Sunday Cycle in the Sisaket Countryside

A Sunday with no football planned unexpectedly turned into one of my most enjoyable cycling adventures through the rural Sisaket countryside in early August 2025.

An Opportunity to Have Fun

My weekends in the football off-season were a mixture of having a few hours in the city, involving a round of golf, a meal and drinks, or looking for local events, which I often attended with my wife, Taew.

A Sunday approached with nothing else on, when my good lady informed me of a football tournament taking place in Nong Hai, the home of Auntie Lamyong and other relatives. We’d passed an event there a couple of years ago that looked like it was good fun.

It was a 7-a-side tournament with many local amateur teams competing for a cash prize. They are a regular feature in our part of the country, with teams competing fiercely for what can be a sizeable prize compared with the entry fee. I needed no second invitation, as it would also offer me exercise by cycling there.

Time for a Cycle

It was a hot day as I advanced through the familiar surroundings of Bang Ko and then open countryside, watching out for any dogs I might alarm while protecting their farms. They are a hazard that I am used to and generally avoid, more of which later.

Wat Nong Hai temple was hosting some kind of community event as I passed, so I thought it rude not to go in and investigate. Stalls and a bouncy castle for the kids were in place, with crowds expected in the afternoon following the adults making merit.

I thought it a little strange from a planning perspective, with the football event up the road guaranteeing to also attract local interest. Not that it surprised me in a place where strategy can be somewhat scattergun. I continued to the relative's house, where I was given news, both good and bad.

Good and Bad News

The football had been put back for a couple of weeks, as not enough teams had entered to justify the prize money. However, in the arms of his young mother was a baby boy, the latest addition to our clan. 

I’m not sure of his official name, but he was given the nickname of Porsche. My first reaction was that I hoped he’d be wealthy enough to own one. He was a lovely tot who I soon had smiling and giggling. 

It would have been easy to lounge around and then go home, but it was too nice a day to waste. I went to Jindawittayakarn School, where the football was meant to have taken place, before deciding to explore the countryside I had driven through on the way to a Muay Thai boxing event a few months earlier.

Approaching Ta Dop

An Unexpected Opportunity

That necessitated turning left and heading towards Ta Dop. A few busy and excited vehicles passed me going in the opposite direction, no doubt heading to the temple event in Nong Hai. To make sure I was going in the right direction, I would stop at any junction and consult the Google Maps app on my phone. 

Passing where the boxing had taken place, I decided that my efforts deserved a cold drink, spotting a small hut serving drinks outside a large agricultural store. It always amazed me how many of these coffee shops and cafes there were in the countryside.

 
Some were at the gate of a house, with the owner looking to keep occupied and make a few baht. Iced green tea was my favourite when exercising, as I stopped for a few minutes to get my bearings and enjoy the scenery. 

My YouTube Video of the Day Out

Going to the Dogs

The next village on my route was Ban Nong Tao, where I turned right and headed in the general direction of home. I was careful, seeing dogs at the side of the road. As in most cases, they feared me and were protecting themselves. 

Whether feral dogs or belonging to a property, I had taken the advice of Taew when approaching and slowed down so I did not alarm them. I spoke to them in a calm voice, often getting the right response. Those who growl sometimes need a more commanding tone. I am hardly Steve Irwin material, but I do feel good when I continue without any real issues.

The route was coming back to me as I approached Ban Pueai, going past what looked like an igloo made of sand. I knew from experience that it was hollow inside, where wood was burned and turned into charcoal, with an easily recognisable smell emanating from its opening at the top.

A group in Ban Pueai looked like they had enjoyed a very sociable couple of hours, shouting greetings as I passed. Around the corner stood the impressive local temple, which was very photogenic and ideal to add to my collection of video clips. This aroused the curiosity of a few youngsters walking home with a football.

Wat Ban Pueai

Are You Mr Bean?

They spoke basic English and asked what I was doing. I explained that I was a YouTuber, which seemed to satisfy them, when one asked if I was Mr Bean? Talk about not knowing whether to laugh or be outraged! They were good kids, laughing and smiling in a safe environment. Exactly the surroundings that all youngsters should be granted. 

I then had a decision to make when I studied my app. I could take the safe option down a decent road, heading home on a familiar route, or I could gamble and go along what might be rough lanes across farmland. There was only one way to find out, as I went the shortest route without knowing what I would find.

Taking in the scenery of the stunning countryside, which would have done the Tour De France coverage proud, I was soon on a wide lane that I recognised, which took me to a place called Ban Bok Bang. Try saying that name after a drink!

Stunning Landscape on the Route Home

Homeward Bound

It was somewhere I’d ridden through lots of times, with it being the next settlement due north of where we lived. The easy ride, slightly downhill, soon had me home, ready to regale my good lady with tales of my adventure while she tried to concentrate on her garden.

 
I certainly enjoyed my food that evening, sitting under our veranda and watching another incredible pink sunset.

There hadn't been much of a plan when I set off, but sometimes those are the days that turn into the most enjoyable adventures.

If you enjoyed this story, feel free to check out my YouTube Channel, where I share videos about everyday life in Thailand, local football, and travel across the country, which includes the escapade I’ve just written about.

Thanks for reading.