| Suvarnabhumi Airport, the new Bangkok International | | | | area known by the unsavory name of Nong Ngu Hao |
| Airport, aviation hub and gateway to Thailand was | | | | or Cobra Swamp. But the 14 October 1973 uprising |
| raised from the boggy Nong Ngu Hao or Cobra | | | | that overthrew the military dictator Field Marshall |
| Swamp in an effort that took 43 years. | | | | Thanom Kittikachorn and the subsequent political |
| Location of Suvarnabhumi Airport | | | | turmoil grounded the project for the next 20 years. |
| Located to the south-east of Bangkok in Bang Phli | | | | Suvarnabhumi Airport was revived in 1996 with the |
| district, Samut Prakarn province, Suvarnabhumi | | | | formation of the company New Bangkok |
| Airport is barely 500 m beyond the Bangkok city | | | | International Airport (NBIA), to be stalled by the |
| limits and about 35 km from the city center. | | | | Asian financial crisis a year later. |
| The Bangkok - Chonburi Motorway runs two km to | | | | It was only in January 2002, that construction actually |
| the north of the airport before crossing into Samut | | | | started. This time the project was plagued by cost |
| Prakarn and then on to Chonburi and the seaside | | | | overruns, defects and delays in construction. By early |
| resort of Pataya. | | | | 2005, it was apparent that the September opening |
| The other main road to the north of the airport is Soi | | | | date later that year just couldn't be met. In that |
| Sukhumvit 77 which leads on the the main Sukhmvit | | | | same year, NBIA was dissolved and its functions |
| Road at On Nut. Nine km to the south, the Bang Na - | | | | transferred to the Airports of Thailand Plc. |
| Trad Highway links Bangkok to the coastal provinces | | | | A frustrated Prime Minister Taksin Shinawatra actually |
| in the Gulf of Thailand. | | | | camped at the airport construction site in an attempt |
| Historical background to Suvarnabhumi | | | | to drive the project on. Allegations of a massive |
| The name Suvarnabhumi has a long and interesting | | | | corruption scandal over the airport bomb scanner |
| history, reminiscent of a golden era of peace and | | | | equipment added to his woes. |
| prosperity that's part of the cultural and historical | | | | Suvarnabhumi - the Golden Land resurrected |
| legacy of Thailand. | | | | In spite of all these problems, Suvarnabhumi Airport |
| Long before the first Europeans arrived in South-East | | | | by September 2006 is finally completed. The result is |
| Asia in the 16th century, the region had close | | | | an airport complex covering 32 sq km or 8,000 acres! |
| commercial and cultural links with India, a civilization | | | | The passenger terminal, with seven stories, a |
| that existed more than 15 centuries ago. This cultural | | | | basement and 360 check-in counters, has a built-in |
| legacy is still evident in Thailand and many South-East | | | | area of more than half a million sq m, just under the |
| Asian countries. | | | | combined floor areas of Terminals 1 & 2 at |
| Indian scholars referred to the region east of India | | | | Singapore's Changi International Airport. |
| and south of China, i.e. Burma, Indo-China and | | | | With two runways, Suvarnabhumi Airport has a |
| Thailand or mainland South-East Asia, as | | | | current capacity of 30 m passengers per year, soon |
| Suvarnabhumi or the Land of Gold, a word in ancient | | | | to be upgraded to 45 m. The ultimate objective is to |
| Sanskrit, (Suvarn is gold in Thai). The islands of the | | | | add another two runways to boost the capacity to |
| Malay Archipelago to the south were called | | | | 100m passengers per year. |
| Suvarnadvipa or the Islands of Gold. | | | | It also boasts the highest control tower in Asia at |
| This was probably because of the rich natural | | | | 132 m, edging out the 130 m tower in Kuala Lumpur |
| resources in the region which the Europeans were | | | | International Airport. |
| soon to discover. It was no coincidence that the | | | | Suvarnabhumi Airport has finally arrived after 43 long |
| Chinese sea-faring traders had a similar name for the | | | | and arduous years. This impressive structure is now |
| region. | | | | the new gateway to Thailand, the new Bangkok |
| The name Suvarnabhumi (pronounced | | | | International Airport and an international aviation hub |
| su-wan-na-poom) or the Golden Land was bestowed | | | | that's poised to be the pride of Thailand and the |
| on the airport by His Majesty King Bhumipol | | | | aviation world. |
| Adulyadej. | | | | Suvanabhumi, the Golden Land has been resurrected, |
| The 43 long years | | | | symbolizing the peace and prosperity of an era gone |
| The development of Suvarnabhumi Airport from its | | | | by. |
| inception in 1973 to its completion in 2006 was | | | | For details on the location of the airport and travel |
| perpetually dogged by a series of political and financial | | | | arrangements to the city, please see map to |
| problems. | | | | Suvarnabhumi Airport. |
| Land for the airport was first purchased in 1973 in an | | | | |