One other thing I that got me excited to set foot in Bangkok again was to see for myself their much hyped and new international airport. If anything, I was floored and wowed. It’s architecture is amazingly modern and yet it has touches of the rich Thai culture in key places. Its construction had been beset with challenges here and there, I’ve learned, but the airport finally came through and I’d dare say the benefits must be worth the wait for the Thai nationals and its government.
There is more to having a world class international airport than the obvious comfort it gives to travelers to and from a country. Carefully planning its location, accessibility, construction, and architecture can boost a nation’s economy, rake in jobs, and gain trust of more foreign investors. I remember a senior HR person from another company asking their company’s regional head why they had to resource training services elsewhere when their Philippine counterpart is more than ready to take on the job owing to an already ready local talent base. The regional head’s answer was simple: “you guys do not even have a decent international airport that is convenient enough to fly in trainees regularly!” Sadly, as you must have already seen NAIA, such is our unfortunate plight.
As a backgrounder on the (New) Bangkok International Airport aka Suvarnabhumi Airport:
The airport has become a key economic strength for the nation, as a modern motorway connects the airport, Bangkok, and the heavily industrial Eastern Seaboard of Thailand, where most of the export oriented manufacturing takes place. Despite little media attention paid to cargo, around the clock cargo shipments with excellent connections for exporters was a significant reason for its construction (as lobbying by Japanese exporters and Japanese government support were major facilitators), and the export led recovery of the Thai baht and the nation’s strong current account surplus since its opening is further evidence of its massive effect. -Wikipedia
As an end note to the government, please PLEASE get your asses in gear and LEARN from other nations. Copying best practice is nothing to be ashamed of.
Below are photos I took inside the Suvarnabhumi Airport the night of my departure for Manila.
Twitter Updates
16 May 2008 at 5:17 pm
Wow! Amazing! :D
How I wish ganyan din ang NAIA (asa pa LOL)
I’m FRITZified with the pics LOL
16 May 2008 at 9:55 pm
So pretty. I can’t wait to go back to Bangkok!
17 May 2008 at 12:23 am
Kamusta naman diba?
When I saw that, my delusion of the Philippines being a “tiger cub” just like Bangkok just shattered into a million pieces. Ang hirap nga lang maglakad papuntang luggage carousel. ANG LAYO. haha
17 May 2008 at 9:06 am
WTF it’s even more beautiful to look at compared with that of San Francisco or Newark!
Now I’ll always keep in mind that Bangkok is modern, or somehow modern.
17 May 2008 at 3:29 pm
I think an international airport is good for tourism. Here in Bohol, people are debating whether to put up an international airport or not. What’s your take on this?
18 May 2008 at 12:52 am
@micamyx salamat naman XD
@nina I can’t wait for my next trip and I had only been there! Thailand is my next favorite country.
@benj haba kasi ng airport na yun. An expat in Bangkok told me in confidence that estimating based on what he saw there and comparing that with what we have in the Philippines, they could well be 25 years advanced in terms of highway and road infrastructure. The expat is in the business of heavily utilizing transport so I take his word as reliable.
@mentholguy new name/brand, congratulations! Yes, Bangkok IS modern :D
18 May 2008 at 1:56 am
For the country to save face, it would be perfect if the abomination that is NAIA III is put to a close first before the government looks into starting yet another international airport project elsewhere. Bohol has a domestic airport that can fly in tourists from other countries via connecting flight for now. Then again, that’s just me.
18 May 2008 at 11:55 am
Oooh, lovelovelove the second picture! I wanna go to Bangkok, bah.
18 May 2008 at 4:30 pm
I want to change my citizenship. So many goodlooking people in Thailand.
Umm.. wait… what am I thinking??
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The last airport interior I saw before this one was Dubai’s (the interior photos, I mean). I thought theirs is the prettiestestestest. Parang gusto kong bawiin yung sinabi ko
19 May 2008 at 1:19 pm
@helgrr thanks for the vote of conficdence :D
@Neil baka photogenic lang ang thailand airport LULZ Dubai is Dubai, after all. Theirs could be much prettier.
19 May 2008 at 5:49 pm
no offense meant, pero pathetic naman talaga ang airport dito sa manila. lalo na ang domestic. dyosko.
mas maganda pa ang Iloilo and Bacolod airports. spanking new. naunahan pa nila mag bukas ang NAIA T3.
eh ang T3 inaamag na sira na kisame di pa rin nabubuksan.