Thai cyclists pedal 26 miles for queen

BANGKOK – Thailand’s crown prince led thousands of cyclists through the streets of the capital Sunday on a 26-mile tribute to his mother, Queen Sirikit, to mark her 83rd birthday.

The high-profile event, carried live by all public television stations, was also an exercise in palace public relations at a time of concern about the royal succession in Thailand.

All roads were closed along the route of what was dubbed “Bike for Mom,” which transformed typically traffic-clogged Bangkok, for a day at least, into a biker’s paradise. Among the riders were the prime minister, his Cabinet, celebrities and other VIPs. Similar rides took place in provinces nationwide, led by local officials.

“This is a historic event for Thailand,” Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said ahead of the ride.

It was billed as the largest organized bicycle ride ever conducted in Thailand, and Prayuth said authorities hoped to set a world record for a national bike parade. Organizers said 40,000 people registered for the event in Bangkok and more than 250,000 registered for rides held across the country.

“The event will also showcase to the world how devoted Thais are to their queen,” Prayuth said.

Thailand’s revered monarch, 87-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and his wife, Queen Sirikit, are both in declining health and have been absent from public life for years. Their only son and the heir apparent, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, shed his tailored suit for black bike tights.