In just five days, “a whole new era” – as the press releases promise – begins with the formal opening of Bangkok’s new international airport, Suwannabum. The airport is already in limited operation, with Thai, Bangkok and Jet Star Airways already operating at least some of their flights from the new location since the 15th of September. So, today I decided to pay a visit and get the lie of the land before my first flight out early in October. Apparently, I’m not the only one curious about the new airport, as there were quite a few other people clearly just visiting.

Since I wasn’t taking a flight, I can’t give you all the details on the ‘airside’ of Suwannabum, but I can give you some help on navigating the new airport. This write-up may be most useful for those who are familiar with the old Don Muang International Airport, as I will highlight some of the differences.

Where is it? Suwannabum is due east of central Bangkok. Technically, the distance is a bit greater than the old airport, but Suwannabum is better served by better roads than Don Muang. While there are three major expressways running past the new airport, the preferred route will be via the Chonburi Motorway, a modern eight lane highway connected to the main expressway running through town. The Motorway is one of the few roads in Thailand with a legal speed limit of 120 kilometers per hour. A three lane exit from the Motorway leads to the new airport. The approach road to the airport is lined with bronze statues of kinaree, a mythical half-woman, half-bird creature.

The terminal. One of the biggest differences at the new airport is that there is just one, very huge, terminal instead of the three terminals at Don Muang. The main terminal building is basically a big glass box with a seven story building inside. The fourth floor is the departure area with 10 entries and 20 rows of check-in counters. Thai Airways’ first class check-in uses row A reached through door one. Business check-in for Thai uses row B. Both business and first class check-in areas have luxurious lounges where passengers wait sipping champagne while Thai staff take care of the dirty business of checking in.Thai economy domestic passengers use row C to check-in. Most other domestic airlines will use rows D and E. Bangkok Airways uses row F to check-in for all flights, both domestic and international. Jet Star Asia is using row L. For other airlines, check the big flat panel color displays at the end of each row for the check-in counters for your flight. After check-in, if you’re early you can head up to the restaurants on the sixth floor or the observation deck on the seventh. The fifth through seventh floors are in a tower at the back of the terminal, leaving a huge space up to the roof over the check-in rows.

The concourses are laid out in the shape of a giant ‘H’ with the main terminal building at the crossbar. The concourses are lettered A through G. Domestic flights use concourses A and B, accessed at the extreme left side of the building, as you face the back. There are two immigration areas for international passengers to exit the country. One is in the middle of the terminal and the second is at the extreme right side. Something missing is the machines to pay the passenger service charge. Instead there will be a couple of counters where you can pay the tax. Note that the PSC will increase from 500 Baht to 700 Baht in February 2007. I’m told that the airports authority wants to get the airlines to include the tax in the ticket price, as it’s done in most other countries, within the next two years.

International flights will use concourses C through G, although most of concourse G is reserved for VIP use. Concourse G is where you’ll also find the transit hotel (‘day rooms’) for those with long layovers but not enough to justify leaving the airport. There is of course lots of duty free shopping along the international concourses, as well as a few restaurants.

The arrivals hall is on the second floor. The area closest to concourses A and B is for domestic baggage claim, while most of the rest of the floor is for international arrivals. Immigration is here on the same level, just before baggage claim.
It’s once you exit baggage claim that things are still a little bit fuzzy. Originally, it was announced that if you wanted a regular taxi, you would have to take a free bus to the public transportation center on the outskirts of the airport. Only recently was it realized that this might prove a bit difficult for people with lots of baggage. So the new plan is that you can proceed from baggage claim on the second floor down to the first floor where there will be a public taxi queue. There were indeed at least 20 taxis waiting when I visited. Note that there are cart-friendly moving ramps for you to move between floors, as well as elevators.

The public transportation center will have special airport buses into Bangkok, as well as long distance service to Pattaya and other points along Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard. As early as 2007, there will also be train service into Bangkok from the airport. The new line’s structure appears to be about 50% complete at this point. The train station at the airport will be accessed through the basement level of the terminal, as is the Novotel Airport Hotel.

Posted by michael under Travel News

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