It has been a long, long time coming but Bangkok’s new state-of-the-art Suvarnabhumi Airport will finally open for business next week, replacing the overloaded and hopelessly out-of-date Don Muang Bangkok International Airport.
It has been a long, long time coming but Bangkok’s new state-of-the-art Suvarnabhumi Airport will finally open for business next week, replacing the overloaded and hopelessly out-of-date Don Muang Bangkok International Airport.
The new airport has its genesis way back in 1973, when the land occupied by the airport with an approximate area of 324 square kilometres was purchased. But the Thammasat student uprising that year succeeded in overthrowing the military government and the project was shelved.
It wasn’t until 1996 that New Bangkok International Airport (NBIA) Company was established to build the airport, but then the Asian currency crisis and other political problems delayed the start of construction at Nong Hgu Hao – Thai for cobra swamp – until 2002.
The project has been surrounded in controversy, with budget overruns, construction problems, political meddling and even allegations of corruption.
In September 2004, Thai Prime Minster Thaksin Shinawatra and a number of members of his cabinet spent the night in tents at the site to embarrass construction crews into working faster.
Located about 30km from Bangkok, the airport’s name Suvarnabhumi (pronounced su-wan-na-poom) means ‘the golden land’, in reference to Indochina.
The current airport, which is the busiest in South-East Asia and 22nd busiest in the world, handling 37 million passengers a year, will be retained as a domestic-only airport.
Suvarnabhumi will handle 45 million passengers and further expansion in five years will lift that number to 100 million.
Best access to the airport will be via the Bangkok-Chon Buri Motorway and express rail link, due for completion early next year.
Suvarnabhumi will operate 76 flights per hour and has 51 aerobridge stands and 69 remote parking bays. The terminal, which consists of eight levels, is the largest single terminal in the world at 182,000sq m with a total floor area of 563,000sq m.
And the world’s largest roof trellis shades the building and reduces air-conditioning costs. All told, there are 460 check-in counters.
The new airport is a massive boost for Thai International, which has struggled to offer business passengers the seamless connections and lounges that Singapore and Hong Kong airports provide.
At the same time, Thai has completed the revamp of its fleet. On the 747-400 fleet, first-class seats are now furnished with new flat-bed seats, with a 180-degree recline and improved seat pitch to 203 centimetres, while business class has shell-type seats for privacy, with a 170-degree recline and seat pitch to 152cm.
On the 777-200 fleet, the airline has ditched its two-four-two configuration and replaced it with a much more comfortable two-two-two. It has also changed the economy configuration on its 777s from a three-four-three to three-three-three. All the re-configured aircraft have in-seat audio video on demand (AVOD).
Thai International is adding a fifth service into Perth from October 29 and from that date will offer flights on Tuesdays and Sundays at 4.50pm and on Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays at 9am.
