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On 28 February 2026, members and friends of the Rotary Club of Bangkok took to the water at SUP Station Thailand, Pathum Thani, for a hands-on clean-up of the Chao Phraya River. What began as an environmental initiative quickly became an afternoon of teamwork, learning and unexpected beauty resulting in 57 kilograms of waste removed from one of Thailand’s most important waterways. |
To be honest, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from CleanSUP, but the Chao Phraya River totally surprised me. Instead of the murky, crowded waterway I had imagined, we were greeted by a stretch of river lined with charming old wooden houses and lush greenery along the banks. It was a truly beautiful setting and reminded me that Bangkok also has a quieter, more traditional side, just waiting to be discovered from the water.
It was my first time on a stand-up paddle board, and I won't pretend I was a natural—let's just say I was the only one who completely fell in (twice, in fact!). But after a quick briefing, I was already standing on the board and paddling away, and soon our group of ten was gliding along together, including three of our exchange students and two Thai host mothers: our Rotary friends Namtoey and Nonglee from the Sathorn Rotary Club.
The highlight? A small boat stopped mid-session to sell us ice cream. After nearly an hour and a half of paddling in the Bangkok sun, we had certainly earned the effort.
Most importantly, though, we removed 57 kg of trash from the river a real, tangible contribution to a cleaner Chao Phraya and, ultimately, cleaner oceans.
I was particularly impressed by how much fun it was to do something meaningful without it feeling like hard work. If you're still debating whether to join us next time: Just do it!
Whether you're an experienced paddler or a complete beginner like me, this afternoon was worthwhile. Hope to see you on the water!
Rtn Roland Israël
Photo Album: https://www.rotarybangkok.org/PhotoAlbums/event-clean-sup-280226
Event: https://rotarybangkok.org/events/chao-phraya-river-clean-up-%e2%80%93-stand-up-paddle-project/