• TRAVEL

  Plenty of cycling in 2016

  Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 31/12/2015

  » After six months or so of closure, the revamped cycling track around Suvarnabhumi International Airport was officially reopened last Saturday. Renamed the "Sky Lane", this collaboration between the Airport of Thailand (AOT) and Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) has been greatly welcomed by Bangkok's cycling community. The return of this bike track to the short list of places where residents of the capital can train or enjoy leisurely rides without the risk of becoming roadkill is definitely one of this year's best bit of good news.

• LIFE

  THAI flying to 7 destinations this month

  Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 08/09/2020

  » THAI Airways is selling one-way tickets for international flights to seven destinations in Europe and Asia this month. The special flights are intended for foreigners and Thais (especially those studying or working abroad) who need to leave the Kingdom for Munich, Frankfurt, London, Paris, Copenhagen, Taipei or Hong Kong.

• TRAVEL

  Skipping ahead

  Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 23/04/2020

  » Earlier this month when I launched this bi-weekly Travel Diary series, I had a gut feeling that this coronavirus pandemic could drag on a lot longer than many people had thought. Maybe it could even take a whole year. However, feedback revealed that readers were more optimistic and believe it won’t be that long. Some even suggested that it would benefit them more if — instead of featuring destinations suitable for the season that matches the current time of year, but may not be useful if the travel ban is still in place — I should just skip a couple of months ahead.

• TRAVEL

  The lesser-spotted wonders of Lucknow

  Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 24/10/2019

  » After a three-hour flight from Bangkok, I found myself at an immigration counter of Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport, aka Lucknow Airport. An expressionless officer flipped through my passport and made a gesture signifying that I follow the instructions on the fingerprint scanner and place the fingers of my left hand, minus my thumb, on it. Obediently, I complied. The machine flashed a green light. The officer shook his head.

• TRAVEL

  Undisturbed by time

  Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 20/06/2019

  » I had been to Kyoto a couple of times before. However, I had always thought of it as a city, as the former imperial capital of Japan. I didn't realise that Kyoto as a prefecture has much more to offer than the famous bamboo grove and those popular shrines and temples. Along the northern coast of the prefecture, referred to by some as "Kyoto By The Sea" nestled interesting places not much known among non-Japanese travellers. The fishing village of Ine, with its unique and well-preserved architecture, interested me most. It was the major purpose of my latest visit to the Land of the Rising Sun.

• LIFE

  There's riding in those hills

  Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 13/12/2018

  » Cyclists in Bangkok and Samut Prakan are lucky to have such nice places to enjoy their favourite sport, those famous bicycle lanes around Suvarnabhumi airport. But wouldn't it be even better if there were another purpose-built training ground that is not so flat? How about a bikes-only road on hilly terrain?

• THAILAND

  Old monks' gift to cyclists

  Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 14/12/2017

  » Apart from Suvarnabhumi airport's newly renovated Sky Lane, there are not many cycling lanes where bicyclists in Bangkok and peripheral areas can ride without worrying about hitting a jogger or being crushed by an automobile. This place in Pak Kret, Nonthaburi, is one such rare training ground.

• TRAVEL

  Leisurely ride in an urban oasis

  Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 31/08/2017

  » It's been quite a while since Suan Rod Fai (officially named Vajirabenjatas Park) launched its new cycling lane. However, a great many Bangkokians have never heard about the cool improvement. Today let's check it out together.

• TRAVEL

  A rugged beauty

  Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 18/05/2017

  » As the glorious rays of the rising Sun advanced on the massive limestone canyon replacing any remnant of darkness, the true beauty of Oman's geological wonder Jabal Akhdar (Green Mountain) is gradually revealed before my eyes.

• LIFE

  Calling all high-flying students

  Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 22/12/2016

  » To a lot of people, commercial pilots have the coolest jobs. If you have a young student in your family interested in this high-flying career, here's a great chance for him or her to experience what life is like inside the cockpit.

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