TAT launches new campaign to boost bike tourism

BANGKOK, 20 June 2013 (NNT) - The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is launching a new green campaign to promote bike tourism in the kingdom.

TAT Governor Suraphol Svetasreni said the initiative titled ‘Pedal around Thailand’ is set up as part of the agency’s ‘7 Greens’ tourism concept. It is the first cycling initiative to be introduced to the Thai public and is aimed at generating sustainable tourism and raising environmental awareness among local travelers.

Under the initiative, the TAT will pilot new cycling routes throughout the central region. Cyclists from across the country will be invited to join long-distance bike rides from Nonthaburi to Ayutthaya and from Bangkok’s Siriraj Hospital to Museum Siam. Both rides, which are scheduled on June 22 and July 1 respectively, will explore unseen routes and historical attractions in the two cities.

Mr Suraphol elaborated that on July 7, a free ‘Green Concert’ will be hosted at Museum Siam to highlight the need to reduce the global and regional carbon footprint. Entries of a photo-journal contest on cycling will be on display and the winner will be announced at the concert.

The agency is currently pressing ahead to extend the scope of the initiative to cover more provinces in the country.


-- NNT 2013-06-20

Driving a car here is bad enough, riding a bike is pretty crazy.

Riding a bike anywhere near where Somchai is driving is suicidal.

But if they are serious at TAT then get my old mate Chris Hoy on his

bike over here to endorse the campaign. If nothing else his surname

should best describe the person who dreamed up this nonsense.

While I take the point about bike riding with moronic driving you see in Thailand, I think that people here are missing there is a large and growing group of bike riders in Thailand of the lycra wearing variety. With this happening, TAT is bound to pick up on this. And why shouldn't they? Far from a dumb idea.

They could combine it with discount medical and funeral services.

Yes, the roads are nuts, but Thailand has some fantastic biking terrain and miles of alternative routes. What's more, you can go just about anywhere (people don't mind you crossing their land), even army territory in some cases, so suggest some of you cynical lot get off your behinds and see the country.

Bike tourism in Thailand? I remember what happened to that poor couple who were cycling around the world this year. I suspect a lot of other cyclists do to.

Stopping all the crazy road deaths would be a great start and a good selling point. Going on a " Pedal Around Thailand " isn't likely to excite your insurance company.

While I take the point about bike riding with moronic driving you see in Thailand, I think that people here are missing there is a large and growing group of bike riders in Thailand of the lycra wearing variety. With this happening, TAT is bound to pick up on this. And why shouldn't they? Far from a dumb idea.

Agree. Been out for some nice rides with some Thai guys from a club here in Kanchanaburi.

TAT should strongly advise tourists to stay off main roads though or they'll end up like the British couple on the round the world trip wiped out by a pickup.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Actually, it is very popular in Chanthaburi, there are 100km+ dedicated bike lanes each side of the road.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/488885-bicycle-riding-on-the-chanthaburi-coast/

Actually, it is very popular in Chanthaburi, there are 100km+ dedicated bike lanes each side of the road.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/488885-bicycle-riding-on-the-chanthaburi-coast/

The problem with dedicated lanes is other road users don't pay a blind bit of attention to them.

^ Better get yourself a bike then!

I think i will pass on that one......thanks but no thanks.

The cycle club in Udon Thani often do a run on Highway 2 towards Nong Khai, they leave early on Sundays and are usually escorted to the municipal limits by a police car, after that they are on their own.

Highway 2 is is fast, high density road and I'm not sure if the " safety in numbers " idea works.

All right,... put the bikers on the roads of Bangkok, and they're gonna run over by the reckless rich and arrogant drivers,... death toll increased, a few million low status people less...

Too late, the first car SCAM is the latest trend already...

Using the bike, and losing face? Seriously???

Keep far away from Chiang mai, these farmers see cyclists just like another animal nuisance on the road, soon to be road kill...

All right,... put the bikers on the roads of Bangkok, and they're gonna run over by the reckless rich and arrogant drivers,... death toll increased, a few million low status people less...

Too late, the first car SCAM is the latest trend already...

Using the bike, and losing face? Seriously???

Have a look around BKK and who is riding. Lycra clad sons and daughters of the uppper class on the Euro imported bikes.

Yingluck to TAT "Go out and get me some high earner, high spending tourists, please."

No need to say the rest

Actually, it is very popular in Chanthaburi, there are 100km+ dedicated bike lanes each side of the road.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/488885-bicycle-riding-on-the-chanthaburi-coast/

The problem with dedicated lanes is other road users don't pay a blind bit of attention to them.

About as sacrosanct as disabled parking spots at Tesco Lotus

When you and your pedal pals are riding along 5 abreast, there are 2 trucks overtaking each other coming up behind, plus some hoon on his Sonic overtaking the buses in the bike lane, and in front is the local village idiot in a pick-up driving up the wrong side of the road, do you reconsider the health benefits of biking?

They could combine it with discount medical and funeral services.

Organ donors.

Yingluck to TAT "Go out and get me some high earner, high spending tourists, please."

No need to say the rest

Sorry, but the biking crowd is not high spending, that is for sure, and not necessarily high earners. Ever see anybody pulling up to a Mariott, Sheraton, or Sofitel on a bicycle?

I can just imagine the carnage, perhaps the tourism office has hooked up with the medical tourism people.

If they don't drop dead from the unbearable heat, they will get run over by the stupid motorists.

Bike is slow enough for dogs; not only cars are problem !

And yet another great day for a bike ride, and it remains only 38 degrees with blue skies.

I think I'd prefer to watch another Englishman win the Tour de France on TV instead.

No thank you. Owing to the driving maner and habits of local drivers, I would rather play Hop Scotch in a minefield

i can appreciate the benefits of riding a bicycle and wouldn't care if proper facilities on the road were made available to cyclists although their effectiveness and other road users giving them the urmost respect, I have my doubts about. What bugs me is the dreamers who have to wear garish lycra outfits covered with advertisments, wear something between half an avocado pear and a hairnet on their heads, ride sports bikes with ultra thin wheels so that friction between tyre and road is at a minimum, and have a choice between several gears when 3 should be more than enough. I can undertand car racing in all its forms, although the Scalectrix for adults so popular in the US (NASCAR?) does nothing for me. Motorcycle racing makes sense, particularly the IOM races. but road racing on a bike? That some try to emulate the road racers in gear that to my jaded eyes looks ridiculous on the busy roads of Thailand has me shaking my head.

As a young lad, my pals and I would tuck our trousers into out socks (bicycle clips were for wimps) and push off for the day to Brighton, some 50 miles away. No dressing up trying to emulate heroes who, more often than not, dosed up on drugs, No filling of water bottles with instant energy drinks, just kids having fun, and having the freedom to do so, getting all the exercise that they needed without any of the BS. Still. TIT, face is the way to go..

Are they purchasing 25 million bikes for the announced number of tourists, this year?