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Airport Facilities
Suvarnabhumi Airport
Suvarnabhumi Airport
Suvarnabhumi Airport is located about 15 km of on the east-bound Bangna-Trat Highway in Bang Phli District, Samut Prakarn Province
and is about 25 km. from downtown Bangkok.
Airport Express (Bus To Downtown)
Convenience and safety of direct rides to downtown everyday and various destinations. Currently operating four routes.
Ticket price is at 150 baht/person/trip without extra change for Express way, available at the airport-express counters only.
Service time commences at 05.00 am. and bus parking on the ground floor. Arrivals terminal until 12 pm.
Bus
10 bus routes operated by BMTA serve the airport's dedicated bus terminal. There are also direct long-distance services
to
Pattaya, Talad Rong Kluea and
Nong Khai
Limousine Service
6 types of limousines with total 380 cars available around the clock. A call center for inbound reservations.
Airports of Thailand is in charge of limousine operations. To get a limousine contact the "Limousine Service Counter"
at the Arrivals Level (2nd floor). Limousine pick up area is at the Arrivals Level.
Taxi Service
According to the Suvarnabhumi Transportation Guidelines, only flat-fare limousine services will be allowed to
operate directly from the airport terminal. Passengers will have to take a shuttle bus to the bus terminal 3 km away
in order to use ordinary metered taxi services.
Train Service
The construction of the City Airport Terminal in Makkasan and a 28.6 km high-speed rail link to the new airport started in
July 2005 and are planned for completion in November 2007, although this deadline, too, seems unlikely to be met. The
airport express, informally known as the Pink Line and operated jointly with SRT's planned Red Line commuter service, will
connect with the BTS Sukhumvit Line
and MRT Blue Line at Phaya Thai and
Phetchaburi stations respectively, offering airport-bound passengers a fast 15-minute limited stop journey from the city.
Passenger Service
The Domestic and International Terminals are clearly separated.
Passenger Terminal Facilities
At the Departures Level, there are
460 check-in counters and
60 passport control counters whereas at the
Arrivals Level, there are
83 passport control counters. The whole procedure takes under 45 minutes. The baggage handling
facility has a capacity over 9,000 bags and hour.
Bangkok International Airport (Don Mueang Airport)
Bangkok International Airport (Don Mueang Airport)
Bangkok International Airport (Don Mueang Airport) is located some 22 kilometres north of Bangkok.
The Domestic Terminal and Cargo Terminal are also located nearby.
Limousine Service
A regular coach and private limousine service for transfers between Bangkok and the airport are provided. The Limousine
Service Counter is located at the Arrival Hall on the Ground Floor of the International Passenger Terminal on the Southern
side. All vehicles are air-conditioned and the rates reasonable. Mini-bus (joint-seat) to any hotel in Bangkok 100 baht per
person Shuttle bus (to Asia Hotel and Viengtai Hotel) 60 baht per person Sedan (to downtown Bangkok ) 300 baht per trip Bus to
Pattaya Beach 150 baht per person Sedan to Pattaya Beach 1,500 baht per trip.
Taxi Service
Taxis are available for hire at the authorised Public Taxi Stand next to the Meeting Point south of the Arrival Hall
in the International Passenger Terminal. Taxi drivers are only permitted to pick up passengers at these authorised stands
and they are not allowed to offer their services to passengers in the terminal building. Fares are between 50-300 baht per trip
depending on destinations. Fares to various destinations are posted at the taxi stand as a guideline to foreign commuters.
Passengers are strongly advised not to use the services of private car drivers who may not be insured to carry passengers
and are not licensed to ply for hire. All authorised taxis carry a yellow license plate and a rooftop TAXI-METER sign.
No tip is expected.
Buses
Air-conditioned and regular public buses constantly travel downtown from Don Mueang Airport. Passengers wishing to take the
bus can do so by walking to the Bus Stop located on Vibhavadi Rangsit Highway. 7 baht minimum and 8.50 baht maximum fares to
most destinations within metropolitan Bangkok, while fares for air-conditioned buses within Bangkok have minimum and maximum
fares of 12 and 24 baht respectively. Fares are collected onboard. Bus numbers indicate routes. Buses can be uncomfortable
and crowded especially during rush hours and will therefore have very little or no room for luggage. Regular Buses from Don
Mueang Airport to town are buses numbers 29, 59, 95 and air-conditioned buses numbers 4, 10, 13 and 29. Passenger
Service Charge (Airport Tax) A passenger service charge, to be paid at the airport check-in counter, is required of all
international and domestic passengers passing through Bangkok International Airport. International passengers 200 baht per
person Domestic passengers 30 baht per person Please note that foreign passengers whose passports have been stamped upon
arrival are considered to have entered the Kingdom of Thailand. Therefore, when leaving the country they are required
to pay the passenger service charge.
Train Service
Don Mueang Railway Station is located about 500 metres from BIA and provides a service to the city, to Hua Lumpong
Railway Station where connections can be made to all parts of the country. Trains at Don Mueang Railway Station run from 06.06
a.m. to 20.07 p.m. The fare to Bangkok with an Ordinary Diesel Train is 5THB/person.
Left Luggage
The Left Luggage Room at Bangkok Airport charges 20 baht per item per day with a maximum storage allowed of 3 months.
Tel. 0 2535 1250, 0 2535 1255
Baggage Claim
On arrival at Bangkok International Airport, all international passengers are processed through immigration
and passport control, then onto the baggage reclaim area where luggage is fed onto a conveyor or carousel showing
the number of each flight.
Baggage Service (Lost and Found)
A Lost and Found Counter, located at the Arrival Lounge, is manned round-the-clock, seven days a week.
If you leave anything on an aircraft or an airline bus, please contact the airline concerned immediately.
Tel. 0 2535 2173, 0 2535 2811, 0 2535 2812
Trolleys
Trolleys are provided in both the Departure and Arrival Lounges of the International Passenger
Terminal. No fees are charged. Passengers are free to use them.
Duty-Free Shopping
All four of Thailand's international airports have duty-free shopping facilities. The most extensive is at
Don Mueang International Airport, the main port of entry. Smaller duty-free shops can be found at Phuket and Hat Yai in
the south and Chiang Mai in the north.
Airline Offices
Some so airlines maintain offices in Bangkok. A complete listing may be found in the English edition of the
Bangkok Telephone Directory's Yellow Pages.
Business Hours
Most commercial concerns in Bangkok operate on a five-day week basis. Government offices are generally open between 8.30 AM
and 4.30 PM with a noon to 1.00 PM lunchbreak, Monday through Friday, except on public holidays. Private businesses maintain
much the same hours - perhaps 8.00 AM to 5.00 PM, with certain exceptions. Many stores open 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
Car Hire
Those possessing valid International Driving Licenses may prefer to hire automobiles. English language road signs
and maps are commonplace. The Bangkok Yellow Pages list local and international automobile rental companies.
Visitors are advised to shop around since most companies offer different conditions. Self-drive and chauffeur-driven
automobiles are widely available. International car hire companies such as Avis and Hertz also operate in Pattaya,
Hat Yai, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Samui Island.
Church Services
Christian churches are found in Bangkok and most provincial capitals. Services are mostly in Thai, with certain services
in English, French and German. Local English-language newspapers provide comprehensive listings of services in Bangkok.
Clothing
Light, loose cotton clothing is best. Nylon should be avoided. Sweaters are needed during Cool Season evenings or
if visiting mountainous areas and remote national parks. Jackets and ties are required in certain restaurants and night-clubs.
Electricity
The electric current is 220 Volt AC (so cycles) throughout the country. There are many plugs and sockets in use.
Travellers with shavers, tape recorders and other appliances should carry a plug-adapter kit. The better hotels will, make
avail- able 110 Volt transformers.
Film and Photography
Major international film manufacturers maintain excellent photofinishing laboratories. Instant developing can be done
within one hour. Popular films are available countrywide at reasonable prices. Still photographers are free to shoot
almost everything. Movie cameras are not 'allowed without permission in Bangkok's Grand Palace and
Emerald Buddha Chapel complex. Photography is also prohibited in certain branches of the National Museum.
Etiquette
Polite behaviour is welcomed everywhere, and what is considered polite in other countries is probably considered
polite in Thailand, too. However, there and a few cultural pitfalls, mainly social and religious taboos, the breaking of
which can cause offence:
For example, Thais revere their royal family. Even social malcontents who ignore legal and community standards refuse to
tolerate a faintly implied slight on the Thai monarchy.
Outward expressions of anger are regarded as crude and boorish. The visitor who remains calm and smiles appreciatively
will find all sorts of doors open to him.
Visitors should dress neatly in all religious shrines. They should never go shirtless, or in shorts, hot pants or other
unsuitable attire.
Shoes should be removed when entering private Thai homes; chapels where Buddhist images are kept; and any of the Islamic
community's mosques.
Each Buddha image, large or small, ruined or not, is regarded as being a sacred object. Never climb onto one to take a photograph
or do anything that might show lack of respect.
Public displays of affection between men and women are frowned upon. Westernised Thai couples may hold hands but that's
as far as it goes in polite society.
It is considered rude to point your foot at a person or object.
Thais regard the head as the highest part of the body, both literally and figuratively. Therefore, they do not appreciate
anyone patting them there, even as a friendly gesture.
Film and Photography
Major international film manufacturers maintain excellent photofinishing laboratories. Instant developing can be done
within one hour. Popular films are available countrywide at reasonable prices. Still photographers are free to shoot
almost everything. Movie cameras are not 'allowed without permission in Bangkok's Grand Palace and
Emerald Buddha Chapel complex. Photography is also prohibited in certain branches of the National Museum.
Medical Services
All tourism destinations and provincial capitals have hospitals and clinics staffed by well-trained doctors and nurses.
In case of emergencies, ambulances can be summoned from any private hospital.
Newspapers and Magazines
Thailand's English-language newspapers, the Nation, the Bangkok Post and Thailand Times keep readers abreast of local
and international events. Major English language magazines and newspapers such as International Herald Tribune, Wallstreet
Journal, Newsweek, Time and Asiaweek are readily available at hotel newsagents, supermarkets, department stores and leading
bookstores.
Radio and Television
AM radio is heavily commercial there are some 200 stations nation-wide and appeals to popular taste. FM radio offers popular music,
classical music, jazz, English-language news broad- casts and the original soundtracks of certain imported filmshows shown on local
television's five channels. Leading hotels have colour televisions in each room, offering either video features, satellite
and / or cable television or tourism-related English- language programmes.
Reservations
Rail
Train tickets of all classes may be purchased 90 days in advance at principal stations and at the Advance Booking Office
(in Bangkok Railway Station) during 08.30 am. - 04.30 pm. on weekdays and 08.30 am. - 12.00 pm. on Saturdays, Sundays and
official holidays. Some major travel agents in Bangkok also provide train reservation services. To obtain further
information, please Tel. 1690 (24 hr.), 0 2220 4444 (08.30 am. - 04.30 pm.)
Air
| Thai Airways International |
Thailand's national airline, flies to 4 destinations in the North, 3 destinations in the Northeast, and 5 destinations in the South.
Tel. 0 2356 1111 |
| Bangkok Airways |
flies to 7 destinations : Chiang Mai, Krabi, Pattaya, Phuket, Samui Island, Sukhothai and Trat.
Tel. 0 2265 5555 |
| Nok Air |
files to 5 destinations in the South, 1 destination in the Northeast and 1 destination in the North.
Tel. 1318, 0 2900 9955 |
| Air Asia |
flies to 6 destinations in the South, 2 destinations in the Northeast and 2 destinations in the North.
Tel. 0 2515 9999 |
| PB Air |
files to 4 destinations in the Northeast and 2 destinations in the North.
Tel. 0 2261 0222 |
The Temporary Import of a Vehicle for the purpose of Tourism
- Valid International Driving License and passport or equivalent documents are required.
- Vehicle registration or, in the case of a borrowed vehicle,
authorization documents from the owner are required.
- Cash guarantee or bank guarantee or self- guarantee is required. If vehicle is brought in through Bangkok or Klong Toey
Port, cash guarantee or bank guarantee is essential. If entry is via land across the southern border then it is accept- able to
guarantee oneself by completing the customs form, giving necessary details to the customs officer and signing the record.
- Permission is granted for a e month period from the date of entry,
- In the case of having requested to bring the vehicle in for a period of just 5-10 days and then wishing to extend the length of
stay, a renewal can be granted free of charge by the Customs Department.
Procedure:
- Contact the customs office at the relevant border.
- Customs officer will complete an additional incoming form and at the same time check documents as in No.2 above and also
fix the self-guarantee.
- In the case of cash or bank guarantee, the customs officer will evaluate the price of the vehicle according to its
condition plus 20%
Tipping
It is not necessary to tip cinema ushers. It is customary to tip porters and hotel personnel who have given good personal service.
A 10%-15% tip is appreciated in restaurants, particularly where service charge is waived.
Tourist Information Services
Tourist information is available at the Tourism Authority of Thailand head office in Bangkok, local
offices in 22 major cities (listed in the back cover) and the TAT information counter in Bangkok Airport and at every airport
where there is a TAT local office. They provide maps, brochures and useful information on tours, shopping, dining and
accommodation. All TAT information offices are open seven days a week from 08.30 am. - 04.30 pm.
Tourist Police
In 1982, the Tourist Police was set up to coordinate with the Tourism Authority of Thailand in providing safety for tourists.
Its responsibilities are receiving and acknowledging claims and complaints; to conduct investigations and acting as coordinator
of tourist security protection. At present, some 500 tourist policemen are stationed in major tourist areas such as the Grand Palace,
Phatphong and Lumphini Park. Bi-lingual Tourist Police are attached to Tourism Authority of Thailand offices in
Bangkok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Pattaya, Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, Ubon Ratchathani, Khonkaen, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae
Hong Son, Phitsanulok, Nakhon Sawan, Surat Thani, Phuket and Songkhla to provide speedy assistance to visitors. In case of
emergency, contact the Tourist Police Centre, Krungthep Tower Building Phetburi Tad Mai Rd., Bangkok Tel. 0 2939 1111
Accommodation
Thailand has world-class accommodation which is probably unsurpassed in terms of attentiveness, courteous service and
affordability. Major tourism destinations such as
Offer modern first- class hotels with every conceivable convenience and international-standard convention facilities for groups
numbering from 200 to 2,000 and upwards. Family-style hotels, bungalow complexes, guest houses, houseboats, hostels, motels,
spartan but cheap Chinese-style inns and hotels, and beach-side huts complete a range of accommodation costing anywhere from
a few dollars daily to hundreds of dollar a night. Current listings of accommodation and rates are available from Tourism
Authority of Thailand's local offices in Bangkok,
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