Suvarnabhumi Airport - Thailand

Suvarnabhumi Airport Project is the most important airport of Thailand. This aviation hub in Southeast Asian region is located in Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan province, about 30 kms or 18.6 miles east of Bangkok. The name Suvarnabhumi was chosen by King Bhumibol Adulyadej and refers to the golden kingdom hypothesized to have been located somewhere in Southeast Asia. Designed by Helmut Jahn of Murphy/Jahn Architects, this airport has the world’s tallest control tower (132.2 m), and the world’s third largest single building and airport terminal (563,000 m²), a little smaller than Hong Kong International Airport (570,000 m²) and the current record holder, Beijing Capital International Airport’s Terminal Three (986,000 m²). Suvarnabhumi is one of the busiest airports in Asia and Bangkok’s primary airport for all international airline flights. The airport inherited the airport code BKK from Don Mueang after the older airport ceased commercial flights.

The main features of Suvarnabhumi airport include:

Two parallel runways (60 m. wide,4,000 m. and 3,700 m. long).

Two parallel taxiways to accommodate simultaneous departures and arrivals.

120 parking bays, 51 with contact gates and 69 with remote gates. 5 of them are capable of accommodating the Airbus A380 aircraft.

Capable of handling 76 flight operations per hour, both international and domestic flights will share the airport terminal.

5-storey car park building with total capacity of 5,000 cars.

Image source: Bangkoksite.com

12 August in Thailand

If you happen to be in Thailand on 12 August, expect to see decorations and celebrations everywhere, for this day is a public holiday in Thailand marking the birthday of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit. To make the day even more special Thailand marks this day as Mother’s Day, a day for appreciation of the most important person in anyone’s life.

Ratchadamnoen Avenue in Banglampoo (the part of Bangkok where you can find the Grand Palace, Wat Prakaew and tourist venues like Khao San Road) looks dazzling with a spectacular display with coloured lights and masses of bunting – particularly impressive in the evening. The area is festooned with colorful lights, flowers and portraits for this special occasion. Individual people and organizations raise flags and portraits of Her Majesty in Bangkok and all over the kingdom.

Born M.R. Sirikit Kitiyakara in 1932, Her Majesty the Queen holds a high and respected place in the hearts of Thai people. She can be aptly credited for improving the welfare and well-being of her subjects. Her Majesty’s SUPPORT Foundation (Foundation for the Promotion of Supplementary Occupations and Related Techniques) has expanded progressively since its establishment in 1976 to include craft shops in the city and popular tourist areas, and two Thai Folk Arts and Crafts Training Centers at Chitralada Villa and at Bangsai in Ayutthaya.