ang Mai because he tries to get everybody to join his club. He says, “Hey fixie rider, come on. Hey mountain biker, come on, come on. Hey downhill rider join with me, come ride on Sunday morning.” He wants to make Chiang Mai the bicycle capital of the country.
What do you think makes Chiang Mai a great city?
Chiang Mai is different than Bangkok. Other Thai people say that people in Bangkok are selfish and everything is about money, money, money. But the pace of life in Chiang Mai is slow and people are friendly. You can go to the temples and you can bike up Doi Sethep mountain.
I want to promote bicycling to people in Chiang Mai, especially in the high schools. Because when you ride a bicycle you don’t have to pay for gasoline. You pay for the bike and then after that there’s nothing to pay for. And you get good health and look smart and help heal the world.
Thai people think a suntan is not good. They think only light skin is handsome. Actors and actresses on Thai TV are very light. But I want people to know that riding a bike in the hot sun is OK. Black, brown or tan skin is OK. It means you’re healthy.
Do you have any stories about biking around Chiang Mai.
Last month my friend went to ride his bike up Doi Suthep mountain. He rode a fixie up the mountain. Because it only has one gear it’s very difficult to get to the top that way and it’s very slow. Suddenly a car is crashing into him and boom! He gets dragged 20 meters.
So he goes with the driver back down the mountain to the police station. The driver, she says “You know, it’s crazy riding a bicycle on the mountain, it’s very dangerous.” She says the bicycle was going very fast. But he was riding a fixie up the mountain! The cop believes her and says to my friend, “Fuck bike riders! Be careful! Cars are very important! Bicycles are very cheap and crazy!” My friend goes to the hospital, and he has to pay for his own hospital bill and to replace his bicycle. The driver, she pays nothing.
Is your friend OK?
Right now he’s OK but he’s scared and so sad. He’s a good athlete and he came in second in my alleycat but right now he’s not biking.
Anything else you want to tell me?
I want to invite people from all around the world to come to Chiang Mai and join with us to ride bicycles. It’s a good city for you. Don’t worry, not all the cops are bad.