Navigating Suvarnabhumi Airport

Suvarnabhumi is one of the largest and busiest airports in the world and I will show you how to get through it with a minimum of effort.

I have been traveling to Thailand since 1973 and I am currently retired here. I have gone through the new airport numerous times, both international and domestic, since it opened in 2006. Follow these tips and you will breeze through Bangkok's International Airport.

The first steps take place prior to landing while you are still on the airplane. Hopefully you are close to the front of the airplane or you will have to outrace hundreds of other passengers to Immigration.

Ensure that you use the bathroom just prior to landing and have properly filled out the embarkation card that the flight attendant gave you. Stick the card in your passport and keep it handy. Listen to the pre-landing announcement as the flight attendant may announce which carousel your luggage will be on.

Upon landing, once the seat belt sign goes off, get up and grab your carry-on bag and get ready to move.

When you leave the plane, look for the "Immigration" sign and speed walk in that direction. Do not stop for anything; no bathroom, no smoke break, and no currency exchange.

Walk as fast as you can and pass as many other passengers as possible. Remember you will be competing to be first in line at Immigration with your fellow passengers and any other planes that landed at approximately the same time.

Once you reach Immigration find the shortest line and have your passport and embarkation card ready to show. The Immigration officer will check your passport and any visa you may have, staple your embarkation card to your passport, and stamp you in to the country.

Immediately after you get your passport stamped, check the display board to see which carousel your luggage is on. This is very important as there are about 50 carousels. Again, speed walk to the carousel.

If you have a lot of luggage, grab one of the free carts that are located by every carousel.

Once you have your luggage, head for the "Nothing to Declare" exit and ignore the girls that are trying to get you a taxi.

Once you depart the luggage area, look to see what numbered section you are in. The numbers are large and displayed on the walls. You want to head for Area 3, better known as Meeting Place 3. If you need to exchange some currency, now is the time to do it. Walk through the gauntlet of people and, again, ignore those trying to get you a taxi.

Take the down escalator and this will bring you outside and to the official airport taxi area. There are about 8 lines you can get in to get your taxi. Tell the girl where you are going and get in your taxi to your hotel. This service costs an extra 50 baht (about $1.50 USD) but gives you a bit more security than just getting a taxi that just dropped off a departing tourist. This will also ensure that the driver uses his meter.

Tell the taxi driver you want to take the tollway. This will cost you an additional 65 baht (about $2.00 USD) and most of the time the driver pays it and you reimburse when you get to the hotel. Do not forget to add the toll and the 50 baht service charge to whatever is on the meter.

These tips should get you through the airport from landing to taxi in less than 30 minutes as long as your luggage is not delayed. Hopefully this makes your arrival in Thailand after a long flight a little easier.

Larry Westfall is a retired expat living in Thailand and enjoying the Pattaya Beaches.

By Larry Westfall