Recently the big news with Thailand’s new Bangkok airport is continued allegations of corruption and that the new Bangkok airport has some serious flaws with the runways and some of the computer systems. There is some concern as they are talking about moving some of the regional flights back to the old Bangkok airport this would be a major headache for travelers, as you could figure that a lot of people would miss flights that needed to transfer between the two airports, which are on different sides of Bangkok which like LA is scientifically measured not in miles or kilometers, but time units based on day, time, weather, local events and witchcraft
Having been through the new airport several times now it seems to be working fine, on a project this size you would naturally anticipate that there would be teething pains. The first time that I went through the new Bangkok airport my main complaint, besides being so ugly that you need sunglasses to dull the aesthetic ache a bit, was how to find the taxi stands. When you come out of the arrivals it is all limos and charter taxis (which will cost you 5 times as much as a metered cab), with a bit of looking I found out that they are down one flight of stairs. On this trip with my uncles flights from LA due to arrive early I needed to find out how to get a bus to Pattaya quick. Scanning the signage was not very productive, even the signage to find the information booth is hard to find. They do however have excellent signage if you are looking for employee parking, or where they cook the food for the flights or the water treatment plant. Call me silly, but it seems to me that not many people are looking for those things when they get off a flight, but what do I know, maybe they are listed as attractions in the new Lonely Planet? Speaking of water treatment plants, they do not have enough bathrooms and the ones that they have are all ready flooded, Sorry I mean falling apart, you might want to consider going again on the plane before you get off or stop at a gas station I am sure either option is going to be better that the restrooms here.
Another surprise, this one pleasant, was on the arrivals level I picked up a free WIFI signal and got a few emails out and did a little surfing. Another pleasant surprise I was not expecting was being allowed to wait outside the arrival gate, and not be forced to wait in with the placard folks and fight for position with the pros. At the old airport they had an area ahead of you, and you had to get your loved ones quick before the taxi and limousine touts latched on to them, if you were too late you would be forced to pry your loved one from their very determined clutches. In closing all in all everything is just OK, but I do have to say that with time this is still going to be butt ugly airport.
