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Where to ride, where to rent and a list of the top companies offering guided bike tours of Bangkok and beyond

Hitting Bangkok's streets on a bike gives you a chance to explore new neighborhoods far more easily than you could in a taxi or on foot.

Tell someone that you plan to ride a bicycle in Bangkok and you’ll likely get a horrified gasp and a barrage of questions about your sanity.

Although it would be a stretch to call them safe, most roads in Bangkok -- save for the major ones, of course -- are surprisingly easy to bike on.

But what most surprises people is that there are actually some great areas and fantastic paths that will let you get some exercise while you see Bangkok up close and personal.

If you have that ol’ adventurous spirit, rent a bike and head out on your own to see what you can find.

If you're not keen to just get out onto the streets and pedal, here are several areas that are safe and popular with bicyclists.

Suan Rot Fai

BTS: Chatuchak

Just five minutes' walk north of Chatuchak Market is the huge Suan Rot Fai -- Train Park -- where you can rent bicycles (most are pink) for 20-40 baht and ride to your heart’s content.

Lots of trees, grass and lakes make this a particularly relaxing place to get away for a few easy hours of pedaling.

Benjakitti Park

MRT: Asok

This isn’t the perfect place to ride a bike -- there’s only one two-kilometer oval track around a huge pond -- but it’s right in the middle of Bangkok and is really easy to get to.

Bikes cost 40 baht per hour. Lots of kids and families here, so don’t go too fast.

Phra Pradaeng

Not a high-rise in sight. Bangkok's Phra Pradaeng is just a quick boat ride from Klong Toey pier.

Getting there: Access via Klong Toey pier

Most people who come to Phra Pradaeng the first time can’t believe they’re still in Bangkok.

A huge almost-island on the west side of the Chao Phraya River, it’s 90 percent mangrove swamp and veined with raised cement pathways that are perfect for riding, though can be a bit unnerving for first-timers.

Rent bikes at the pier for 40 baht and explore.

There’s a fighting fish gallery, a large park with paddle boats and a floating market that’s very busy on weekends.

11th Infantry Regiment

Getting there: Phahonyothin Road next to Bang Bua Canal

An army barracks doesn’t seem like a good place to ride your bike, but there’s a three-kilometer offroad track here that’s full of bumps, hills, trees, bridges and dirt pathways.

There is no formal bike hire operation, but there are sometimes a few spare ones sitting around. To be safe, best bring your own. The security guards will charge 30 baht to use the track.

Froc, BMA in dock over handling of flood disaster

The Administrative Court will on Tuesday hear a petition filed by a Nonthaburi resident, accusing the government's Flood Relief Operations Command and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration of mismanaging the flood crisis.

The environmental division of the Central Administrative Court has accepted the petition by Tossiri Poonnuan, a resident of Bang Bua Thong, Nonthaburi, and set the hearing for Nov 29 as a matter of urgency.

Ms Tossiri, a leader of a group of Nonthaburi residents who demanded the BMA open the sluice gates in connecting areas between Bangkok and Nonthaburi wider, filed the charge with the Administrative Court on Nov 23.

She said her petition sought a court injunction to deny the BMA the right to manage the sluice gates on canals between the two provinces without proper consultation and input from the affected residents.

The BMA had earlier refused to open sluice gates in Khlong Maha Sawat canal to one metre, as requested by flood-hit Nonthaburi residents, limiting the gap to only 75cm. They later complied with the demand.

In addition, the Nonthaburi people sought a court order suspending the government operation to salvage Highway 340 (Bang Bua Thong-Suphan Buri) and Kanchanaphisek Road until it has clear measures in place to ensure it will not worsen the hardship already faced by residents in flooded areas.

Ms Tossiri argued that the attempt to keep the road dry while the BMA also kept its canal sluice gates shut resulted in the flooding in parts of Nonthaburi being prolonged.

Ms Tossiri also asked the Administrative Court to order the government to stop reinforcing sandbag walls along Khlong Maha Sawat.

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said he was not worried about the court case. He said City Hall was ready to explain itself to the public.

MR Sukhumbhand also said the BMA had followed the instructions given to it by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in its flood crisis management.

The governor ordered the Sewerage and Drainage Department and chiefs of Thawi Watthana, Nong Khaem and Phasicharoen districts to assess the impact on communities of the opening of three sluice gates on Khlong Maha Sawat, bordering Nonthaburi province.

Wasant Meewong, BMA spokesman, said the opening of the sluice gates as requested by the Nonthaburi residents could worsen the flood situation to the west if there was a high sea tide raising the level of the river.

Froc director Pracha Promnok said the command is ready to follow any court order on opening any sluice gates or ending road salvage operations.

Pol Gen Pracha also said the Froc would try to dry Bangkok by Dec 5 but stressed "it is an attempt, not a promise".

He insisted the Froc had not mismanaged the flood and is ready to explain its position in the House tomorrow, when the opposition Democrat Party will grill him on flood mismanagement.

Earlier yesterday, political activist Suriyasai Katasila also asked the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to investigate the government for alleged mismanagement of the flood crisis.

Mr Suriyasai, who is the leader of the Green Politics Group and coordinator of the People's Alliance for Democracy, filed the request with NACC assistant secretary-general Withaya Akhompitak.

A small group of pro-government red-shirt demonstrators also showed up at the NACC head office at the same time to protest against Mr Suriyasai's action.

Communities take flood battle to court Admin Court sets Tuesday to hear first flood case

Published: 25/11/2011

The prolonged flooding has not only pitched neighbourhood against neighbourhood, but now threatens to escalate into long-running court battles.

In what will be the first flood mismanagement legal challenge, the Administrative Court will on Tuesday hear the petition filed by a Nonthaburi resident who accused the government's Flood Relief Operations Command (Froc) and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) of mismanaging the flood crisis.

The environmental division of the Central Administrative Court has accepted the petition by Tossiri Poonnuan, a resident of Bang Bua Thong, Nonthaburi, and set the hearing for Nov 29 as a matter of urgency.

Mrs Tossiri, a leader of Nonthaburi residents who demanded the BMA open wide the sluice gates in connecting areas between Bangkok and Nonthaburi, filed the charge with the Administrative Court on Wednesday, Nov 23.

She said later that her petition sought a court injunction to deny the BMA the right to manage the sluice gates on canals between the two provinces without proper consultation and input from the people affected.

The BMA had earlier refused to open sluice gates in Khlong Maha Sawat canal to one metre, as requested by flood-hit Nonthaburi residents, limiting the gap to only 75 cm

In addition, the Nonthaburi people sought a court order suspending the government operation to salvage Highway 340 and a section of the Kanchanaphisek outer ring road until it has clear measures in place to ensure that it will not worsen the hardship already faced by flooded local residents.

Mrs Tossiri accused Froc and the BMA of issuing an irresponsible order to drain flooded Highway 340 (Bang Bua Thong-Suphan Buri) and a section of Kanchanaphisek Road so that they could serve as an alternative route if the main link between the capital and the south -Rama II Road -- was flooded.

She argued that the attempt the keep the road dry while the BMA also kept its canal sluice gates shut resulted in the prolonging of the flood in Nonthaburi areas.

Mrs Tossiri asked the Administrative Court to order the government to halt the salvation of Route 340 and Kanchanaphisek Road and the BMA to stop reinforcing sandbag walls along Khlong Maha Sawat.

In response, Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said he was not worried about the court case. He said there is good reasoning behind everything the BMA has done in managing the drainage problem. City Hall was ready to explain it all to the public.

MR Sukhumbhand also said that the BMA had followed the instructions given by the prime minister in its flood crisis management.

The governor on Friday ordered the Sewerage and Drainage Department and chiefs of Thawi Wattana, Nong Khaem and Phasi Charoen districts to assess the impact of the opening of three sluice gates on Khlong Maha Sawat, bordering Nonthaburi province on communities in their areas.

Wasant Meewong, spokesman for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, said the opening of Khlong Khunsri Burirak, Khlong Kwai and Khlong Soi sluice gates as requested by the flooded residents in Nonthaburi could worsen the flood situation to the west if there was a high sea tide raising the level of the river.

The BMA had previously managed to drain floodwater from most of the westeren area, but the opening of the three gates had raised the water level by 5-10 centimetres in areas of Sala Thammasop sub-district and Thawi Watthana, he added.

On the north side, Ram Intra residents blocked Ram Intra 5 road briefly on Friday, demanding that the BMA drain the water from their areas within 7 days.

A group of people who live in Rama Intra sois 1 to 39 brought a six-wheel truck to block traffic on Ram Intra 5 road at noon but later agreed to open the road and join a discussion with the chief of Bang Khen district.

The residents forwarded a petition to Watcharaporn Kawayapanik, director of Bang Khen district office.

In it, they said the plan by the BMA to use Bang Khen district as a water retention area for run-off from the upper districts of Saphan Mai and Sai Mai has caused them much distress, as it will make the flood in the Ram Intra area last longer.

The residents demanded that the BMA start draining floodwater out of the Ram Intra areas within seven days. If the water does not recede to their satisfaction, they will gather again to protest.

Earlier today, political activist Suriyasai Katasila asked the NACC to investigate the government for alleged mismanagement of the flood crisis causing hardship, property damage and hundreds of deaths.

Mr Suriyasai, who is the leader of the Green Politics Group and coordinator of the People's Alliance for Democracy, filed the request with assistant secretary-general Withaya Akhompitak at the NACC head office in Nonthaburi province.

Mr Withaya said the NACC had already formed sub-committee to investigate flood management and all nine National Anti-Corruption Commissioners were on the panel to supervise the investigation closely. 

This sub-committee would handle Mr Suriyasai's complaint.

A small group of pro-government red-shirt demonstrators showed up at the NACC head office at the same time to protest against Mr Suriyasai's action. He left through a back door to avoid confrontation.

The prolonged flooding has caused the death of at least 615 people in the last four months.

Flood-weary residents vent fury Road blockade group clashes with motorists

Hundreds of flood-devastated residents in Pathum Thani yesterday clashed with motorists during the Din Daeng-Don Muang tollway blockade to pressure the government to accelerate assistance and the drainage of deep floodwater.

Residents of swamped communities in Pathum Thani clash with motorists during the blockade of the Din Daeng-Don Muang tollway in front of Zeer Rangsit department store yesterday. The flood victims set up a roadblock to demand the government speed up flood relief operations after being hard hit by deep floodwaters for about a month.

The residents from several flooded communities in Rangsit and Lam Luk Ka areas, led by former election candidate Kiattisak Songsaeng, set up a blockade on the entrance of the inbound tollway in front of Zeer Rangsit department store at about noon.

The residents demanded the government's Flood Relief Operations Command (Froc) accelerate drainage of floodwaters which had affected their livelihoods for a month.

The road closure caused heavy congestion, prompting motorists to negotiate with the protesters. However, the talks failed and both sides clashed at about 2pm before police from Vibhavadi station and Pathum Thani intervened.

Almost simultaneously, nearly a thousand residents in Bangkok's Sai Mai and Don Muang areas yesterday dismantled a massive sandbag dyke at Don Muang's Directorate of Air Operations Control intersection on Phahon Yothin Road.

An angry motorist confronts protesters after her 

car was badly  damaged during clashes near the 

Din Daeng-Don Muang tollway yesterday.

The villagers, equipped with knives and sharp objects, waited for Froc representatives to negotiate. They had been asking the Froc to widen a drainage gap. 

However, they decided to remove the barrier after talks with Pol Maj Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapat, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 2, failed.

After the flood barrier was removed, large amounts of water rushed towards Saphan Mai area.

Deputy city clerk Chumphol Sampaopol yesterday said the removal of the floodwall on Phahon Yothin Road would slow down the drainage resulting in prolonged hardship.

He said some areas could be affected as the water in Khlong Mon 40 could rise by 1cm to 2cm after the barrier was dismantled.

"Even though the city's drainage system is working efficiently, the removal of the floodwall could slow down the drainage," he said.

"Some areas such as Lat Phrao, Kasetsart intersection may take another four to five days to dry out." He said that the city has asked the Royal Irrigation Department to install more water pumps south of Khlong Rangsit to accelerate drainage of water in the Don Muang area.

More protests are imminent as Arthit Ourairat, rector of Rangsit University and a former House speaker, is urging residents in Pathum Thani to step up pressure on the Froc. 

Rangsit University is situated in the heavily flooded Muang Ake housing estate, which lies north of Don Muang.

On his Facebook wall, Dr Arthit suggested blocking Vibhavadi Road and Don Muang tollway.

"If the authorities do not take action I suggest that we take a step. That is to close down in-bound and out-bound Vibhavadi road and Don Muang tollway," Dr Arthit said.

"And I'm asking Don Muang people to join us. We are in the same boat."

He said the floodwater may recede, but the level is still high in many areas.

However, he was opposed to a proposal that the floodwater be drained via the western side, saying it would affect Khlong Prapa, which is a resource for tap water production.

Dr Arthit yesterday sent a letter to Froc director Pracha Promnok and Bangkok governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra, asking them to accelerate drainage of the floodwaters.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday pleaded with Bangkok residents to let some floodwaters flow into the area to ease the hardship of others.

"The flood barriers could just slow down the run-off into the city. The areas which have dried out should open the way for the water to drain into the sea," she said.

She said she had asked the Froc and City Hall to work together to drain the water and jointly negotiate with the people in the process.

"If we look at the big picture and try to understand the nature of water, that is the best solution," she said.

"Holding off water is never a solution. Some areas have to let water flow past," Ms Yingluck added.

Anond Snidvongs, the Froc's water management adviser, said a meeting among Bangkok and six neighbouring provinces' governors, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit, will be held today to find solutions to halt the spreading conflicts.

Supoj urged to step down from boards Investigation into his wealth starts tomorrow

Transport Minister ACM Sukumpol Suwanatat yesterday called for transport permanent secretary Supoj Saplom to resign as a director of several state enterprises in the wake of the cash theft scandal.

Mr Supoj has been transferred to an inactive post at the PM's Office pending several probes into his assets. He still serves on the Thai Airways International and Mass Rapid Transit Authority boards.

ACM Sukumpol said he would not make any instructions involving Mr Supoj's board memberships.

"But I believe that he will eventually step down from the board memberships," he said.

The transport minister also said the planned nomination of Mr Supoj as the chair of State Railway of Thailand's board needed to be reviewed.

He admitted the theft cash had badly affected the ministry's image as it sparked suspicions about how Mr Supoj acquired his wealth.

These doubts arose after police reported that robbers had made off with millions of baht in cash from Mr Supoj's house on Lat Phrao 64 Road in Bangkok on the night of Nov 12.

ACM Sukumpol said the Transport Ministry's fact-finding inquiry into Mr Supoj is expected to be completed within 30 days.

He said Mr Supoj will face a disciplinary investigation if the committee, headed by PM's Office permanent secretary Thongthong Chandrangsu, concludes there are grounds to the allegations.

Mr Thongthong said yesterday the investigation is expected to start tomorrow and Mr Supoj will be asked to give a statement.

"The inquiry will decide if he will face a disciplinary probe," Mr Thongthong said. "There is no time frame for the investigation but I will try to speed it up."

Amlo acting chief Sihanart Prayoonrat said the agency's next step is to trace the money trail.

Pol Col Sihanart said this stage will take some time but it is not beyond the Amlo's capacity.

A source in Amlo said the agency has ordered a close investigation into the financial transactions of Mr Supoj, his family and associates and will summon companies bidding for state projects for questioning.

Pol Maj Gen Ittipol Piriyapinyo, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said another suspect, Praphan Ruangkrua, 42, turned himself in to police.

He said the suspect denied any involvement in the theft and insisted that he did not keep any of the 9 million baht as reported.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission is prepared to seize the money after it ordered a freeze on 15 million baht in cash on Tuesday.

Inquiry into journalist's death nears end

A probe into Japanese photographer Hiroyuki Muramoto's death will be completed by next week, the Metropolitan Police Bureau team re-investigating the killings in last year's political mayhem said yesterday.

United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship chairwoman Thida Tawornseth, second left, leads a group of supporters to submit a petition to Justice Minister Pracha Promnok calling on the government to speed up bail applications for red shirts detained in connection with the political violence between March and May last year.

The team was speeding up its inquiry into the death, the third of 16 such cases, and will give its report to the Department of Special Investigation soon, said deputy Metropolitan Police Bureau commissioner Anuchai Lekbamrung, the chief investigator.

The DSI has stipulated the 16 deaths were caused by state officials. Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung had previously ordered the Metropolitan Police Bureau to take over the investigation into the deaths from the Department of the Special Investigation.

Muramoto, who worked for Reuters, was killed while covering the April 10 clashes between security forces and red shirts at the Kok Wua intersection in Bangkok. On Tuesday, the police team completed a second investigation into the death of Mana Atran, who was gunned down at Dusit Zoo on April 10, Pol Maj Gen Anuchai said.

Findings of the first two investigations have already been forwarded to prosecutors, he added.

Pol Maj Gen Anuchai said he was confident that the investigations into the remaining cases would be completed before a Dec 18 deadline.

The 16 cases do not include that of Italian photographer Fabio Polenghi, who died on May 19 last year during clashes on Ratchadamri Road, he said.

In another development, United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) chairwoman Thida Thavornseth submitted a four-point petition to Justice Minister Pracha Promnok yesterday.

She led 30 UDD supporters to hand her petition to Pol Gen Pracha at the Flood Relief Operations Command yesterday. The petition was also submitted to the Truth for Reconciliation Commission, chaired by former attorney-general Kanit na Nakorn.

The first point called for acknowledgement that all detained political crime suspects are entitled to bail by the Rights and Liberties Protection Department.

The second demanded that if a political crime suspect has not been bailed, they they should be held in an appropriate prison and receive different treatment from general criminals. The third urged the delay of any verdicts as the country is still in political transition and the rule of law is not firmly established.

The last point was a request to reconsider charges against political prisoners that might have been too excessive.

Ms Thida also called on the Rights and Liberties Protection Department to examine differences between the Corrections Department and the UDD with regards the number of detained red-shirt supporters eligible for bail. The UDD has 101 names compared to 70 on the Corrections Department list.

After meeting with Pol Gen Pracha, Mrs Thida said the Justice Ministry had accepted the first and second points.

However, Pol Gen Pracha said prisoners charged with violation of Section 112 of the criminal code, widely known as lese majeste law, and the Computer Crime Act are not eligible for bail.

Mrs Thida said the 101 political prisoners will be moved to the Police Privates' Training School in Bang Khen .

Nonthaburi locals want BMA out of way Authority to fight floods 'needs to be removed'

Flood-hit Nonthaburi residents petitioned the Administrative Court yesterday to revoke the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's power in managing flood in areas connected to other provinces.

The residents also asked the court to order the government to stop trying to rescue the submerged Highway 340 and Kanchanapisek Road for fear the work will prolong the flood misery of people living in Bang Bua Thong.

The petition was lodged with the court by Todsiri Poolnual, 50, of Bang Rak Pattana sub-district on behalf of flood-hit residents after they staged a raucous protest at Nonthaburi provincial hall on Tuesday over prolonged flooding in their communities.

She said the embankments set up by the government along Highway 340 and the BMA's refusal to open the sluice gates along Maha Sawat canal had badly affected flooded residents.

"We do not want to be discriminated against," said Ms Todsiri. "Bangkok residents have started cleaning their homes, but we still have no idea when we can return to our flooded homes.

"The Nonthaburi provincial authority must do more than just deliver us relief items. It needs to come up with a convincing water management plan."

Since Bangkok governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra was not eager to respond to the Nonthaburi residents' request to open the sluice gates to one metre, they were forced to seek the help from the court, she said.

"We will agree with any means to get the water drained out of our area. It can be the proposal discussed on Tuesday to divide the flooded area into smaller blocks so the water can be drained sooner. We need communications. We need a goal. We need to have a target in two weeks or so," she said.

Sermsak Charumanus, a commercial bank employee and resident of Tharinphorn Villa on Chalermprakiat Road, said he supported the fight through judicial means.

"It's better than demolishing sand bag walls. This is a peaceful and justified fight for our rights," he said.

MR Sukhumbhand announced yesterday evening that City Hall had agreed to open all sluice gates along the Maha Sawat canal by one metre.

The Bangkok governor said the BMA was aware of the plight of Nonthaburi residents, but the authority wanted to reserve its right to adjust the opening of all the sluice gates according to the situation.

The BMA has asked the Royal Irrigation Department to speed up water drainage through sluice gates along the canals in the western side of the Chao Phraya River.

MR Sukhumbhand said he had asked the Froc and the irrigation department to open the Khlong Chimphlee sluice gate to allow water to flow into Bangkok Noi canal and to open the Nakhon Chaisi sluice gate to allow water to flow into other canals in the western side of the Chao Phraya River.

Opening the two sluice gates would help ease flooding in Nonthaburi, and at the same time lower the risk of flooding in Bangkok's western districts, said the governor.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday the BMA and Froc should discuss a drainage strategy again after floodwaters have been drained out of several Bangkok districts.

She added that while Bangkok needed to prevent flooding in the capital, the Froc needs to handle flood problems all over the country.