Farewell to Don Muang Photo

Photographer’s Note

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Posting this, I hope it helpful to those who are going to visit or transit via this airport.

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Bangkok's Don Muang International Airport is about 16 miles north of Bangkok. While Don Muang means “TOWN ON A HILL” (ท่าอากาศยานดอนเมือง = pronounced as dorn meu-ang), Thais will never call their capital city “Bangkok” — some people in the more remote provinces may never have even heard of it being called Bangkok. Instead in Thai it is known as Krung Thep (pronounced as grung-tayp), which roughly translates to “CITY OF ANGELES”.
There are clean, gently organized and friendly stores within transit area to serve passengers who don't need to cross the immigration check-points. Monitors displaying departures and arrivals throughout the airport, but if you need help, just ask any airport's girl on duty, whether at their desks or at walk. They will do the best to assist you. As I wanted to make sure I get the correct flight to Danang, a girl not only pointed out the directions: she walked me to the proper gate, and quietly disappeared. One thing I am sure is she isn't with the airline I was with — just a regular airport employee in black uniform like other hundreds, armed with broad smile and always happy to do something for you.

Although Don Muang is the world's 22nd busiest airport and the busiest in Southeast Asia, Thailand has begun the construction of Suvarnabhumi Airport (สนามบินสุวรรณภูมิ = pronounced as soo-wan-na-poom) since 11-9-2001 and it is due to be completed by December 2004. However, necessary testing will delay the official opening date until 09-25-2005. The future international airport is located in Nong Ngu Hao (Cobra Swamp) in the Bang Phli district of the Samut Prakarn Province, approx. 19 miles east of Bangkok. Upon completion, Suvarnabhumi will replace Don Muang as Bangkok's international airport, relegating the latter to domestic-only status. Currently, Don Muang has already reached its full capacity at 30 million passengers per year. Suvarnabhumi eventually will be able to cope with 100 million passengers per year and will have four runways to handle this.

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*In case you are going to use this airport in the next few months, here are some tips:

Don Muang Airport

*If you ever need some maps, here you go:

DON MUANG map

BANGKOK CITY map

BANGKOK detail map

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PSYOPS, Paul65, PJAMES, choucas has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

SophieL (6030) 2004-11-30 15:22

I don't know about the picture, which is interesting for information but doesn't raise any kind of feeling (good or bad) in me. But your note alone is worth a thumb up, and it gives your picture a meaning. Thanks for your effort, which fits right into TE's scope.

PSYOPS (0) 2004-12-02 7:34

As indicating in photographer's note, I ignored your picture and only read your notes. It's very helpful, even though I don't have a plan to return to Thailand soon (after my first visit in 1970).

I credit you 2 points for the note alone; nothing for the picture.