Suvarnabhumi then & now ...

[Smiles]

Coming up close to a year when Bangkok's new airport opened . . . to howls of criticism (on this Board, and many other places as well) whined on about the lack of washrooms, lousy aircon, incredibily long walks between points 'A' and 'B', and miles of designer duty free shopsn but not a cup of coffee to be found.

The amateur bitch sessions then gave way to more professional misgivings . . . as airport runways began immediately cracking, all kinds of inferior building materials were uncovered, graft apparently run rife, and old airports re-opened to pick up the slack.


But there has been hardly a sound from anyone here about Suvarnabhumi in a very long time, and I was wondering what the impression is now ~ 10 months on. As I have not yet landed there, I'd very much like to hear latest impressions of how the new airport has fixed any of the smaller issues which a traveller would notice. Or, has anyone read any progress reports of how the reconstruction program is going.


Athough I don't touch down there until November, these cool little YouTube videos of life at Suvarnabhumi are kind of neat to watch, and in a small way help pave my road to Thailand (and my old man) once again.



Taxi-ing into the airport. Not much happening except it sounds like someone on board has a live chicken in their carry-on. Kind of like the local bus between Loei and Si Chiang Mai :blackeye: ~ TiT!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UapmQncz3FM&mode=related&search=


Tourist Board style video (Aussie accent commentatary), but gets my salivation going for November when the landing this time will be at Suvarnabhumi. Can't wait.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlJjYlkTPFo&mode=related&search=


A night landing at Suvarnabhumi:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98b2iEGc9Oc


Cheers ...

Recently flew in and out and found things very smooth and efficient. Luggage was waiting for me after I got through customs and a short walk to the parking garage had me in the car and onto Pattaya in a jiffy.

Flying out was just as easy. Even early morning the food shops were open and the gate area a pleasure while waiting to board.

I would say a very pleasant improvement over the old airport.

I agree with JoeM.
After a few rough edges I noticed last year, when I came thru last month I actually quite enjoyed the new airport. I even said to myself "I wonder what all the bitchin' was about. This ain't so bad."

The most serious thing is the engineering problems with the taxiways. A lot of the rest was probably just due to Taksin rushing the opening.

And sorry, Dong Muang is an old dump of an airport.
And I always thought so.

The major TG Business Class lounge (the first one you come to) after Business/First check-in is to be avoided - one of the downsides of TG opening up more Indian destinations is that it's often crowded with fat Indians occupying every sofa having a kip. Last time I was there I couldn't check my email (or this Forum) as the Internet room was full of TG lounge staff checking their email. Unfortunately it's also the nearest lounge to the departure gates for the UA flight to Japan, which means the fat Indians may be unavoidable (and the fat Americans even more so). Apart from that, everything's a bloody long walk from everywhere else, and apparently the signs outside Arrivals are so misleading my driver can never find me - or at least that's his claim, he's mostly at the wrong door

I have flown in and out of Suvarnabhumi four times since its opening and in each case there has not been a single problem. Immigration has been quick and uneventful. Baggage has arrived promptly and customs has been no problem at all. The arrival area is cramped and the vultures are waiting within steps of the ropes, just like the old airport. Taxi service is easy and if a friend is picking you up the parking structure is very convenient. EVA's lounge is excellent and the view from it is great. Although Suvarnabhumi has some detailing problems with its finish the overall impression is of beauty and grace. The garden is beautiful and the evening/night lighting of the airport terminal is stunning. If you have some extra time a walking tour of the terminal and the gradens are very worthwhile.

Well, I'm one of the minority who loved the new airport from the beginning. It looks like some of you are coming around.

Like with all airports, one can always gripe, but generally, Suvarnabhumi works. It's much larger than Don Muang, so generally there is a greater sense of space, shorter queues, etc. The downside of course is longer walking distances, and with it a need to look out carefully for signs as you walk lest you take a wrong turn, but once you're mentally prepared for that, it's a breeze.

Sure, there were the initial glitches, but you can see that the Thais have begun fixing most of them in their characteristic band-aid manner. They make for some amusement, but most of the time, the band-aids work too. E.g. the sun was coming in too strongly through the glass roof onto the immigration booths at Departure, and either the light made the screens illegible or sunburned the staff (or both). So they installed beach unbrellas over each booth. It's a wierd combination of hi-tech and low-tech, and would certainly make the French designer throw a hissy fit, but it doesn't affect the clearance process for the travellor.

Back to the point of needing to be mentally prepared to walk and navigate using signs, I was amazed recently when an American couple who arrived on the same flight with me complained it was much much more complicated than their home airport, which on overhearing, I gathered was somewhere in Tennessee. They were astounded to be confronted by more than 2 baggage conveyor belts and were utterly lost as to which one their luggage would appear on. They didn't seem to know to search for information signboards. Finally, when I overheard them say to each other, in disdain about the airport, "The announcements aren't even in English", I was sorely tempted to butt in and tell them to go back home. Isn't it incredible that they come to a huge metropolis of 10 million Thai people and expect its airport to resemble a small town's airfield?

Finally, when I overheard them say to each other, in disdain about the airport, "The announcements aren't even in English" ...Obviously not paying close attention. Needless to say the most amusing ones are those who complain that the Thai food isn't anywhere near as good as they get back in Houston

Actually, you'd be surprised at the quality of Thai food you can get in Houston these days. There's one particular place that my bf says make แกงหน่อไม้ better even than he can find in Bangkok.

[Bob]

I'm with Joe and Ken. Although a huge place, easy to navigate. I like it a lot better than Don Muang.

Watch your bags after arrival. Several times reported to me that some gang at the airport steal some bags, specially when want to take a taxi. Don't give some strangers small bags or your Duty Free stuff in the hand. Watch them until the trunk is closed und keep the small stuff with you. It is really not funny when you arrive your destination something is lost. The cab driver will say you not brought it with you! Tip, ask before you go for the lisence plate number.

[Sen Yai]

Actually, you'd be surprised at the quality of Thai food you can get in Houston these days. There's one particular place that my bf says make แกงหน่อไม้ better even than he can find in Bangkok.

Really? Is there a good source of หน่อไม้ to make this แกง in Houston?

Apparently there is.

Liked it from day one. 5 arrivals later love it even more.

Much faster than DM and a more pleasant place to spend your last hour or so in LOS.

[catawampuscat]

I noticed on a recent arrival at Suvarnabhumi (BTW the final letter i is not pronounced, it is silent),
that there were duty free shops along the exit route.
I was returning from Udon Thani and didn't check but wondered
if one can still buy duty free after deplaning and are approaching the Immigration area.
I will be flying internationally in soon and will check but it would be nice to know in advance. :cat:

Yes, you can. Why would they have those shops there otherwise???

I am afraid I still have some major gripes with the airport. Some of the problems are being/have been sorted out but the major problems are, in my opinion, design flaws.


Too much use of metallic surface for flooring - coming from the carpark where it gets wet and slippery, and going to/from the gate, some of it is not level. This surface is not non-slip.
[/*:m:2kqolfsx]
Too many level changes. Modern airports are designed to eliminate as much as possible any changes in level, makes it easier for passengers, especially those who maybe not so mobile. For example Hong Kong gets you from curb-side or bus stop or train platform right through check-in, passport control and security without any level changes whatsoever, then there is one small escalator or lift down to duty free and gates.
[/*:m:2kqolfsx]
Not enough travelators - Hong Kong claims to have 2,000
[/*:m:2kqolfsx]
Bad design of airplane parking - too many of the bays are in cul-de-sacs that restrict severely concurrent plane movements.
[/*:m:2kqolfsx]
Bad location of security checks - again at modern terminals the trend is to make security coterminus with passport control. Here it is pushed out next to the gates - heaven help you if you get behind a queue of people arguing over all the hotel toiletries they are trying to trake out, or the duty free.
[/*:m:2kqolfsx]
Still too much corruption - just recently my driver got stopped on the way out of the airport by a policeman, and told he had to pay 1000 baht as he was acting as unlicensed taxi.
[/*:m:2kqolfsx]
Not enough aircon to avoid warm and sticky walk to the gates on a hot afternoon
[/*:m:2kqolfsx]
And as for the check in - in Hong Kong there is a check in available for most flights/airlines in the centre of Hong Kong, check in and get rid of your luggage up to 24 hours before your flight, and then an easy train ride to the airport when you like.
[/*:m:2kqolfsx]

[manfarang-old]

After a few passes through Suvarnabhumi, my only real gripe is that the OUTGOING immigration and security checks do seem to take longer now. (Immigration took 40 minutes last departure.) On the BKK-JFK flight you now have to go through security and then have a second hand check of carryon luggage at the gate. But at least we no longer have go through the handcheck of ALL luggage for that flight.

I do miss the outdoor cafes at Don Muang. The prices were much lower and it was a much more relaxing way to unwind with friends.

[Wesley]

If you are tired of walking get some old fart older than you are, to wheel chair you in to the next gate. I did that once but it was a 30 hour flight with layovers.

Wesley

... my only real gripe is that the OUTGOING immigration and security checks do seem to take longer now....

Well at least they finally got rid of that silly "departure tax" dance you used to have to do. They must have added it to the ticket when I wasn't looking.

If you are tired of walking get some old fart older than you are, to wheel chair you in to the next gate. I did that once but it was a 30 hour flight with layovers.

WesleyOn both my last 2 trips ive had to get a wheelchair to arrivals,and both times a cute boy pushing it.