As the sun breaks through the rainy season clouds, many Thais are rediscovering a simple but powerful form of exercise: walking. New research and expert opinions are making it clear—walking, often dismissed as too gentle, is a genuine workout with surprising health benefits. This shift in perspective is timely, especially as people seek accessible ways to boost their health while balancing busy schedules and tight budgets in cities like Bangkok and beyond.
The question “Does walking really count as exercise?” has sparked debate online and offline, with some feeling that unless you break a sweat or rack up stats on a fitness band, it can’t possibly make a difference. But according to fitness experts and credible medical sources, walking—even at a brisk pace—delivers benefits usually associated with more strenuous activities. “Walking for just 30 minutes every day can lower your risk of severe cardiovascular disease and dementia,” says Sergii Putsov, a certified personal trainer and sports scientist, in a recent CNET feature. Supporting this, a study published in the journal Heart found that brisk walks were linked to a significantly reduced risk of heart arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation and other cardiovascular abnormalities (CNN).
Why does this matter to Thai readers? For one, heart disease and stroke are among Thailand’s top causes of mortality. With lifestyles growing more sedentary, especially in urban areas, simple interventions such as walking can provide an easy, low-cost preventive strategy. While gyms and fitness studios are popular in major cities, they remain inaccessible—by cost or distance—for many. Walking, by contrast, requires no membership, no special gear, and can be done almost anywhere, from Lumpini Park to neighborhood sois.
The health benefits don’t end at the heart. The prestigious Mayo Clinic and Harvard Health have both identified physical and mental advantages of regular walking: better muscle endurance, improved bone strength, lower blood pressure, more stable blood glucose, stronger immunity, improved sleep, and greater mental clarity (Mayo Clinic; Harvard Health). A meta-analysis published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health reviewed 22 clinical trials and found that walking could bring clinically significant reductions in waist circumference, total body fat, and body weight—especially impactful for those under age 50 living with obesity (PubMed).
And it’s not just the physical benefits that catch the eye. April Crowe, a licensed clinical social worker, notes that “walking in natural environments also boosts cognitive function and creativity, thereby providing a unique kind of therapy.” This resonates for Thais who value mindfulness and the calming effects of nature—concepts at the heart of traditional Thai wellness philosophies.
Recent international research has gone further. A 2024 study published in News Medical confirms that even modest physical activity, especially for those who are least active, can add years to life expectancy. Other sources report that daily walkers could see their lifespan increase by up to 11 years (Healthline; WebMD). Strikingly, each extra hour of walking can add almost six hours to your life.
Not all walks are created equal: Brisk walking—generally moving at 4–6 km/h—delivers stronger cardiovascular benefits than a slow stroll. A landmark 2019 study in Atherosclerosis found that the faster the walking pace, the lower the risk of death and heart disease, especially in older adults. This is echoed in Thai urban areas, where people who incorporate brisk walks into their commutes or lunchtime routines may unknowingly be investing in their long-term health.
Traditional Thai wisdom, with its emphasis on moderation and movement, dovetails with these scientific findings. The concept of “เดินเร็ว” (dern reo), or walking briskly, is embedded in local fitness culture, whether it’s an early morning walk around the temple grounds or brisk circuits at public parks. Moreover, new fitness trends such as the “hot girl walk”—a phenomenon brought to life during the pandemic on social media platforms—align with cultural values of community and self-care. The practice involves walking several kilometers while focusing on gratitude and personal goals, echoing the Thai notion of “ใจสงบ” (jai sangop)—a serene, mindful state.
For those worried about not achieving enough exercise, health authorities like the US Department of Health and Human Services recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. That’s just thirty minutes of brisk walking most days—a target well within reach for many Thais balancing family, work, and community obligations.
But is walking alone enough? Most experts agree that, while combining activities has merit, walking on its own can deliver robust results. For those recovering from injuries or with joint concerns, it is often preferable to higher-impact activities like running. Gregor Parella, a certified personal trainer, points out that brisk walking is “better than jogging for those with ankle or joint concerns, as it tones muscles without subjecting the joints to the same stress.”
Making your walks more effective can be as easy as lengthening your walking time, increasing your speed, adding stairs or hills to your routine, or even wearing light wrist or ankle weights. Interval walking—switching between normal and fast paces—can make things interesting and increase calorie burn. Japanese and Korean studies have shown that walking on varying terrains, such as up hills or stairs, can enhance fat loss, muscle development, and cardiovascular fitness (PubMed).
Staying motivated can be a challenge, but group activities offer encouragement. Walking clubs, increasingly popular in Thai communities and universities, provide social support; even informal groups in a condo or office can turn daily exercise into a communal event. If socialization isn’t your style, listening to podcasts or music—making sure to stay aware of your surroundings—is a strategy recommended by fitness professionals and supported by behavioral science (National Exercise Day benefits).
Safety, always a concern in any city, is an important consideration, especially at dawn and dusk. Wearing reflective clothing, walking with a buddy, and staying on well-lit or designated pedestrian paths is recommended, particularly as Bangkok’s traffic shows little mercy to pedestrians. In smaller cities and rural areas, keeping an eye out for stray dogs or uneven sidewalks is good practice.
For older Thais, walking is an especially powerful tool for maintaining independence. Research published in 2025 underscores that even older adults experience improvements in balance, stability, and gait speed from regular walking, reducing their risk of falls—a major cause of injury among Thailand’s seniors (PubMed, 2025; Harvard Health). These benefits can also extend to seniors with chronic health issues; specialized forms like walking football (a slower version of soccer) have gained traction as social prescriptions for physical and mental wellbeing (PubMed review on walking football).
Walking’s accessibility and affordability make it particularly relevant at a time when noncommunicable diseases are a mounting challenge for Thailand’s health system. Government health campaigns, often centered on increasing step counts and reducing sedentary time among civil servants and students, are backed by this growing body of evidence. The Ministry of Public Health’s “เดินวันละหมื่นก้าว” (Ten Thousand Steps a Day) campaign leverages traditional Thai practices as well as modern science—demonstrating that the bridge between old and new is just a walk away (ไทยรัฐ).
History also shows us the power of walking. For centuries, processions, morning temple walks, and daily errands on foot knitted communities together and provided daily movement before cars became ubiquitous. In recent decades, the loss of these routines has coincided with a rise in chronic disease. The new research spotlights how a return to these traditions, adapted to modern lifestyles, may offer a simple antidote.
Future trends point to walking becoming even more central in public health messaging, workplace fitness initiatives, and urban design. Recent studies suggest employers who encourage lunchtime walks see productivity and creativity increases among staff—a finding that may encourage Thai businesses to adopt such wellness programs (Finnish commuter study, PubMed, 2025).
In conclusion, if you are looking to make a healthy change, start with your next step—literally. Regular walking, at a pace that gets your heart moving, is a proven, low-risk, and deeply Thai-friendly exercise. Aim for at least 30 minutes a day at a brisk pace (เดินเร็ว), invite a neighbor or loved one, and enjoy the natural and built environments all around us. If you’re looking for added motivation, join a walking group or use step-tracking apps. Remember: healthy habits start with small steps, and a daily walk might be one of the simplest, most effective investments you can make in your future wellbeing.
For more detailed advice and safety tips, consult with Thai health professionals or visit portals such as Mayo Clinic, Harvard Health, or the Ministry of Public Health. Now, lace up your sneakers—“ออกไปเดินกันเถอะ!” (Let’s go walk!).