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Constant progress being made on MTB trails - There are a ton of guys, and gals, out there in the backwoods of T-land building, funding, and riding Mountain Bike trails. 

 

IF you live in Bangkok and never leave Bangkok you'll probably never learn or enjoy any of the MTB riding opportunities available in Thailand.

 

My suggestion - start going to Thai mountain bike events (outside of Bangkok). You will see and experience what the country has to offer. This website maintains an excellent Events Calendar here - http://www.bicyclethailand.com/events

 

Here's a great opportunity down in Pranburi (about 3 hours south of Bangkok) - https://www.indiegog...e-park-pranburi

The Thanyapura sports club/resort conducts weekly rides in Phuket and Phang Nga.

 

Also, there are plenty of road cyclists who have weekly training rides - Stop in and make inquiries at shops like Bike Avenue, Siam Bike Tours, and You Can Bike.

 

IF mountain biking is your thing then check out the monthly rides put on by the Phuket MTB Hash Club

Great video of the recent Thanyapura Gran Fondo race held in Phuket on April 19th.

 

Steel frames can be sandblasted. The frame would then need to be primed before any rust set in. If you do this job yourself you'll need to keep in mind that even the oils on your hands can create a significant amount of surface rust within hours on a bare frame. So, handle the sandblasted frame with gloves.

 

Aluminium frames need to be chemically stripped of their paint. Sandblasting an aluminum frame can have an adverse effect on the frame strength and surface (pitting of aluminum is BAD).

 

Steel and Aluminium frames are sometimes just lightly sanded (with a very fine grit sandpaper) to to the point where any clear coat and decals are removed and the surface can then be either primed and painted or just painted. If you use this method it's important to not sand the frame down past the first coat of paint. If you do, then you'll need to spray the frame with a primer coat prior to applying paint.

 

Carbon frames should be done by a professional.

 

Depending on the quality of finish you want 1-2 primer coats with 2-4 coats of paint (color) are required. A clear coat finish adds protection and shine to a frame and should be applied AFTER any decals have been installed.

Cycling in Thailand is very popular, there are little bike shops nearly everywhere.

 

A two month trip you probably only need to lube the chain once or twice and perhaps repair the odd puncture if the bike is set up properly to begin with,

If you set the bike up with puncture resistant Schwalbe Marathon tyres you likely wont ever need a bike shop en-route.

I live next to the road to Koh Chang. I have been seeing bicyclists bicycling pass by. I would like to offer them a drinks and give information they want. My place is a small English tutorial school. If you happen to read this post and are bicycling toward Koh Chang, you can come to my place, very easy to access as my place is next to the road, to have some break. You are welcome, bicyclists. My name is Jamjuree. My phone no. is 089-5577600.

http://www.cyclethailand.wordpress.com for details of a tour around Issan

Beautiful area - great photos. Thanks so much for sharing this area of Thailand with us over such a long period. I have ridden through many of the areas of Chanthaburi you have talked about in your posts, but I'm always happy to return to this province every year to find new and exciting cycling opportunities.

Try to follow the trails and small roads along rivers and irrigation canals.
Take the road from Tak to Li, then follow the Ping river into Chiang Mai.

Jennel,

 

Very pleased to know that our efforts helped put you in contact with Khun Jomkwan Janpha. She is amazing to have gone the extra mile to help you reach an amicable agreement with KPI.

 

Best wishes to you and your son,

 

BicycleThailand.com

Wow Jennel,

 

Your post brought me to tears...

 

So happy you have a resolution of sorts.

 

I think ALL cyclists are grateful to Jomkwan Janpha for her help.

 

Jomkwan, should also be commended for placing Thailand in such a compassionate light. Showing to the rest of the world, that there are some truly wonderful Thai people, willing to help others in any way they can.

 

I and I am sure, others, hope,  you have the strength & courage to move on with your life. You too are a remarkable person Jennel.

 

Mal & Lee

Round the world cyclists.

Dear Mal, Mike & Ulysses

I’m touched by your concern and kindness in responding to my appeal. Thanks to this forum, I managed to contact Khun Jomkwan who went the extra, extra mile to help me negotiate with KPI for a higher compensation. We came to an agreed amount through Jom’s intervention and dedicated assistance. I’m eternally grateful to Jom’s generosity with her time and efforts even though we only knew each other online. I told her she’s an Angel sent by Francisco and we’ve become friends now.

It boils my blood to learn that this from fdimike:

I was at the funeral in Khon Kaen and saw the driver who killed Fransisco chatting happily away with the police as though nothing had happened.  I'm sure he has no remorse whatsoever and will drive the same way in the future.

Before, there was a Thai cyclist, Peerapong, who helped me raise funds before I left Bangkok. He wrote:

Hi, Jennel
I would like to do 2 things for your family, first thing, i am still thinking what to do? second thing, I know already I would like to do a music video for your family,


Can you send me a picture of trip biking that I can have on this "see you again music video?
we will make him the drive sorry for all the rest of his life, in every week

Dear Peerapong,
I just saw the video. Thanks so much for your effort. You're hoping this video will help people to remember Francisco and make the driver regret? I don't intend to take revenge against the driver, it's more of the legal system that allowed such injustice to happen - why the court or police didn't inform me of the crucial first court hearing??? Probably someone from the police or court is helping Tiwarat, maybe he paid a bribe??? I'm keen to help you with the video, just wondering what's our objective?

If you approve, for "we will make him the drive sorry for all the rest of his life, in every week", I want to send your "picture around the world" once a week for a year.

For video, I have already made as you have already seen. The objective is to keep spirit of biking around-the-world a live. And in a memory of a biker who making it real. Yesterday, it is my first time to see your picture around-the-world. And it is more than wonderful.

for picture once every week to send to that driver from my place if you approve, I can print from my color printer at once, and gradually send him every week.

Dear Peerapong,
I don't approve of sending videos of our travelling to the driver weekly for a year, if I understood you correctly. To me, it's like emotional blackmail or torture. Much as I was disgusted by his tricking me into signing the agreement that helped him escape just punishment, I don't want to disturb his life. He didn't kill my husband intentionally even though his reckless driving caused this terrible tragedy.

Dear Peerapong
Instead of the video, I wrote a letter to Mr Tiwarat. Pls read and tell me what you think. Is it possible to translate it into Thai and send it to Tiwarat? I’d be happy if it can help in any way to raise awareness for road safety in the blood-stained roads of Thailand?

Dear Mr Tiwarat

Someone told me he’d print photos of my late husband’s bike-travelling around the world and send it to you once a week for a year.

I said no point in worsening your guilt, assuming there is.

I was told by the insurance company I could only get 630,000 baht while the recent victims of accident in Chiang Mai got 1.2 million baht because you bought a cheap insurance. I was advised to sue you for the rest.

What’s the point of suing a poor man? I’ve no intention to land you in debt or pull a tooth for a tooth.

No amount of punishment or revenge can return a Great Life that was cruelly snatched from us by your reckless driving.
I dread the day when Lukas understands what Death means and learns how his dad died. I dread the sadness that would fill his little heart, and how he’d cry for his dad.

Lukas will never be able to play with his dad, be hugged and kissed by him again. Francisco forever missed out the joy and excitement of watching his son grow up. I lost a husband who loves and cares for me so much, and somebody to grow old with. This is the depth of the pain that can never go away.

Please drive carefully and promise me to never cause another accident and tragedy to a family.

I pray Thailand will have fewer and fewer impatient or drunk drivers, and that the convicted will receive fair and strict punishment that all road-users will fear and respect.

May the souls of all who were hit and died by the road close their eyes and find peace.

Jennel
Wife of Francisco Villa
Chilean cyclist who died in Korat on 21 Feb 2015
 

Hi TT. I have ordered stuff from CR and Evans. Both are really efficient and I've never had stuff go missing. If it's worth over 1000TB including postage then usually you will have to pay 7% GST (VAT) plus import tax, which seems to vary between 20-30% depending on what customs officers think the parts are for. My bicycle parts are sometimes classified as 'Moto Parts' and there's no arguing. Expect parcels to be opened and inspected. If stuff is sent via DHL or similar courier, there is also an extra charge and that seems to be around 20%-30%. DHL told me it was their 'Freight Charge' and explained usefully that it was 'A charge on freight.' So it is far cheaper if you can get stuff sent via normal post office mail and collect from your nearest PO. I don't think Evans offers this option but CR sometimes sends smaller parcels by normal mail (£9.99 postage charge). But they also sometimes use DHL for that rate too and they cannot tell you at time of ordering which they will use so you end up with this random DHL freight charge. So estimate that you will pay the UK non-VAT price plus postage fee plus 27%-57% extra on collection. There's no option to ignore a parcel even if it massively overcharged by a courier etc as they will chase you later and add more fees. I did order some stuff from China and it came via EMS courier but arrived at the post office so no random freight charge for that.

There was a very positive response to this post on our Bicycle Thailand FaceBook page by Jomkwan Janpha 

 

I will post what Khun Jomkwan said:

 

Hi Jennel, i work for Office of Insurance Commission of Thailand, the regulator of the insurance companies here. However, i do not work in the policyholder protection department. I did call them and ask what we can do to help you. The policyholder protection dept recommended that you should file the case to our office. BuaYai is in Nakornrachasrima provice, we have sub- office there 

 

http://www.oic.or.th...chsiimaa-th.pdf

or you can file the compliant on the website " http://www1.oic.or.t...OIC_request.php"  however the complaint form is in Thai language. Another option is sending the case to email: ppd@oic.or.th. Currently, it's holiday time. I will check with other department what other thing we can do for you. Normally, if the KPI insurance policy is only the compulsory one, you should get 200,000 Baht for this case. But if it is comprehensive you should get more depended on the sum insured.