Any fun for a guy waiting for the next flight?
 

I have three hours to kill between an international arrival and a domestic departure. Where to have fun at BKK?

It's great
 

I arrived back to the new airport on Monday late afternoon. I was very impressed with the beauty of the buildings as was GayThailand. Despite all the harbingers of doom I had no major compaints. It was a long way from de-planing to Immigration - that is not exclusive to this airport - but there are superb moving walkways to help and little trollies for one's luggage - if anyone has luggage without wheels these days?

Immigration was a tad slow but it was a busy time. How wonderful if everyone could be greeted with a wai and a smiles and a "Welcome to Thailand" by the Immigration Police. They seemed a particularly sour bunch that day.

Luggage arrived promptly and I popped it on a nice trolley to go to the taxis which I knew were one floor down - why I don't know. A few were waiting for the lift but I risked the moving walkway (travellator?) and happily the trolley freezes into position on the treads - as at Carrefour.

There was no line at the taxi kiosk to I was speedily whizzed to Suriwong Road for 370 baht including 60 baht tolls and 50 baht airport tax.

I spoke to a friend from Canada today and he had seen the sign to Visa On Arrival and gone there confused as to the difference between that and a Visa free 30 days permission. He took a ticker number 167 and saw that they were serving number 65. After fuming for a while he spoke to an attendant and was sent off to Immigration proper.

I thought that the signage was good for arrivals. I did not see and signs for going down a floor for taxis but maybe they are on the way or I missed them.

Even the arrivals hall where people met was not as bad as expected.

Overall I felt pretty happy about the place.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v27/wowpow/main2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v27/wowpow/main3.jpg

Airport to and from Silom area by Taxi

I found it cheaper and faster to take Rama 9 motorway ( 210 baht ) than Bang-Na motorway (260 baht) - based on travel in early morning with no traffic on both occasions.

With DON MEUANG - DMK., (note new orthography!), having re-opened for some domestic/internal flts. with S'BHUMI. - BKK., remaining for all int'l. flts. the question of inter-airport tpt. is with us.
From checking-around the likely answers seem to be:
1.- Taxi-cabs;
2.- Municipal, air-cond. & yellow 'bus. #554. -
2.1.- At DM.: quit the airport's bldg. and go-out to the main high-rd. outside and pick-up the 'bus. there,(check that it's going in the right dir'n. before boarding!), - it'll drop one off at S'bhumi's. internal shuttle-'bus. i'change;
2.2- At S'bhumi.: take an intra- airport 'bus. to the shuttle-'bus. i'change. and pick-up the municipal 'bus. there.
NB. - I've NOT availed of this svce. - E&OE.!
'bye..

According to a report in today's 'BKK. Post.' AoT. has co-ordinated with BMTA. to provide qty. 10 Euro2. 'buses. to shuttle between Don Meuang & S'bhumi. Airports; the 'buses. will depart every 30 mins.; the flat fare will be 34Bh..
Do NOT rely-on taxi-cab drivers for advice!
TG. has set-up a Service Cntr. for travellers at S'bhumi..
TG. domestic/local flts. are -
1.- DMK.: C. Mai, C. Rai, Phuket, Krabi, Phitsanulok, H. Yai, S. Thani, U. R'thani., U. Thani, & K. Kaen;
2.- BKK.: C. Mai, C. Rai, Phuket & Krabi.
I have NOT availed of this service; E&OE..
'bye..

From reading the press I had assumed that all Phuket and C'mai flights remain at BKK but as you will see they are split between the two airports so do double check.

What's yr flight number ?

I can tell you which airport they use .

Anyone here gotten lucky yet at Suvarnabhumi?

Look here for information
http://www.donmuangairportonline.com/
or
http://www.bangkokairportonline.com/

Have not been yet but at Don Muang I was lucky very often. It was easy there with a lot of quiet and well hidden toilets.
I dont think it is the same at new airport.
Thai Airways head office used to be a good cruising spot, I havent been for a long time.

According to a short article in today's, (thu.), 'BKK. Post.'
WEF. 17 apr., (after Songkran.), at S'bhumi. Int'l. airport, (BKK.), the public taxis. stands will be moved UP to the 2fl. of the Main airport Bldg. to collect arrivals;
'buses. will be allowed to pick-up arrivals from the frontal rd. along 2fl.;
Limos. & hotels' vehs. will move-DOWN to the 1fl..
'bye..

Looking at The TG website for flights to KL I was surprised to see some shown as being from Don Muang. I thought that was going to be domestic only? I'm back in Sydney for a couple of weeks...did I miss an announcement about TG moving international flights as well?

No international TG flights have been announced as switching over to Don Mueang. The TG website still says flights leave from and arrive at BKK which has been the code for the new airport since its opening.

Yes agreed...but go into the Thai site and try to book on 26th MAy. Some flights are shown departing BKK while the 07.20, 10.40, 11.05 and 16.50 departure are designated as departing DMK (Don Muang.) Same story for arrivals, a mix of BKK and DMK. Seems wierd, but that's what's on their boopking system.

Ahh...the penny just dropped. They're showing connecting flights via Phuket...so domestic DMK to Phuket, then international to KL. Mystery solved!