Showing 1 - 10 of 40
It's all downhill from here!
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 13/11/2020
» For most gravity mountain bikers -- especially those who are not serious racers and did not take part in the national championship series which ended in August -- it was as if all they could do was watch 2020 glide by. However, just the other day, there was great news from Prachin Buri.
Happy trails are here again
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 05/06/2020
» The legendary Club11 mountain bike track, the only of its kind in the Thai capital, is reopened and renamed.
Rainy days & getaways
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 04/06/2020
» Interprovincial travel is now possible, although with restrictions in certain cases. Historical parks and national museums are open. Many beaches are starting to see visitors from different provinces dying for a break from the unprecedented lockdown. Still, it's going to be a long while before tourism reaches the pre-pandemic level.
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.
Thailand's abundance
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 09/04/2020
» April is usually the height of the hot season. The sea, both in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman, is at its best. The forest, meanwhile, may seem lifeless, yet actually there are a lot of interesting things going on in the ecosystem. Most waterfalls, for example, may not be boasting powerful cascades, but the calm, clear water reveals a fascinating array of fish and other aquatic lifeforms that thrive. And guess what: even during this dry period of the year, there are falls in some protected forests where the water continues to flow down rigorously, regardless of what month is shown on the calendar. Too bad I don't have their photographs in digital form and no time to dig through the piles of slides.
A time for solitude
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 26/03/2020
» Starting on Thursday, Thailand is under a state of emergency. Hopefully, this will help the country cope with the Covid-19 pandemic more effectively. At the time of writing, a full lockdown is not yet announced. But in line with the emergency decree, it's likely that social distancing will no longer be urged but enforced. Only with people staying calmly at home will it be possible to keep the highly contagious virus under control. China has shown that such stringent measures worked. If everybody complies, it should bring a good result here, too.
Bikers' playground
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 04/03/2020
» With several long, gnarly downhill trails and friendly local riders, Chiang Mai has long been one of the most popular destinations for gravity mountain bikers. Now it is offering even more.
Bangkok BMX bonanza
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 31/10/2019
» In the 70s and the 80s, a lot of kids around the globe had BMXs as their best friends. If you were one, here's a chance to take a trip down memory lane.
Temple fair
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 24/10/2019
» The annual temple fair at Wat Sa Ket where the famous Golden Mount is located is set to take place once again from Nov 4-13.
Get on your bike for Hero Thailand 2020
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 09/10/2019
» The Hero World Series, an international epic mountain biking competition, is coming to Thailand next year. Hero Thailand is set to take place from Oct 8-11 2020, with hundreds of mountain bikers from around the world expected to take part.