Bangkok Smile Bike

[christianpfc]

(Originally posted on gaybuttonthai on 20.03.2010 http://gaybuttonthai.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2627&p=24894, reposted unchanged)

Bangkok Smile Bike

This report is suitable for readers of all ages. It contains no strong language, no violence, no sex, no drug abuse, no paedophilia, not even gay content!

Believe it or not, there is a service by Bangkok Tourism Division, where you can rent bikes for free for one day for sightseeing in Bangkok!

December 2010: While IтАЩm checking for nocturnal activities between Saranrom Park and Royal Palace, I notice an information booth by BangkokTourism Division and an open shed with plenty of тАЬBangkok Smile BikeтАЭ bikes. There is no information about this on their website http://www.bangkoktourist.com

February 2011: I search in the internet for тАЬBangkok Smile BikeтАЭ, but I canтАЩt find a site by тАЬBangkok Smile BikeтАЭ itself, only reviews.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/print/32810/ (quoted at the end of this article)
http://oillie.wordpress.com/2011/03/13/bangkok-smile-bike/
http://www.astoriabike.com/2011/01/bangkok-smile-bike.html

I decide to try the trip on the west side starting at Memorial Bridge (Phut Bridge / Phrapokklao Bridge in another map).

10.02.2011 As I stayed near the Malaysia Hotel letтАЩs assume my trip started there. Walk towards Rama 4 Road and wait for bus at Lumpini Tower. Board Bus Number 4 at 12:28, fare is 6.50 THB, leave bus at 13:08 at Memorial Bridge. The station (west side number 6) is underneath the bridge.

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j412/christianpfc/Bangkok%20Smile%20Bike/DSCN2370.jpg
Station number 6 west side under Memorial Bridge

I rent a bike, they take a digital photo of my passport, me with the bike and I have to fill in a form (I get a carbon copy). I turn southwards. A few hundred meters, there are goats grazing, in the middle of Bangkok!

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j412/christianpfc/Bangkok%20Smile%20Bike/DSCN2371.jpg
Goats grazing, Chao Phraya River

I continue my trip to Princess Mother Memorial Park, however I canтАЩt take the bike inside and I donтАЩt have a lock so I canтАЩt enter.

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j412/christianpfc/Bangkok%20Smile%20Bike/DSCN2372.jpg
Entrance to Princess Mother Memorial Park

Drive around in this area, small alleys with no cars or along the river.

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j412/christianpfc/Bangkok%20Smile%20Bike/DSCN2373.jpg
On the way along the river.

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j412/christianpfc/Bangkok%20Smile%20Bike/DSCN2375.jpg
On the way along the river.

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j412/christianpfc/Bangkok%20Smile%20Bike/DSCN2376.jpg
Some interesting impressions.

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j412/christianpfc/Bangkok%20Smile%20Bike/DSCN2378.jpg
A wall adorned with plants in bottles.

Finally find the Kuwatin Islam Mosque. Then continue northwards.

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j412/christianpfc/Bangkok%20Smile%20Bike/DSCN2381.jpg
View northwards, Wat Arun.

Past Santa Cruz Church

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j412/christianpfc/Bangkok%20Smile%20Bike/DSCN2383.jpg

and Kiang Un Keng Shrine,

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j412/christianpfc/Bangkok%20Smile%20Bike/DSCN2385.jpg

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j412/christianpfc/Bangkok%20Smile%20Bike/DSCN2386.jpg
View from the Shrine over the river, my bike on the left

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j412/christianpfc/Bangkok%20Smile%20Bike/DSCN2387.jpg
Topiary on the way.

Wat Kanlayanamit Woramahawiharn

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j412/christianpfc/Bangkok%20Smile%20Bike/DSCN2388.jpg

and Tonson Mosque towards Wat Arun where I spend some time.

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j412/christianpfc/Bangkok%20Smile%20Bike/DSCN2389.jpg
Wat Arun.

It was no proplem to take the bike inside the wat, but I could only walk and drive around in the outer area as I couldnтАЩt lock it. Then continue my trip on Arun Amarin Road and side streets thereof. Around 5pm I arrive at Wat Rakang Kositaram. According to the map provided, there is a station at or near the Wat, but I canтАЩt find any, even after driving larger and larger circles and asking people. Finally, there is not enough time left to either continue northwards and try to find the next station or go back to the last station I passed. I get nervous, if I donтАЩt find a place to return the bike I will have to pay a fine and I have no idea where to keep it overnight. So I call a number from the map provided, nobody picks up. I call another number (which I found on the carbon copy of the form I had, it was for accident or emergency), there is someone and he speaks English and confirms that there is no station at Wat Rakang Kositaram, so he recommends I drive to the station at Wat Arun. I didnтАЩt see any station when I was there, but driving back on Arun Amarin Road I find it, itтАЩs directly on this road. There is nobody at the station, but after a few minutes (at 17:55) a man comes on a motorbike and I can return the bike and everything is fine. I walk northwards, back to Wat Rakang Kositaram

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j412/christianpfc/Bangkok%20Smile%20Bike/DSCN2391.jpg
View from Wat Rakang Kositaram towards the main street.

and to Wang Lang Market, from where I take the boat (14 THB from Pier N10 to Central Pier which has a connection to BTS Saphan Taksin, and another 25 THB for BTS and 15 THB for MRT to get back to Lumpini station).

Despite the problems with finding a station to return the bike, I can highly recommend this service. Large parts of the trip were in areas with little or no cars or along the river (where it is significantly cooler). As the whole trip was sitting on the bike, I didnтАЩt get tired.

The stationsтАЩ positions are not precicely drawn in the map, those whose location I confirmed are: number 6 underneath the Memorial Bridge, one station underneath a bridge (Arun Amarin Road) near Tonson Mosque, one on Arun Amarin Road near Wat Arun, no station at Wat Rakang Kositaram, and one at Wang Lang Market near the pier N10 (Wang Lang Pier).

The map provided has good descriptions of the attractions along the way, however the resolution is low, so finding the stations and attractions can be a matter of luck. I recommend to bring an additional map, a lock for the bike and a clip so you can attach a map on the handlebar.

On a reconnaissance trip (some days before, by the time I arrived at the station at Sanam Luang, it was too late to rent a bike) I found out that some stations close earlier than 6pm, and one station was manned with someone who didnтАЩt speak English and was unaware of the procedure for renting a bike, I did not understand what he wanted me to do, so I finally left without bike and asked at another station about the procedure for renting a bike. I get further information: You are supposed to follow the route in the map, donтАЩt cross the bridge, fee for late return is 100 THB/min, fee for lost or stolen bike is 5000 THB. You can return the bike to any station on the same side of river. I forgot to ask if this service is avaible for Thai nationals as well (if you want to go with a Thai friend).

I didnтАЩt see any advert for this service, the only information in the internet is in form of some reviews. Obviously, they try to hide it, but now you now. I will do it again on my next holiday!

Here pictures of their flyer (size approximately A2, don't try to read it, resolution is insufficient)

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j412/christianpfc/Bangkok%20Smile%20Bike/DSCN2646.jpg
East Side

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j412/christianpfc/Bangkok%20Smile%20Bike/DSCN2647.jpg
West side

This is what http://www.bangkokpost.com/print/32810/ says about Bangkok Smile Bike on 13/02/2010:

Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra has decided to add more routes to the project started by his predecessor Apirak Kosayodhin.

Under the project, bicycles are available free of charge for tourists wanting to cycle around Rattanakosin Island, the city's old quarter.

However, the number of tourists using the service in the project's initial phase fell short of target due to mass rallies, staged first by the yellow-shirt People's Alliance for Democracy and followed by the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship.

In the first nine-month phase starting in August 2008, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) set a target of attracting 50,000 people to the project but fewer than 10,000 used the bicycles.

The BMA reduced the number of bicycles in the second phase due to the poor initial demand.

Originally, 300 bicycles were put into service but the number was reduced to 120.

There are five "bike stations" - at the Grand Palace, Phra Pinklao, Santichaiprakarn Park, the City Hall's Lan Khon Muang ground and Suan Saranrom Park - where bicycles can be picked up. Now, the BMA's culture, sports and tourism division, which is responsible for the project, will expand the service to cover Thon Buri area in May.

The Thon Buri bike route originates beneath Phra Pinklao. From this area, people can cycle along Arun Amarin Road and visit tourism sites along the route. Cyclists will pass the Wat Dusitaram community where they can visit the Royal Barges Museum, before crossing Arun Aamarin Bridge to visit the Siriraj Medical Museum at Siriraj Hospital. The route will end at the Princess Mother Memorial Park.

"The Thon Buri bike route covers about 6km," said the division's director Somsak Chantawattana. "We have no plans to link the Bangkok and Thon Buri routes because we don't want people to ride bikes across Pinklao Bridge.

"People should leave the bikes on the Bangkok side and take a boat across the Chao Phraya River before continuing on the Thon Buri side."

The BMA had contracted Master&More Co for 9 million baht to provide 300 bicycles for the project.

Mr Somsak said the BMA has continued the project's work around Rattanakosin Island by hiring the same firm for 1.9 million baht for four months. The contract, signed last month, expires in May. The bikes will be available from 10am to 6pm on weekdays and 10am to 8pm on weekends at the stations.

Thais who want to borrow bicycles under the project can simply leave their ID cards with staff at the stations.

Foreign tourists are required to leave their passports for a bicycle.

Mr Somsak said there have not been any accidents involving bicycle users since the project was launched.

Under the contract, people using the project's bicycles are insured by Master&More.

The BMA will stage a cycling event on Valentine's Day tomorrow. Participants will cycle their way along historic routes starting from the Suan Saranrom Park. The event runs from 7.30am until noon.

If you like a guided tour by bike, there are three commercial operators I know of:

http://www.covankessel.com
http://www.bangkokbybike.com
http://bangkokbiking.com/ I did a trip with this operator in August 2009 and can recommend it.

[martin911]

well you are certainley a better tour guide than my BF

can u be my tour guide C ??

He is A bangkok boy rather than the plentiful supply of issan guys that one usually meets in Pattaya --and i thought it would be interesting to have a local as it were to explore bkk with
But as to him showing me around Bkk --- forget it ---its not that hes lazy ---he just doesnt seem to have spent a lot of time away/outside the Lad prao area where he was raised since he was 10 or so ---

First time he was ever in Silom was with me(where most of us thinks of when we think of bkk) --sounds funny but ive met a few gay guys in bkk over the last year that had never been there either !!

[krobbie]

For a person who likes to spend time in BKK this is perfect.

I am going to investigate the BMA site and see if these bikes are mentioned.

Originally they seem to have started close to the Grand Palace and this side would suit me also. But thanks for the information as I will get a bike on Thon Buri side for sure as I have been on that side of the river very little.

I love this and even with prosthetic leg I can still ride a bike.

I found this also;

http://oillie.wordpress.com/tag/bicycle/

Here's also another site about biking in the green lung of Bangkok, Phra Padaeng. Looks like a good day also.

http://www.rollglobal.org/2010/04/bkkgreenlung/

Also this site by Richard Barrow gives further iisight on what to do once there.

http://www.bangkok-daytrips.com/the-loop-in-the-river/

Cheers
Krobbie

[christianpfc]

In the course of the year 2012 (from memory), the Bangkok Smile Bike stations went from abandoned to dilapidated and were finally gone.

Recently (on bangkokbois, directing to http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newson ... RFd01BPT0= (http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNNE1ERXdPREkwTWc9PQ= =&sectionid=TURFd01BPT0=)) I read about a new free bicycle lending service. I was in the area, so I had a look. I found the station at the Giant Swing (it is on the place between the wat and Bangkok City Hall), it is a reincarnation of Bangkok Smile Bike with the same bikes, same maps (i.e. there are the old stations on the map, the new stations are in different places), the stations look a bit different. There was an officer sitting at the station, but I don't have my passport with me, so I couldn't borrow a bike.

I guess it will remain a mystery for all time why the old Bangkok Smile Bike was discontinued and a new service with fewer stations at different places was started.

Speaking of bicycles, there is a bicycle lending service in central Bangkok: http://www.punpunbikeshare.com/
and we had a thread about it on gaythailand: http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/topic ... ongestion/ (http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/topic/8258-bangkoks-new-bicycle-stations-to-beat-congestion/)

These stations are now completed and have bikes in them. I saw one person riding such a bike.

[adman5000]

Sorry I missed the opportunity to use this service. Still an enjoyable read of a great way to see some real areas of BKK. Thanks Christian.