Bangkok's main airport in Don Muang, situated about 20 kilometers north of the city. A modern airport with two international and one domestic terminal, it has increased in size and traffic significantly over the past five to ten years.
INTERNATIONAL
Arrivals - Passengers arriving on international flights will first pass through immigration; while there are many desks for handling passengers, very few seem to be open at any time. The immigration process has, however, speeded up considerably over the years and it is likely that you will be through immigration before your luggage has arrived. The immigration officer will take the immigration form (that you should have been given, and completed on your flight, process this and stable the departure section inside your passport. If you are travelling without a visa, you will generally be allowed entry for 30 days.
While waiting for your luggae, you might like to peruse the guide to the airport services which is a recent addition and is displayed near most luggage belts. This indicates services such as taxi, bus, meeting point, etc and identifies them by numbers. On departure, look for the numbers on overhead signs to tell you where to go.
Following immigration, proceed downstairs to the luggage collection point - as usual the number of your flight and the applicable luggage belt will be displayed on the screens. Once you have collected your luggage, proceed through customs, where you must hand in the customs declaration form, again completed on the plane, to the arrivals hall.
There are various foreign exchange bureaux here, together with desks that can arrange either hotel bookings or onward travel 9see below for further details).
Departures - Departing pasengers are advised to make sure you know which is your departure terminal - while it is not far between the two, it can seem a long way if you have a trolly full of luggage to manoeuvre. Note also that there is a departure tax (or airport service charge) of 500 baht per person to pay. This is paid after checking in you baggage and must be paid in cash at machines located at the entrance to the departure lounge. On paying your money, you receive a coupon which will be punched when entering the departure lounge. If you need a refund on the vouchers, e.g. if you have bought too many (why ??) there may be obtained at the kiosks nearby.
The departure lounge is large and clean, with the usual services (shops, duty free, restaurants etc) available.
DOMESTIC
The majority of domestic flights are currently handled by Thai Airways, although both Bangkok Airlines and Angel Airlines also operate from the domestic terminal. Passengers arriving on domestic flights do not need to pass through immigration.
There is generally a tremendous crush to collect baggage from the luggage belt - try to claim your place early or you will never see your bags go by.
A tip when travelling on domestic flights - flying is becoming more and more popular in Thailand and the flights are often crowded. In generally does not cost that much more to fly Business Class rather than Ecomony Class (e.g. Bangkok - Udon Thani 70 UK pounds compare with 50 UK pounds) and you have added space, a better meal and use of the VIP lounge at the terminal.
Departing passengers may have to pay a departure tax or airport service charge of 30 baht, although this may be incorporated in the price of the ticket.
ONWARD TRAVEL
Bangkok
Onward travel to the centre of Bangkok from the airport is no longer the case of braving the taxi "mafia" who used to roam the arrivals lounge seeking the tired, unwary traveller and then charging them a small forture for a trip in an old, decrepit, non-airconditioned car that you thought would never make the 20 or so kilometers into town.
While a Limousine Service is available to your hotel, courtesy of Thai Airways, the majority of people opt for either a "taxi meter" or the airport bus. Join the Taxi queue outside the arrivals lounge for the taxis - bi-coloured saloon cars (frequently green and yellow) with the ubiquitous "taxi meter" sign on the roof. The opening of the expressway into Bangkok, which significantly speeds up the journey, together with increased enfocement, has encouraged the drivers to use the meter. As a result, the journey should take no longer than half an hour to the hotels around Thanon Sukhumvit, and cost no more than 200 baht, plus the airport surchage of 50 baht. The journey may be a bit longer, and correspondingly more expensive, for city centre hotels depending on the time of day and the state of the traffic.
(Returning to the airport, most hotels have their own taxi service but this is frequently expensive, about 500 baht plus expressway toll of 30 baht. It is better to stroll out onto the street with your luggage and get a "taxi meter". If you have too much to carry, persuade the taxi driver to return to your hotel to collect your luggage - not easy unless you can speak Thai.)
As an alternative to a taxi, there is an excellent Airport Bus service operating from both International and Domestic terminals - follow signs for "16 - Airport Bus" in the International arrivals lounge. Busses follow three different routes A1, A2, A3, covering the main hotel areas, and are frequent - approximately every10-15 minutes depending on the time of day. Check the signs, in both English and Thai, at the bus stop to determine which bus is best for you. The fare is 70 baht per person, pay on the bus when it stops at the domestic terminal. The bus will stop at any normal bus stop, just ring the bell and wait for it to stop! The airport bus is also available for the return journey, just wait at a bus stop on its route and gesticulate wildly to attract the driver's attention as one approaches.
Beyond Bangkok
Many taxi drivers will be prepared to drive beyond Bangkok, e.g. to Pattaya (2 hours) or Hua Hin (3 1/2 hours) for prices betwee 1000 and 3000 baht. Alternatively, communal minibusses may be available, especially to Pattaya, which can reduce the price considerably. Be careful, however, about the quality of some of the vehicles used, while they can look in good condition from the outside, the condition of the suspension may leave a lot to be desired, especially as some of these vehicles are run almost 24 hours a day.
Updated 10th May 1999