Bangkok is Thailand's major gateway. Most visitors arrive through Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport which is connected by daily flights to Europe, North America, Asia and Australasia aboard the world's major airlines. Further international flights, mostly from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Hong Kong, land on a less regular basis at the southern airports of Phuket and Hat Yai and Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. Charter flights from Europe and the Orient sometimes land in Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai and at U-Taphao for Pattaya.
Suvarnabhumi Airport
The aviation hub of Southeast Asian Region
Suvarnabhumi Airport covers an approximate area of 32 sq.km. Located at Km.15 on the east-bound Bangna-Trat Highway in Bang Phli District, Samut Prakan Province. It is about 25 km. from Bangkok's downtown.
At the initial phase of service provision, the north section of this newly opened airport will be able to accommodate 45 million passengers per year, 76 flights per hour and 3 million tons of cargo handling per year.
Suvarnabhumi passenger terminal complex
It comprises 7 stories above ground and 2 stories below ground. • 1st floor is the busy lobby. Additionally, there will be a medical center, AOT offices for electricity monitoring and airport control offices. • 2nd floor is the arrival hall for both domestic and international passengers. • 3rd floor consists of airlines passenger waiting lounges, some shops, security checkpoints, meeting points, shops and service counters. • 4th floor is the departure hall. This hall features the facilities for both international and domestic passengers, lounges for premium passengers of Thai Airways International PLC, customs control checkpoints, some governmental offices, airline booths, airport information counters and escalators in the centre which can take passengers right up to the restaurants on 6th floor. • 5th floor is the offices for Thai Airways International PLC and Star Alliance airlines. • 6th floor consists of restaurants, which can be accessed via the escalators from 4th floor. • 7th floor serves as an observation area.
The lower ground floors are termed floor-0 which serves as the train station, and floor-1 which is the place for train platforms. The lower ground floors also function as a place for baggage conveyor systems.
The external of the passenger terminal complex
• The car parking buildings are situated at the front of the passenger terminal complex. There are 2 car parking buildings with the capacity of approximately 5,000 cars. In addition, there are parking areas on the ground level on the exterior which can accommodate approximately 1,100 cars. There is also a long term parking area that can accommodate approximately 4,000 cars and 78 buses. • 52 taxiways are to be in operation service. Aircraft parking space expands over an area of 1,053,000 sq. m. for 120 aircraft parking stands, 8 of which are for Airbus A380's including 5 with contact gates. • The public transportation center covers an area of 42,000 sq.m. The interior of the public transportation center is used for parking taxis, limousines and rented cars; moreover there is a bus terminal within the center for the public mass transport systems. There are also petrol stations and convenient stores. • The airport hotel will be built under the name "Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport". The airport hotel will cover the ground of approximately 27,200 sq.m. located in front of the passenger terminal complex. There will be 600 rooms in the hotel, 500 of which will be opened at the initial phase. The hotel will be of recognized international standard with complete lines of services, along with a connecting route linking the hotel itself to the car parking building.
The transportation system services
• Airport shuttle busses • Pool taxis • Limousines can be ordered at the service counters outside the terminal on the 2nd and 4th floors. • Airport express service will be operating between the airport and hotels and various important places in Bangkok and the suburbs. • Public bus services (air conditioned) will be operating in six routes. • There will be an electric train service between Suvarnabhumi Airport rail link and the city stops along the East rail track totaling 28 kilometers.
Facilities and services
There are many more facilities at Suvarnabhumi Airport compared to the current Bangkok International Airport to facilitate more efficient service provision to passengers. • 130 passport control checkpoints for arrivals, 72 for departures. • 26 customs control checkpoints for arrivals, 8 for departures • 22 baggage conveyor belts. • 360 check-in counters. There are 100 additional counters for passengers with no luggage to check-in to minimize the queuing time. • 107 moving walkways • 102 elevators • 83 escalators • 18 slanted moving sideways
The baggage handling system
The baggage handling system at Suvarnabhumi Airport has the capability to serve 45 million passengers per year. The baggage handling system at Suvarnabhumi Airport uses the in-line screening method, which scans the luggage while they are on the transporting belts; whereas the system at the current Don Muang Airport X-rays the luggage before check-in.
Suvarnabhumi Airport
• 1st floor is the busy lobby. Additionally, there will be a medical center, AOT offices for electricity monitoring and airport control offices.
• 5th floor is the offices for Thai Airways International PLC and Star Alliance airlines.
• The public transportation center covers an area of 42,000 sq.m. The interior of the public transportation center is used for parking taxis, limousines and rented cars; moreover there is a bus terminal within the center for the public mass transport systems. There are also petrol stations and convenient stores.
