Chiang Mai: "Irresponsible" Thai and foreign cyclists on Doi Suthep could spread virus

 

Picture: Daily News

 

Daily News published a report that said Thai and foreign bicycle riders were going up and down Doi Suthep in groups and without masks in breach of Covid-19 self distancing and health regulations. 

 

The media, quoting an unnamed local, called the behavior irresponsible. 

 

The local authorities have been told but were doing nothing about it and the local population feared such indiscipline would spread the virus.

 

The local said that the riders begin at the base of Doi Suthep and ride to the temple. Parts of the climb are steep and result in the riders coughing and spluttering and sneezing over everything. 

 

Few wore masks. 

 

It was particularly bad on weekends when large groups gather.

 

Source: Daily News

 

 

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Mainly the foreigners I would think.

Total nonsense.

Much safer than going to Makro.

5 minutes ago, Captain Monday said:

Much safer than going to Makro.

Guess if you hungry you could go ride your bike then!

They are doing the same thing in the US. Slut shaming people for walking a dog or going to a beach.

Keep social distance. Say it don't spray it Wear a mask Wash you hands.

 

23 minutes ago, webfact said:

Parts of the climb are steep and result in the riders coughing and spluttering and sneezing over everything. 

Never seen any of the cyclists coughing, spluttering or sneezing.

Did they mean 'breathing heavily'?

 

Odd thing, for the past year there's been hardly any cyclists going up.

I used to cycle up on a Saturday/Sunday and there'd be 300 people cycling.

Thinking this may be an entirely invented 'anti-white' story with stock photos of the crowd that used to go a few years back.

11 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Guess if you hungry you could go ride your bike then!

Yes, everybody know that hungry people don't spread the virus

But they love to post articles like this, so you know they will work overtime to find farang doing wrong and then post it up. Farangs got good press here in CM handing out food!! Well the powers that be are going to work overtime to reveal ... the real truth; Dirty farang are a danger to Chiang Mai.  ????   Shock, Gasp, Horror.

 

I am sick of it, BUT all westerners should know this is the game and know they are going to play it.

"Parts of the climb are steep and result in the riders coughing and spluttering and sneezing over everything"

 

Pure cobblers, whoever wrote that story is just spreading fake news 

33 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Mainly the foreigners I would think.

Why would you think that? 

Question, as there are no new reported cases of infection in Chiang Mai have these cyclists cycled in from outside of the province to bring it in?

These cyclist must be pretty fit I imaging to be cycling up that hill, coughing, spluttering and sneezing! Unlikely.

I understand the fear and the cyclists would have done better to wear the recommended masks but I can't help feeling the report couched in these terms does not help.

22 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Never seen any of the cyclists coughing, spluttering or sneezing.

Did they mean 'breathing heavily'?

 

Odd thing, for the past year there's been hardly any cyclists going up.

I used to cycle up on a Saturday/Sunday and there'd be 300 people cycling.

Thinking this may be an entirely invented 'anti-white' story with stock photos of the crowd that used to go a few years back.

Definitely an old image, that white pigeon at the bottom of the pic died last year

28 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

I am sick of it, BUT all westerners should know this is the game and know they are going to play it.

Yes indeed..they have been playing it for almost 6 years now and this is a golden opportunity to up the ante.

Many cyclists and a single route to climb to the Wat which is still far from being at the top of Doi Suthep;
climbing to the Wat is very easy except the last 500 meters which are a little steep.
on the other hand going to Phuphin Palace is something else, the percentage is higher
If this really happened, I find it odd that the police did not intervene;

it was very easy to block the road at the zoo level or even a little higher at the very large mark road

 

If you have the virus you won't be feeling like riding anywhere soon. Closing parks and stopping people walking and exercising is not a great policy. How many people died in CM?  1?

I cycle up it regularly, I'm lucky if I pass or am passed by 1 or 2 cyclist the whole way up. No one ever splutters over another cyclist unless you are trying to do it deliberatly. Every cyclist I see lately is wearing a mask, must be an old photo unless it was taken yesterday after the rain.

 

Edit: Just checked on strava, 300 cyclist went up during the whole of last month, that's 10 per day.

Many dark skinned foreigners.

 

Wearing a mask while undertaking vigorous exercise on a bicycle is a terrible idea, because the mask impedes free breathing.

Provided the riders are social distancing, I don't see a problem.

After an all night rain,its such a beautiful morning here in Chiang Mai that I could hardly fault an avid cyclist to be heading for the hills. All the cyclist I've seen going past our place have been wearing a mask....except for the same farang I've seen occasionally cycling with no protection even when the AQI was as 400....either he has no mask or he is just completely out of the loop.

 

Conclusion: fake news - that is an old photo,when times were much better in CM.

26 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

56 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

I am sick of it, BUT all westerners should know this is the game and know they are going to play it.

Yes indeed..they have been playing it for almost 6 years now and this is a golden opportunity to up the ante.

More than 95 per cent of the cases of wuhan virus originated directly or one step from china. However Minister ANutin had his say, then they had a Dr. Manoon Leechawengwong, claim in the Thai media that the National Stadium Boxing incident that resulted in so many cluster, was the "Italian Strain" from a thai back from Italy, totally made up, nice sound bite. 

 

Yes I am getting more cranky, but when all this pandemic is through I am going to give a serious look at the retirement folder other country options. Nothing to do with costs. 

 

Aloha 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Thailand said:

Mainly the foreigners I would think.

No, just as many Thais are ignoring safety measures.

11 minutes ago, J Town said:

No, just as many Thais are ignoring safety measures.

Cycled 10Km round my Moobaan just now.

1 foreign cyclist (me) not wearing a mask

1 Thai cyclist (security) not wearing a mask

1 Thai lady sweeping the road wearing a mask.

 

Didn't see anyone else.

2 hours ago, J Town said:

No, just as many Thais are ignoring safety measures.

Totally agree.  On my solo bike rides, I see quite a few groups of Thais cyclists, none wearing masks.  Same with villagers, & pickups full of labourers, squeezed into the tray, no masks.

Riding up Doi Suthep for a fun ride must be more important than life threatening viruses for these bikers.

 

So, I guess this silly stay at home thing only pertains to some. Got it.

We've seen with Spotlight Thailand asking that non-mask wearing foreigners are hunted down with weapons that the social distancing Nazis and mask fanatics are easy prey for those trying to spin hatred against foreigners.

 

Obviously we have a similar older Thai guy here in Chiang Mai.

 

I look forward to the facebook page "Hunt down cyclists with sticks".

5 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

Much safer than going to Makro.

Folks go to Macro to Eat and provide for their Family, not to play in the Car Park like overgrown millennial school kids.

9 minutes ago, Logosone said:

We've seen with Spotlight Thailand asking that non-mask wearing foreigners are hunted down with weapons that the social distancing Nazis and mask fanatics are easy prey for those trying to spin hatred against foreigners.

 

Obviously we have a similar older Thai guy here in Chiang Mai.

 

I look forward to the facebook page "Hunt down cyclists with sticks".

Silly idea, they finish up maimed by vehicles anyway at least my friends here have.

As covid-19 infects the lungs and makes breathing difficult I’d imagine being able to cycle up to the temple is pretty good proof that you’re not carrying the virus.