You can join a free skate with ‘Lumphini Sundae’

On a weekday, Lumphini Park belongs to office workers doing lunchtime laps and retirees practising tai chi by the lake. Lately, though, Bangkok’s first public park draws a much younger crowd. They join the evening aerobics sessions by the main entrance, crouch down to greet the resident cats and film the water monitors sunbathing on the canal banks.

Part of the appeal is simple geography. Lumphini sits a few minutes’ walk from Sala Daeng BTS and Silom and Lumphini MRT, and its 2.5km loop suits anyone chasing a daily step count in the name of living longer. Tourists come for the lizards, now the unofficial mascot of a green space that turned 100 last year.

Sunday mornings add a new set of regulars. From 10am to midday, a group going by the very punny name of Lumphini Sundae laces up for a weekly session. Anyone is welcome, so expect first-timers clutching a friend’s elbow, thirtysomethings dusting off the quad skates they had at school and a handful of serious riders training for competitions. Everyone meets near Gate 1, next to the drinks stall, before setting off together.

Rather go it alone? Official rules allow bikes and other wheeled kit between 10am and 3pm, so you can carry on at your own pace once the Sundae lot head home. Bring water, since it’s properly hot by 11am, and pack knee pads if you last skated at a roller disco in the early 2000s. Prefer to stay on foot? Grab a bench and stare at nothing for 30 minutes instead.

Lumphini Sundae meets every Sun 10am-noon near Gate 1, Lumphini Park. Find the group on Facebook or follow Thailand Sliders on Instagram for updates.