Snake Line At Suvarnabhumi

[Hugh_Hoy]

If you want to see the old Don Muang Airport, watch the airport scene in "The Killing Fields". It was shot at the old terminal, the one I landed at in 1973. The old terminal was used for domestic flights in the 1980s, but later was torn down and replaced.

 

Not sure how old is "old". The terminal I used in '70 looked like an old quonset hut. No ramps leading from plane to "terminal"...decend stairs from the plane and walk across the tarmack. Inside, had long tables lined up on one side for processing passengers. One of the few countries that didn't make us check our sidearms and put them "in bond" til departure. Thai immigration was more concerned with checking yellow vaccination/health cards than baggage. LOL.

 

HH

[Horneytorney]

What is this VIP service which has been mentioned, how to book and what's the fee? and how long does it take tog et processed. Will arrive tonight around midnight at Swampy. So far never really had a problem there.

http://www.thaifasttrack.com/index.php?p=1_12_F-A-Q-

 

but have never used it as i fly usually biz class for international flights and have fast track anyway

 

of course it depends what time you arrive; peak hours are from my experience around 0630-0800, early-mid afternoon and 2200-2400

[limbo]

Thx, info much appreciated. I will arrive around midnight from Manila, just hope that the lines will be cleared by the time I arrive at immigration.

[Flashermac]

Not sure how old is "old". The terminal I used in '70 looked like an old quonset hut. No ramps leading from plane to "terminal"...decend stairs from the plane and walk across the tarmack. Inside, had long tables lined up on one side for processing passengers. One of the few countries that didn't make us check our sidearms and put them "in bond" til departure. Thai immigration was more concerned with checking yellow vaccination/health cards than baggage. LOL.

 

HH

 

I expect you used a military part of the airport. In March '73, we landed and sure enough we walked to the terminal, a two storey building I think. Since it was a Peace Corps charter flight, we were met by government representives and got puang mali draped around our necks by some good looking babes. PC took care of our innoculations, so no problem there. In my group were 4 VN vets and 1 SOB who had been stationed in Saphan Kwai, so it was almost homecoming for some of us. We were then bused to the Siam Hotel on New Petchburi Road. I remember a long ride through the countryside before we got into the city. I was tired and had jet lag, so after dinner I crashed. But one of the guys managed to wander down Phetburi and picked up a companion for the night. He was a country boy from Kentucky. The next morning, we looked at him in admiration and said, "Hal, you're a real man. "

 

I know that I wasn't the only one still on inactive reserve status. I used to avoid the MPs in my early days here, since everyone thought I was still a GI! They were almost the only Farangs you ever saw here. Bangkok was an unknown destination to most of the world.

 

After 3 or 4 days, there was still luggage standing in the middle of the hotel lobby. Somebody finally checked and found out that it belonged to a group of Malaysia volunteers who had been on the same flight. The Thais had unloaded all the baggage from the plane and taken it to the Siam Hotel! I bet the Peace Corps guys in Kuala Lumpur were a bit pissed off about that.

[Flashermac]

Took some doing, but google finally came up with these.

 

1948

 

ca. 1960

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Horneytorney]

nice pictures, Flasher! it shows how old certain parts of Don Muang actually are! Don Muang is old and ugly.

 

I do not understand why Suvarnaphumi is always made so bad on this board. I like it! it is a modern airport with good facilities. Don Muang was totally overcrowded and falling apart the last couple of years before 2006.

[Flashermac]

Only thing I really have about Swampypoom is that it's so far for me to go. Don Muang is much closer to where I live and work. I can fly into Don Muang and be home in under half an hour. Swampy ... maybe an hour and a half.

 

BTW almost everything in those photos has been torn down and replaced.

 

 

 

 

 

[Horneytorney]

i remember when it took just around 15 minutes from the tollway to the terminal and the queue started a couple of hundred meters before the exit from the tollway. Parking was always very hard to find and it took another 15-20 minutes to leave parking. Another queue for bag screening before check in.

that's really now much better at Suvarnabhumi!

[Horneytorney]

i remember when it took just around 15 minutes from the tollway to the terminal and the queue started a couple of hundred meters before the exit from the tollway. Parking was always very hard to find and it took another 15-20 minutes to leave parking. Another queue for bag screening before check in.

that's really now much better at Suvarnabhumi!

[Hugh_Hoy]

Took some doing, but google finally came up with these.

 

 

Wow ! Those are some neat photos ! :up:

 

Didn't use that part of the airport on my maiden trip for sure. Don't even recall seeing it. Was a commercial flight (Pan Am 2) Maybe we got to use the VIP terminal. 55555555555555 Recall the trip into the city. Seem to remember a divided highway, but surrounded by fields. Was amazed to see trucks with buffalo riding on the back. LOL Stayed at the Intercontinental. Was brand new. Could still smell the paint. Of course, that was torn down in the last decade to make room for Paragon. Closest "action" was across the street in a couple of massage parlors (40 baht/hour)on the present-day site of Siam Square. New Petchaburi seemed to go half-way to Cambo and was ground zero for fun and games.

 

HH