A Khon Kaen police officer rides a bicycle instead of a motorbike as he goes about his duties.

The petrol price hike has had a severe effect on the local traffic police who have to spend a large proportion of their budget on petrol costs every month, said Police Lt-Colonel Kanit Duanghassadee, deputy superintendent of Muang Khon Kaen Police Station who oversees traffic. He said the traffic police cycling project, which has officers patrolling by bicycle instead of motorcycles, was subsequently implemented to reduce petrol costs.

"While officers who usually patrol on motorbikes have switched to bicycles, those who usually patrol by car have switched to motorbikes," Kanit said.

Motorbikes, which consume less petrol, have also replaced some of the cars used for leading motorcades, he said.

"Despite the restricted fuel budget, our patrolling duties are on the increase. So using bicycles to cover the patrols is of great benefit," Kanit said.

He said although the provincial administration had subsidised the first 37 bicycles used in the project, as the station has not been provided with extra funds to buy new bicycles they still required further money to cover the costs.

Sergeant Chaiwat Kaosud, one of the officers at the station who now patrols by bicycle, said that after finishing their traffic duties at each intersection, the officers patrol the surrounding area and have found that bicycles can sometimes be more efficient than larger vehicles.

With a bicycle, officers can often access areas where it would be impossible to pursue criminals by a larger vehicle, he said. Which would normally lead to officers calling for assistance.

"Despite the changes to operations, there have been no problems with arrests," added Chaiwat.

Another officer who now patrols by bicycle, Sergeant Major Phuwanart Sikaewnamsai, said that patrolling by bike and motorbike was very different.

"In the earlier stages, patrolling by bicycle did make me tired, but after a month it feels like good exercise," he said.