Prof. Thongchai giving walking and cycling promotion materials to Thailand’s Prime Minister, General Prayuth Chan-ocha,.

World Cycling Alliance member, the Thailand Cycling Club (TCC) has for a long time been a strong advocate for a national policy agenda to promote everyday cycling.  In 2013, they succeeded in getting the resolution ‘Systems and Structures for Promotion of Walking and Cycling in Daily Life’ approved by the National Health Commission (NHC) and  acknowledged by the Government Cabinet. 

This year it was selected as one of five health resolutions to be heavily promoted. A working group was appointed to ensure its implementation, with TCC Founder and President, Professor Emeritus Thongchai Panswad Ph.D., as chairperson and TCC holding the secretariat.

Cycling endorsed by Prime Minister

TCC’s reputation as the key cycling promotion agency is steadily growing. They continue to promote the benefits of cycling as a means of transport that solves national problems from health to congestion, energy, environment and to fiscal issues. This September, TCC was given the honor of setting up a booth at the Annual Meeting of the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB). 

After his keynote speech, Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha stopped by the TCC booth giving Prof. Thongchai a brief opportunity to let him know what TCC has been doing.  Central to his presentation was the ‘Bicycle Riders Pyramid’.

Promoting cycling for all

Bicycle Riders Pyramid

The ‘Bicycle Riders Pyramid’ is divided into three levels.  On the top are the sports cyclists, estimated at 1,000, on the middle level are recreational and exercise bicycle users, with around 200, 000 in Thailand.  Last but not least, on the bottom are the everyday cyclists, commuting to-and-fro; there are tens of millions of them. TCC focuses on the latter group, and given the number of issues that cycling can solve, they urge the government to support and enable these people to cycle in their everyday life, safely and conveniently. The PM agreed and noted that he is glad to provide support for safety improvements such as bicycle paths to enable people to cycle for recreation and commuting.  

Prime Minister encourages Thai ministries to enable cycling

In a demonstration of his support for cycling, in October he talked about cycling promotion in his weekly address-to-the-nation-style programme.  It was the first time that a Prime Minister of Thailand talked about cycling promotion, especially everyday cycling, and concretely so by publicly ordering government agencies to take action.  

Specifically, after outlining his governments support for cycling, he called on ministries and regions to join him in investing in cycling.  He went on to highlight the benefits for local businesses and cycling’s ability to contribute to conflict prevention and reduction. He also called for standards on bicycle safety, for more bike rental schemes and for drivers to share the road with cyclists. Finally, he told the Thai people of how he had requested that the Ministry of Transport to plan a pilot project in each province.

Even if TCC has no definite proof, there are reasons to believe that the brief encounter between Prof. Thongchai and the PM has boosted his interest in promoting cycling issues to an extent that he later talked about it in two consecutive weekly addresses, brought it up in the meetings of the government cabinet and the military’s National Council on Peace and Order (NCPO), and then publicly ordered government agencies to take actions. This is a great TCC victory in advocating for public policy that promotes and supports cycling in daily life. 

Reported by Gawin Chutima
Committee Member, Thailand Cycling Club
Assistant to Prof. Thongchai for TCC works related to ECF and WCA