Bangkok is served by two airports. Suvarnabhumi Airport, the main gateway to Thailand with 120 international and domestic airlines, remains open. It is operating normally and handling around 76 flights per hour including all scheduled international arrivals and departures.
Suvarnabhumi Airport is also the main connector for international visitor arrivals to transfer to and from domestic flights serving tourist destinations throughout Thailand such as Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Surat Thani.
All domestic flights are also operating as per usual. Don Mueang Airport, located about 30 kilometers northeast of Suvarnabhumi Airport, is closed until November 1st due to flooding. The two domestic airlines operating from Don Mueang, which are Nok Air and Orient Thai Airlines, have temporarily switched their operations to Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Useful contact numbers: Nok Air: 1318 or +66 0 2900 9955 Orient Thai Airlines: 1126 Suvarnabhumi Airport Call Center: +66 0 2132 1888
The flooding in Thailand is mainly affecting the central provinces along the Chao Phraya River including Bangkok and Ayutthaya. Other popular tourist destinations in the central region including Pattaya, Hua Hin, Kanchanaburi and Koh Chang have not been affected by the floods. Provinces in the south of Thailand also have not been affected by the floods.
Situation in Bangkok
Most areas of central Bangkok where to tourists normally go are not flooded at this time. The Chao Phraya River, which runs through Bangkok, is at a higher-than-normal level. This is causing some flooding at tourist attractions that are close to the river.
Within the Bangkok Metropolitan Area, several suburbs and areas adjacent to the Chao Phraya River are experiencing flooding. As these areas are largely residential and industrial zones, they are not normally visited by tourists. The government has asked residents to leave these areas due to the flooding.
The BTS Skytrain and MRT subway are operating normally. Taxis and tuk tuks are operating on a limited basis. Many BMTA bus routes have been rerouted or suspended due to the flooding. Express boat services on the Chao Phraya River have also been suspended.
According to government officials, 27 October until 1 November 2011 will be a peak period for flooding due to a combination of high seasonal tides and the large volume of water flowing from the northern provinces through the Bangkok area. The government has announced holidays during this period to facilitate the management of flood control measures. The Chatuchak Weekend Market is closed the weekend of October 29.
Given the rapidly changing nature of the flooding situation in Bangkok, the TAT recommends that tourists check multiple sources of information to make an informed decision about whether they should visit Bangkok at the present time.
Transportation:
Airports
Bangkok is served by two airports. Suvarnabhumi Airport, the main gateway to Thailand with 120 international and domestic airlines, remains open. It has considerable flood protection measures in place and is operating normally, handling around 76 flights per hour.
Suvarnabhumi Airport is also the main connector for international arrivals to domestic flights serving tourist destinations throughout Thailand such as Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Surat Thani. Domestic flights are operating as per normal between Suvarnabhumi Airport and all other airports in Thailand.
Transportation from the airport into central Bangkok including taxis, buses and the Airport Rail Link have not been affected by the floods and are operating normally. Highways from the airport to tourist destinations southeast of Bangkok such as Pattaya, Rayong, and Koh Chang are open. Travelers should allow additional time to travel to the airport due to traffic congestion.
Don Mueang Airport, the old international airport, has been closed until November 1 due to flooding. The two domestic airlines operating from Don Mueang have temporarily switched their operations to Suvarnabhumi Airport.
