City ponders cycle trips

NAKHON PHANOM, 18 April 2011 – Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Nakhon Phanom office has partnered with the town’s municipality and tourism association to establish rent-a-bike tours that will follow a specified route along Mekong River embankment.

The initiative was launched, earlier this month, with a fund raiser ‘Cycling City Tour’ that should help to pay for a fleet of rental bicycles for use within the city’s boundaries.

According to TAT Nakhon Phanom, the city can promote an interesting tour that follows the river frontage road, but it needs funds to invest in a fleet of city bikes, hence the community fund raiser.

The concept is based on the popular Velo bike project in Paris, but on a much smaller scale and limited to a specific route where the bikes will be stationed for rental at suitable intervals.

Local residents joined the funds raiser on a route from Commemoration Park in Muang district (Nakhon Phanom Public Park) to the embankment road at the side of the Mekong River passing Wat Srithep Pradittharam, City Hall, the city pillar, National Library, the former governor’s residence, the clock tower, Okat Si Bua Ban Temple and the Indochina market. A stop was made at the so-called retro market of Tha Nam Muang Nakhon Market.

According to the plan, the city will buy commuter bikes and station them at specific sites along the route to allow tourists to rent them. The rentals will cover maintenance costs and payment will be based on an honour system with visitors asked to contribute by placing a recommended amount in donation boxes

The project is still in the fund raising stage and its success will depend on public support and whether the city authorities can generate enough community spirit to prevent theft.

If all goes well the bikes will be stationed at various locations, convenient for tourists, including the Tourist Police office in Commemoration Park on Chayangkul Road, next to the governor’s  resident on Sunthorn Wichit Road, Viewkong Hotel, Nakhon Phanom Riverview Hotel, iHotel, Phutarin Resotel and Dala Renotel.

For more details or offers of support to the bike fund, call TAT Nakhon Phanom 0 42 513 490-1.