For travelers taking a few days away from Pattaya, leaving Beach Road behind does not have to mean abandoning the morning walk. In Udon Thani, Nong Prajak Park offers a lakeside setting where walking, running, and cycling form part of the activity around the water.

During a recent reporting visit, walkers and runners moved along the paths while cyclists passed nearby. Benches provided places to pause, and trees shaded sections of the grounds. The scenes showed several ways people use the same public space, from a steady walk to a faster workout.

Somchai, a park user interviewed after finishing a run, praised its upkeep.

“I love that the city takes care of this park,” he said.

He contrasted its condition with other parks and suggested that its proximity to the provincial hospital was a reason for the attention it receives. That explanation reflects his assessment; the reporting did not establish a connection between the hospital and park maintenance decisions.

Access to places for exercise has relevance beyond a single neighborhood. The World Health Organization reports that approximately 31% of adults worldwide did not meet recommended physical-activity levels in 2022. Those global figures provide context, rather than a measurement of activity among Nong Prajak visitors.

Thailand-specific research also highlights the distinction between exercise and physical activity performed at work. A 2021 study published in BMC Public Health, using national surveillance data from 2012–2019, found that work accounted for most accumulated moderate-to-vigorous activity. Its findings pointed to room for improvement in recreational physical activity.

The WHO’s physical-activity guidelines provide recommendations across age groups and for people with different health circumstances. At the park, the reporting captured people choosing different activities and paces within one setting.

The outing can extend beyond the paths. Across the street, food stalls prepared meals and customers sat at tables. Nearby massage shops added another option for visitors after a walk or run.

For travelers accustomed to exercising beside Pattaya’s waterfront, Nong Prajak provides a place to continue that routine inland. For park users such as Somchai, its condition is part of what makes the space worth returning to.