Crown Prince thanks all who helped make ride a success

“Thank you for your kindness, unity and support for the ‘Bike for Mom’, which has successfully and smoothly been held,” the Crown Prince said on the card. 

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all. May you enjoy happiness, prosperity, good physical and emotional health and continue to be the driving force of the nation.” 

Led by the Crown Prince, hundreds of thousands of people joined blue-themed bicycle convoys around the country to mark Her Majesty Queen Sirikit’s 83rd birthday on Sunday. 

The “Bike for Mom” events have been acknowledged by the Guinness World Records group as the largest ever bicycle parades. 

“We have won the Guinness World of Records certificate because people have joined forces for the monarchy,” Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said after accepting the certificate on Sunday.

He said the chants of “Long Live the Royals” meant giving moral support for the Crown Prince, who pedalled his bike 43 kilometres for the ride in Bangkok. His eldest daughter, HRH Princess Bajra Kitiyabha, also joined the activities. 

The huge turnout on Sunday ensured that Thailand would beat the previous world record by a wide margin. 

Taiwan had held the record for the largest ride with 72,919 cyclists, but Thailand had 136,411 riders during the event on Sunday, according to Guinness World Records. 

Only those who left the starting point at the same time nationwide and biked continuously for a minimum of four kilometres were counted, according to Guinness World of Records’ rules. 

The actual attendance on Bike for Mom rides appeared to be much higher than the official figure. 

The event also put a spotlight on an unlikely “hero”. Wattana Kham-in, a schoolboy who has no arms, was among participants in the Bike for Mom celebration who joined the bicycle procession in his hometown, Phitsanulok. The 11-year-old boy completed a nine-kilometre cycle ride.

“I’m happy and proud that I was a part of such a Mother’s Day event. If I get the chance, I’ll do it again in honour of Her Majesty,” he said. 

Two men, however, did not make it through on Sunday. They perished while participating in parades in their hometowns. 

Chalerm Prakorbkan, 83, passed out and fell down while riding with other participants in Prachin Buri province. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital. 

Ratchapol Rungkamchad, 46, an engineer at Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Highway Office 1, also fainted and fell from his bicycle at Vajiravudh Camp while taking part in Bike for Mom. He was admitted to Vajiravudh Military Hospital, where he was pronounced dead from a head concussion. 

The crown prince assigned Prachin Buri Governor Jitra Promchutima to take a royally granted wreath to Chalerm’s funeral yesterday.