Volunteer Riders: Small Acts of Kindness on the Road, Enormous Impact for Those in Need

Every minute on the road holds value, especially for riders since it represents an opportunity to earn income. Yet some riders choose to sacrifice their earning time to help people in distress without expecting gratitude or compensation.

These riders call themselves GrabRanger, a volunteer rider group dedicated to supporting each other within the driver community and assisting other road users they encounter. Despite different life circumstances, they share one common quality: public-mindedness and readiness to help. This fulfills their days and spreads positive energy in society as "heroes of the road."

GrabRanger's origins trace back to the direct experience of Cherdchai Panuavongse, or "P'Cherd," a 58-year-old rider and co-founder who once faced a problem alone on the road.

"My fuel ran out in the middle of the road, and I had to push my motorcycle alone on a long stretch. Hundreds of cars passed by, just driving past without helping. I felt so discouraged. But then one person stopped and helped me push the motorcycle to a nearby gas station. I felt deeply moved in that moment. It completely changed my perspective and made me determined that if I had the chance, I would never let anyone face the same problem again. From that day on, whenever I encounter someone struggling on the road, I help immediately without hesitation."

From that day forward, P'Cherd dedicated himself to serving society by balancing his courier work with volunteer riding. He eventually met other riders with similar values, and their small-scale efforts gradually expanded into a stronger collective. Last year (2568), they officially formed the GrabRanger group.

Today, GrabRanger has become a network with members spread throughout Bangkok and surrounding areas. They use social media as a communication channel to receive incident reports and coordinate responses, enabling the nearest riders to provide quick assistance. The platform also serves as a space to share content and inspire others to embrace volunteerism and help society.

For GrabRanger, assistance isn't limited to riders alone but extends to anyone on the road they encounter and can help, since emergencies can happen to anyone. Anukul Kachayut, or "P'Somdouy," an energetic 30-year-old new-generation rider and key team member, describes his role:

"I'm one of the admin team members handling coordination, from receiving incident reports to notifying nearby responders. I've personally gone to many scenes to help. We assist everyone we encounter, not just riders. The issues we frequently deal with include empty fuel tanks, tire leaks, flat tires, dead batteries, and collision accidents—we handle all of them.

We've completed many cases comprehensively. Once, a rider got hit by a car and was alone with no friends or family. What started as helping at the accident scene ended with us taking him to the hospital and volunteering to file a report at the police station, then delivering his documents to the hospital. This way, the injured person didn't have to worry about multiple things at once.

Sometimes we share fuel with people who run out in the middle of the road, or help someone whose vehicle breaks down during heavy rain late at night. Some cars can't go anywhere and are stuck in the rain with small children. We help them get home safely.

It might seem like small things, but it's incredibly important to people facing those problems at that moment. I often receive messages of gratitude."