Cycle through the sights of Bangkok’s buildings on free bike tour

By Chayanit Itthipongmaetee

May 22, 2014 | 10:38am Bangkok time

With its speeding slaughter buses, murder cars and motor masochists, Bangkok is not the most bike-friendly city.

However some brave souls brush off these nightmares to pedal down the allegedly ridable boulevards.

On one early Sunday morning each month, the “Bangkok Architecture Tour on the Bike” sends cyclists weaving through the heart of Bangkok to discover the city’s historic structures and their hidden stories.

Despite a few honks from cranky drivers, the journey set off and blended itself to the traffic flow surprisingly safely and smoothly.

This past weekend, a group of 20 departed from MRT Hualamphong at 7am. The trip included major landmarks such as Siam Commercial Bank Talad Noi Branch — the first branch of bank established in Thailand, the Portuguese built Holy Rosary Church, Luang Kocha Itsahak Mosque and Traimit Vidhayaram Temple. At each stop, the yesteryear stories were served up architecturally by the tour guides.

The three-hour tour started last year and was designed by Surapong “Tong” Sukhvibul, whose knowledge covers a wide range of history and architecture.

“We don’t care about the maximum speed nor long distance,” Tong said. “We want to give a unique cultural perspectives on each local neighborhood while riding by.”

The cycling tour so far has taken three routes in its sights including Lumpini to Ploenchit, Silom to Bang Rak and Talad Noi to Charoen Krung.

But why Sunday mornings? Co-host Aracha “Erk” Krasae-in said it’s the best time “to avoid heavy traffic and sizzling heat.”

“I had passed these places for 30 years, yet I never had a chance to know about their background,” rider Sansanee “Piak” Kantirattanawong said. “This bike trip opened my eyes to a new discovery.”

Piak has ridden with the group since it began and stressed that while cycling is fun, safety comes first. Wearing helmets and following traffic rules are musts.

Newcomers are welcome to join, and information about the next tour is available online. Those who don’t have a bicycle can rent a Pun-Pun sharebike to join in maximum hipness.