Bangkok International Airport (BIA)
171 Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Bangkok 10210, Thailand

Bangkok International Airport has for many years played an important role in international civil aviation transport. It is today a major gateway into and within Southeast Asia. Used by more than 80 international carriers, it is considered today as one of Asia's busiest airports. In 1997, the airport welcomed approximately 25 million passengers, handled 169,000 aircraft movements and 870,000 tons of cargo.

ARRIVING & DEPARTING

By Air

Bangkok's new Don Muang Airport international terminal, adjacent to what is now the domestic terminal, has relieved congestion and handles international passengers with modern efficiency. As you leave customs, you'll find an array of desks where you can arrange for taxis into Bangkok and transport to other destinations; a reservation desk for Bangkok hotels (no fee); and a TAT desk with free brochures and maps (tel. 02/523-8972). Both terminals have luggage-checking facilities (tel. 02/535-1250).

There is a tax of B500 for international departures and B30 for domestic departures.

A word of caution: The airport has more than its share of hustlers out to make a quick baht, who often wear uniforms and tags that make them seem official. They will try to get you to change your hotel to one that pays them a large commission, perhaps claiming your intended hotel is overbooked. They will hustle you into overpriced taxis or limousines. Do not get taken in.

CARRIERS

The U.S. carrier with the most frequent flights is Northwest Airlines (153 Rajdamri Rd., Peninsula Shopping Plaza, 4th Floor, tel. 02/254- 0789). It has direct service through Tokyo (with a minimal stopover) from New York, Detroit, Seattle, Dallas, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Incidentally, this airline's seats recline more than most, making sleeping much easier. Northwest also has a round-Asia fare, in conjunction with local airlines, which lets you hop from one capital to another. British Airways flies nonstop to Bangkok from London.

Thai Airways International (485 Silom Rd., tel. 02/234-3100) is the national airline, and most of its flights come in and out of Don Muang. It has direct flights from the West Coast of the United States and from London, and also flies daily to Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan.

FLYING TIMES

Bangkok is 18 hours from Seattle, 17 hours from San Francisco, 20 hours from Chicago, and 22 hours from New York. Add more time for stopovers and connections,,especially if you are using more than one carrier. East- coast travelers departing from New York or Washington, DC, should consider using Virgin Atlantic/Thai Airways via London for 19-hour flights to Bangkok.

BETWEEN THE AIRPORT AND TOWN

By Bus

Airport buses busying between the Don Mueang Airport and the major downtown destinations are a bit of ripoff with their 70 Baht fare, but avoiding a likely trip around Bangkok by taxi (with the fare clocking up all the way on the taximetre), it's still a bargain. There are 3 routes of the Airport Bus:

· A-1 goes to the Silom Road business district via Pratunam and Rajdamri Road, stoppping at big hotels like Indra Regent, Grand Hyatt Erawan, Regent Bangkok and Dusit Thani.

· A-2 goes to Sanam Luang via Phayathai Road, Lan Luang Road, Rajdamnoen Klang Road and Tanao Road; comes in hady for those travelling to the Siam Square ir Banglamphu areas.

· A-3 goes to the Phrakanong district via Sukhumwit Road.

You can also catch local air-conditioned buses on the main road that passes the airport. Bus 4 goes to the Rama Garden Hotel, Indra Regent, Erawan, Hyatt, and Dusit Thani hotels, and down Silom Road (last bus at 8 PM). Bus 10 goes to the Rama Garden Hotel, the Northern Bus Terminal, the Victory Monument, and the Southern Bus Terminal (last bus at 8:30 PM). Bus 13 goes to the Northern Bus Terminal, Victory Monument, and down Sukhumvit Road to the Eastern Bus Terminal (last bus at 8 PM). Bus 29 goes to the Northern Bus Terminal, Victory Monument, Siam Square, and Bangkok's main railway station, Hualamphong (last bus at 8:30 PM). Cost: B15.

By Helicopter The quickest way downtown is the helicopter that lands at the Shangri-La Hotel (. Anyone who will pay the $200 fare is welcome aboard.

By Minibus

Thai Airways has a minibus service between the airport and major hotels. They depart when they are full. Cost: B100. Complimentary orchid nosegay included.

By Riverboat Shuttle

A bus-and-boat service leaves every 30 minutes, 6 AM-9 PM. This service is really for the benefit of guests at the Oriental, Royal Orchid Sheraton, and Shangri-La hotels, but others can use it if there's space. The bus takes you from the airport to the river, where you transfer to a boat for the half-hour run to the hotels. Fare is $28 (B700); overall time is under an hour.

By Taxi

Don Mueang is 25 km (15 mi) from the city center. The road is often congested with traffic. Be prepared for a 90-minute journey by taxi, though there are times when it can take less than 40 minutes. obtain a reservation and prepay the fare at the counter (at either terminal), and a driver will lead you to the taxi. The fare to downtown Bangkok depends on the exact location and, to some extent, the time of day. Count on B300-B350 from the international terminal and B250 from the domestic. Taxis to the airport from downtown Bangkok are approximately B130. Use a metered taxi and agree to pay for the toll road, an extra B50.

Otherwise, upon arrival you may want to procede upstairs, to the Departure Hall and catch a taxi that has just dropped the passengers. Insist on charging by the metre, it's the buyers' market in Bangkok now. It will hardly ever be more than 250 Baht when travelling within the city limits.

By Train

Bangkok Airport Express trains make the 35-minute run every 90 minutes from 8 AM to 7 PM. Check the schedule at the tourist booth in the arrival hall. Fare: B100. You can also take regular trains from 5:30 AM to 9 PM. The fare is B5 for a local train, B13 for an express.

By Bus

Bangkok has three main bus terminals. Northern/Northeast Bus Terminal (Phaholyothin Rd., tel. 02/272-0296 or 02/279-6222), often referred to as Morsit, serves Chiang Mai and the north. Southern Bus Terminal (Pinklao- Nakomchaisri Rd., Talingchan, tel. 02/435-1199), on the Thonburi side of the river, is for Hua Hin, Ko Samui, Phuket, and points south. Eastern Bus Terminal (Sukhumvit Rd., Soi 40, Ekkamai, tel. 02/391-2504 or 02/392- 2391), usually referred to as Ekkamai, is for Pattaya and points southeast, to Rayong and Trat province.

By Train

Hualamphong Railway Station (Rama IV Rd., tel. 02/223-0341), the city's main station, serves most long-distance trains. Bangkok Noi (Arun Amarin Rd., tel. 02/411-3102), on the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya River, is used by local trains to Hua Hin and Kanchanaburi.

The State Railway of Thailand has three lines, all of which terminate in Bangkok. The Northern Line connects Bangkok with Chiang Mai, passing through Ayutthaya and Phitsanulok; the Northeastern Line travels up to Nong Khai, near the Laotian border, with a branch that goes east to Ubon Ratchathani; and the Southern Line goes all the way south through Surat Thani--the stop for Ko Samui--to the Malaysian border and on to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, a journey that takes 37 hours. (There is no train to Phuket, though you can go as far as Surat Thani and change to a scheduled bus service.)

Most trains offer second- or third-class tickets, but the overnight trains to the north (Chiang Mai) and to the south also offer first-class sleeping cabins. Couchettes, with sheets and curtains for privacy, are available in second class. Second-class tickets are about half the price of first-class, and since the couchettes are surprisingly comfortable, most Western travelers choose these. Do not leave valuables unguarded on overnight trains.

Tickets may be bought at the railway stations. Travel agencies can also sell tickets for overnight trains. Reservations are strongly advised for all long-distance trains. Train schedules in English are available from travel agents and from major railway stations.

Fares are reasonable. An air-conditioned, second-class couchette for the 14-hour journey from Bangkok to Chiang Mai is B530; first class is B980.

For information on schedules and passes, call the Bangkok Railway Station Advance Booking Office (tel. 02/223-3762 or 02/223-0341).

Getting around Bangkok as anything has 2 sides to it. Bangkok mass transit system operates 24 hours a day and is cheap even for the local populace. It efficiently covers the whole are of the Greater Bangkok and you always have choice to fit your budget: from plain simple buses with ever open windows up to hotel limousines. Yet, the other side of the medal is that you can enjoy all these advantages in full only when the city is deserted by half of its inhabitants with their cars during amjor public holidays. Otherwise, the only progress made in Bangkok transporatation in this century seems to be the switch from Chinese immigrant-driven rickshaw tricycle (average speed 10 mph) to futuristic turbo-charged and air-conditioned round-the- clock traffic snarl-up (average speed 8mph).

Taxis and Tuk-tuks

Most taxis in Bangkok use metres and have a lit sign "Taximeter" on the roof. If there's no metre in the taxi, fares must be agreed upon from the start. Fares range from 35 Baht to maximum of approximately 300 Baht within the city's precincts. Tuk-tuks or 3-wheel taxis (aka "3-wheel motor saws gone berserk") are quite popular among locals and tourists for short journeys Tuk-tuks are not allowed to enter highway). Fares range from abouT730 up to 150 Baht. However, taxi is a more advisable option considering never-ending Bangkok traffic snarl-up, especially during the rush hour, as travelling through Bangkok polluted street without air-conditioner may prove hazardous to health.

Buses

Bus transpor ' t in Bangkok is cheap and reasonably comfortable. There are non-airconditioned red and green buses (any destination
3.5 Baht), airconditioned blue buses (fare depending on distance) and air-conditioned televised microbuses with free newspapers (20
or 30 Baht, very comfortable for longer trips within the city). Red and green buses operate 24 hours a day (night fare 5 Baht).

Airport buses busying between the Don Mueang Airport and the major downtown destinations are a bit of ripoff with their 70 Baht fare, but avoiding a likely trip around Bangkok by taxi (with the fare clocking up all the way on the taximetre), it's still a bargain. There are 3 routes of the Airport Bus:

• A-1 goes to the Silom Road business district via Pratunam and Rajdamri Road, stoppping at big hotels like Indra Regent, Grand Hyatt Erawan, Regent Bangkok and Dusit Thani.
• A-2 goes to Sanam Luang via Phayathai Road, Lan Luang Road, Rajdamnoen Klang Road and Tanao Road; comes in hady for those travelling to the Siam Square ir Banglamphu areas.
• A-3 goes to the Phrakanong district via Sukhumwit Road.
  
  

Motorcycles

The fastest vehicle to whisk you out of a traffic jam, it require a somewhat adventurous disposition. Fares range from 15 to 100 Baht. Basically they do not go for long distances. Wearing helmet is obligatory and usually the driver will provide you with one.