Thaksin Arrive In Style - No Buses At New Airport

[george]

PM to arrive in style, but no buses yet at Suvarnabhumi Airport

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will arrive in style when Suvarkabhumi airport conducts its first test-run on Thursday, flying him and his entourage from Chiang Mai to the capital.

How will he get to Bangkok? No, he won't need to take the bus. And lucky for him.

Ground transportation is not in place yet for ordinary travellers, according to Thai Rak Thai MP Sa-nga Thanasa-nguanwong, who is chairman of the Tourism Committee of the House of Representatives. He suggests it's time for serious preparations to enable ordinary travellers -- for tourism and business-- to connect with Bangkok and other destinations on the ground.

Expressing concern over the lack of public transport to carry passengers to and from the new Suvarnabhumi Airport, Mr. Sa-nga, a Thai Rak Thai party MP for Chonburi province, said he is concerned about the lack of public transport facilities to carry passengers to and from the new airport due to open in mid-2006.

Although airport buses will be provided, there is not enough transport in place to cater the expected large number of passengers, said Mr. Sa-nga, adding that at present only taxis and private sedans could only travel to the airport. At Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok Airport it is very convenient as people can travel by bus straight from the heart of the island to the airport.

He said although the State Railway of Thailand plans to build an elevated light rail system similar to the Skytrain to facilitate passenger travel to the airport, there is still no progress on the planned construction.

Mr. Sa-nga said he had received requests from the public and business operators regarding construction of an extension road from Suvarnabhumi airport to Pattaya and the eastern province of Rayong.

Transportation links are helpful so that airport passengers and tourists could easily travel to these resort sites and additional tourism revenue could be generated.

Various transportation modes should be available at the new airport if it is to truly become an aviation hub for Asia, he added.

--TNA 2005-09-25

[sriracha john]

No need for skytrain, or light rail or even taxis...

Here's a load of people making their way to the new airport now with the most efficient system ever devised.

Sure to boost tourism too when they take the new arrivals into the city with it's inexpensive yet charming elegance:

[The_Moog]

Aeroplane is the best way of getting to the new airport.

[p_brownstone]

Mr. Sa-nga said he had received requests from the public and business operators regarding construction of an extension road from Suvarnabhumi airport to Pattaya and the eastern province of Rayong.

Transportation links are helpful so that airport passengers and tourists could easily travel to these resort sites and additional tourism revenue could be generated.

--TNA 2005-09-25

Surely this does not mean they are planning yet another road to "serve" Chonburi / Pattaya / Rayong?

We already have Bangna - Trad, the white elephant Elevated Expressway built over that, plus the Bypass!

Patrick

[Scott]

The above poster obviously made a mistake when he said "....they are planning.." Dreaming maybe, but I've yet to see anything that remotely resembles planning yet.

[womble]

Where else in the world would they build such a big airport, with no decent public transportation links?

This airport could become a bit of a joke when you compare it to Singapore and KL. Sure KL is a long way out, but that train is so quick and convenient.

Getting taxi's from Singapore airport is excellant too, no rip offs, great system where the taxi's pull into their own bays for loading passengers.

Makes the current taxi system at Bangkok airport look like a complete joke.

[Galong]

Perhaps they haven't figured out a way to make substancial profits (bribes?) from the transportation sector just yet. Have faith brothers and sisters.

Or, maybe the same guys are in charge of making sure that people in various parts of the country will have water this coming high season... hmmm... velly interesting.

[Plus+]

They are waiting until the main construction is finished so that the same companies can do transport links later. They've got an excellent team already, why let some outsiders into their cookie jar.

[kandt]

The thing will only open sometimes late 2006. Toxin naturally wanted to try to stick to his original promise for the completion of the airport in September 2005. The fun part is; if the rainfall will be normal during the monsoon season the airport, when opend, will still close during haevy downpour because of flooding. Maybe they will introduce Amphebious airplanes?

[meemiathai]

Getting taxi's from Singapore airport is excellant too, no rip offs, great system where the taxi's pull into their own bays for loading passengers. 

Makes the current taxi system at Bangkok airport look like a complete joke.

Just exactly what is the problem with the taxi system at Bangkok Airport?

I've been using it for the past 6 yrs and enjoyed each time.

How much do u pay for a taxi in Singapore? and u say no rip offs?

I suppose u would say taxi services in London are excellent too!

[amarka]

Getting taxi's from Singapore airport is excellant too, no rip offs, great system where the taxi's pull into their own bays for loading passengers. 

Makes the current taxi system at Bangkok airport look like a complete joke.

Just exactly what is the problem with the taxi system at Bangkok Airport?

I've been using it for the past 6 yrs and enjoyed each time.

How much do u pay for a taxi in Singapore? and u say no rip offs?

I suppose u would say taxi services in London are excellent too!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hi,

i also have never had any problems with the taxi system at bkk airport....

i have also taken taxis from the airport in singapore and london.... i would rather take a taxi from the bkk airport... but must admit, thats mainly because i am then obviously in thailand and not london or singapore....

[thohts]

Let's see.. last time I arrived at Don Muang international I waited for over 1 hour for a taxi. There were plenty of "no meter" taxis waiting for suckers. Police don't give a rat's bum about it (or much else, for that matter).

No train to the airport, either. Seems like a problem to me, especially when about half of the taxis you get into want to rip you off if they think you have "extra" money.

My last 4 taxi rides in Bangkok:

-driver first said "meter" to my TGF at the hotel then changed his mind down the road. We had to get out, with our luggage.

-driver didn't want to drop me off at the hotel, citing "traffic" (there was none), despite my pleas and several bags of goods.

-kid was 15 years old, looked about 12. Good driver, relatively speaking, but underage.

-driver decided to go to the other side of town, towards the bridge, instead of straight down New Petchburi road, where my hotel was, to get to the southern bus terminal. On an early Sunday morning with no traffic or construction. An extra 40 minutes and 100 baht. No police to be found.

A new airport doesn't make the horrible transportation system to it (and tourist experience) any better.

[george]

No need to wait for a taxi at Don Muang. Never. Just walk up to the Arrivals and get one outside there. Save your 50 baht and no waiting. Use the brain.

[Khun Jean]

Exactly. Or use the bus also very efficient and cheap. Or take the train.

Many choices if you look around a little. And the normal taxi stand is convenient. Who cares about the 50 baht.

I find the Don Muang airport efficient and convenient. Never ever had any problem.

[meemiathai]

Let's see.. last time I arrived at Don Muang international I waited for over 1 hour for a taxi. There were plenty of "no meter" taxis waiting for suckers. Police don't give a rat's bum about it (or much else, for that matter).

No train to the airport, either. Seems like a problem to me, especially when about half of the taxis you get into want to rip you off if they think you have "extra" money.

My last 4 taxi rides in Bangkok:

-driver first said "meter" to my TGF at the hotel then changed his mind down the road. We had to get out, with our luggage.

-driver didn't want to drop me off at the hotel, citing "traffic" (there was none), despite my pleas and several bags of goods.

-kid was 15 years old, looked about 12. Good driver, relatively speaking, but underage.

-driver decided to go to the other side of town, towards the bridge, instead of straight down New Petchburi road, where my hotel was, to get to the southern bus terminal. On an early Sunday morning with no traffic or construction. An extra 40 minutes and 100 baht. No police to be found.

A new airport doesn't make the horrible transportation system to it (and tourist experience) any better.

Tell me next time you go to a casino, I'll follow you!

[WISteve]

Other than the minor amount of annoyance with the tuts, Don M is really pretty quick IMO.

If the taxi line is too long for you, just hop up to the arrivals and go to the head of the line! First or second driver usually has an operational meter.

And the taxi drivers all know how to get to the Suk Av falang ghetto!

~WISteve

[Greer]

The taxi queues at Don Muang vary from none at all to extremely long waits up to an hour or more. Why should people have to go traipsing around the airport in the hope of finding a taxi?

The taxi pick-up point outside Arrivals is the correct place, and don't forget that many travellers to Thailand have never been here before, know nothing of the departure hall shortcut, and in any case shouldn't have to.

In many overseas airports through which I have travelled, it is illegal for the taxi drivers to collect fares at the "drop-off" zone at the Departures section of the airport. Presumably the airport authorities do this because otherwise it will increase the congestion at Departures for no good reason.

Obvioulsy the best thing to do is to improve the system at the Arrivals area taxi zone.

I can see what other posters are talking about regarding places like Singapore's Changi Airport - the taxi zone is well planned with multiple loading bays into which the cabs move to collect passengers.

It is simple and it works well as more than one or two taxis can load at a time, and the drivers and passengers are not falling over one another to get the luggage into the car amongst all the other people trying to do the same thing, as happens during busy times at Don Muang.

Then of course there is the truly excellent train service from Hong Kong airport to the city - properly PLANNED - that is of course the great stumbling block - but for goodness sake, they have overseas expert designers for the rest of the airport services and facilities, so why not extend that to properly sorting out the support infrastructure...too much to ask I guess...

[ovenman]

In many overseas airports through which I have travelled, it is illegal for the taxi drivers to collect fares at the "drop-off" zone at the Departures section of the airport. Presumably the airport authorities do this because otherwise it will increase the congestion at Departures for no good reason.

I doubt that this is actually legal at Don Muang either. It would simply be yet another of the myraid regulations that are only enforced when the powers-that-be see the need for a periodic crackdown.