicidal and homocidale maniacs. 30 years ago the big buses were just as dangerous, barreling down narrow 2-lane highways at 140kmp (you don't see that much anymore) 

Far from safe for bicycles here in Vietnam either :just as, if not more chaotic, but at about half the speed :you have an accident in Siam you die, here in Vietnam you probably just end up paralysed. Not so sure what 's better. 

[CLW]

At the age of 28 I'm surprised he got 10 months off work so no holiday, more likely he quit his job, in which case I wonder how he funded his trip for that length of time & how he's going to get home, another 10 months or a flight?

Huh? Savings!

[Just Weird]

8 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

Happy to see he survived the gauntlet of the Thai drivers.....well done.

Are you not happy to see that he survived running the gauntlet of drivers in every other country he passed through also?