Leave the car at home, hop in the saddle and get peddling for a cleaner, quieter Bangkok

Your bike misses you. Today's better than any other day to say you miss it too.

Join millions taking to the streets around the world for World Car Free Day.

Every September 22 people show that we don't really need cars.

In Thailand, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Bicycle for Health Society, the Thai Health Promotion Foundation and Green Peace Southeast Asia will join 14 of the world's largest cities in the car-free day.

They all signed an agreement in May last year setting greenhouse-gas reduction targets. By 2012, Bangkok plans to reduce these emissions by 15 per cent.

In Bangkok about 3,000 cyclist will join the parade. The trips start from six locations - Siam Paragon, The Emporium, Elephant Building, Wachirabenchatat, or Rot Fai, Park; The Mall Bang Kapi and Lumpini Park.

The destination is the Thai-Japanese Stadium in Din Daeng.

One group will form a map of Thailand, others will form a national flag using coloured umbrellas.

BMA traffic chief Chumphon Samphaophon says the campaign encourages use of mass public transport, bicycles and walking, instead of cars.

The BMA encourages its 80,000 staff to use public transport.

Thailand Cycling Club member Mongkol Vijarana says the number of cyclists in big cities is increasing.

Most use cycles to get from home to park-and-ride locations.

But, some are worried about safety.

"We want the BMA and the government to support the use of cycles by installing bike lanes," he says.

Mongkol says the BMA will build bike lanes to places where there are schools and residential communities to encourage more people to use bicycles.

Jarukanya Rajsiri, 51, has cycled to work for nine years for exercise. She takes it shopping, too.

She wants the city to build safe bike lanes.

Many existing lanes are not safe so people are not happy about using them.

The government and private companies can provide lockers for those who use bicycles to shower and change.

Tara Buakhamsri of Greenpeace Southeast Asia Thailand says the government should extend car-free days to car-free months.

Singapore and South Korea have controlled the use of cars, she says.

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World Car Free Day started in 1958 in New York. Bangkok got on board in 2000. It proves modern cities are liveable when free from noise and pollution.