Learning and Sharing Forum: Project for Monitoring, Supports, Capacity Building and Evaluation of Bicycle Communities for Health

Thai Health Partnership for Building Healthy Communities and Livable Society by Cycling

Project for Monitoring, Supports, Capacity Building and Evaluation of Bicycle Communities for Health is another project conceived in response to Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth)’s Mission and Roles.  Its main objective is to inspire, encourage creation of cycling friendly communities, support them particularly through capacity building, monitor their progress and evaluate their successes.  The project is also aimed to build networks/partnerships among these communities to enhance their capacity for creative works.  It is operated by Thailand Cycling Club (TCC) and its first one-year project began in June 2014 to end in August 2015.

Outcomes of the Project

Commitment and efforts of ThaiHealth, TCC and our 78 local partners led to fairly successful project operation with tangible results: Use of bicycle has increased in every target area.  Efforts were made to improve landscape and infrastructure, making them friendly for cycling.  Networks and partnerships have emerged both within and outside their local area. Cycling promotion activities came creatively in various forms depending on local context. Local governments showed their interest from supporting activities to integrating cycling promotion as one of their policies and having action plan.  All these progress in a year time indicate potentials for sustainability of cycling promotion in the area.

Professor Emeritus Thongchai Panswad Ph.D., TCC founder and President, as the person who introduced the concept of ‘bicycle community’ in Thailand has some words for this project: “This project directly answers ThaiHealth’s needs to look for new partners, new allies, to work together to build community-based health systems that focus on health promotion, in this case through cycling promotion.  TCC as a ThaiHealth’s partner with knowledge, skills and experiences needed for such enterprise is commissioned to play this role which we are more than pleased to accept.”

Mr. Aradin Rattanaphum, Coordinator of the Project, on the other hand, gives examples of communities that can be seen as ‘role model’ in various aspects of cycling friendly community.  Bicycle communities in Phra Thaen Sub-District, Tha Maka District of Kanchanaburi Province and in Nong Plub Sub-District, Mueng District of Prachuab Kirikhan Province, both in the Central Region, can be models for bike community promoted by municipality led by visionary leaders with participation from local groups. Models of bike communities initiatives driven by a working group comprising of diverse groups/agencies in and outside of local area from both public and private sectors, on the other hand, can be found at Kok Gruad Sub-District of Nakhon Nayok Province in the Central Region, Wiang Nong Long Sub-District in Lamphun Province in the Northern Region, and Pak Phanang District Town in Nakhon Srithammarat Province in the Southern Region.  There are bike communities in education institutes, such as in Chalerm Phrakiat Campus of Kasetsart University in Sakon Nakhon Province in the Northeastern Region, and a bike community in Nan Province in the Northern Region where local government joins hands with a school to promote ‘Bike To School’ scheme.  In Baan Hua Ang community in Nakhon Ratchasima Province in the Northeastern Region, local people led by youth group are successful in having Sub-District Administrative Organisation to include cycling promotion in its three-year development plan.  In Baan Nasarn District of Surat Thani Province in the Southern Region, five bike community for health projects join hands as a network to carry out activities together for greater impacts and have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nasarn Town Municipality.

Last but not least, Krissada Rueng-areerat MD., Manager of ThaiHealth, says that this project is another ThaiHealth’s effort to promote holistic health through local partners by promoting cycling in daily life as ThaiHealth sees communities as key foundations of health systems.  All the 78 local areas covered by this project in its first year are then just starting points.  ThaiHealth expects that in its second year, more communities and local governments would be inspired, encouraged and become interested to join this cycling promotion project.

21^st August 2015

For more information, contact:

Thailand Cycling Club (TCC)

4^th Floor, Rajanakarn 3 Building

15 Soi Pradiphat 17, Pradiphat Road

Samsennai, Phyathai

Bangkok 10400, Thailand

Tel: (66) (0) 2 618 4434

Fax: (66) (0) 2 618 4430

E-mail: tcc@thaicyclingclub.org

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