Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha promised on Friday more bicycle lanes to cover all corners of Bangkok.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha (centre) joined a bicycle ride on Rattanakosin island on Dec 28, 2014 and promised for routes for bikers next year. (Photo by Pornprom Satrabhaya)
Fresh from pedalling on Rattanakosin island last week, the prime minister said in his first Returning Happiness to Thai People programme of the year he would outline the bike plan for the capital.
Five additional lanes covering 10 kilometres will be added this year for bikers and more will be built in Thon Buri and other areas across the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, he said.
Bangkok has 31 bike routes with a total distance of 232km. Many of them are not proper lanes dedicated to bikers but are alleys or small roads shared by cyclists and pedestrians.
Gen Prayut led other bicycle enthusiasts to bike around Rattanakosin island on Dec 28 to promote cycling and exercise and reduce pollution in the area of the national treasure sites.
The prime minister said the surface of roads, including drainage covers, will be smoothed for safe pedalling. All lanes for cyclists will be painted in green with a symbol they are reserved for bicycles only, he added.
The prime minister said he looked beyond exercise on the project as it would give locals along the bike routes new opportunities to promote locally made products and encourage tourism.
But he warned that the attempts to improve the lanes might not bring much happiness to street vendors who will see their trading space disturbed by the scheme. ''Street vendors may have to make adjustments or switch to selling products for bikers and tourists in the future,'' he said.
An engineer of 12 core values, Gen Prayut said the budget for the values campaign should not be overspent and suggested citizens, especially students, apply them in their daily life so they become good citizens.
The National Council for Peace and Order launched a set of Line mobile chat app stickers on the core values last month with a 7-million-baht budget. The money, as well as the stickers, stirred debate on social media. Critics say the sticker do not reflect the message of the 12 core values that the regime tries to get across.