Planespotting Guides for Thailand's Airfields and Airports
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Spotting locations, viewing areas, the best spotting hotel rooms and advice on access for plane spotters travelling to airports and airfields in Thailand. Use the hotlinks above or scroll down for spotting information on spotting locations, airfield hangar access, aviation museums, preserved aircraft. Plus all the information has been plotted as Points of Interest and can be downloaded to your SatNavs, Google Earth and Google Maps to make planning your spotting trips abroad so much easier and helping you log many more
BANGKOK-SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT (VTBS/BKK)
Terminal Spotting Info
There are two observation galleries high up in the roof space looking out on to the main pan. The general layout is like an H shape with the cross bars extended so that you have two bays down each side and one in the middle. The decks overlook the latter, the main pan. The construction is steel and glass and you have large beams going through your sightlines. There are two runways either side of the terminal and everything goes across the main ramp at some stage. Right hand side of departure hall at the rear is a viewing deck on level 7 with good views or the lounge bar on level 6 is just as good. On left hand side, no viewing deck but there is a restaurant with good views as long as the odd coffee and sandwich are purchased.
Planespotting Hotels
The Novotel has rooms overlooking the commuter ramp and the low cost aircraft parked next to them. Rooms on floors 4 and 5 have views of landing and some taxiing aircraft but not lining up for departure. The hotel has two wings, west and east, it has been suggested that room 2549 is the best with 2547, 2545, 2543, 2541, 2539, 2535 as alternatives. If movements are landing towards the hotel, all can be easily read off. The room also faces the cargo terminal and anything taxiing on or off there can also be easily read off. The Air Asia and PB Air/Bangkok Airways stands are also partly visible. On the other wing, rooms 1539 etc have views of the domestic ramp, and are closer to the take off runway so landing traffic is at a more obscure angle. All these face away from the terminal building. If like the old airport the landing direction remains fairly stable eg. towards the terminal, the above will apply. If not then views will be restricted to taxiing aircraft. The hotel is linked to the main terminal by a tunnel. Overground just come out of the terminal, cross the road to the car parks and go through them or take the courtesy bus. The hotel is across the road from the other side.
The Novotel features on for reviews, prices and room availability
The Queens Garden Resort is situated on about a one mile final to one of the runways at Bangkok and the manager is hoping that the location of the hotel will be very good for aviation enthusiasts. He will give plane spotters access 24 hours a day to the viewing balcony on the 1st floor of the hotel, which overlooks the final approach area. He has also agreed to open up the roof area of the hotel to plane spotters only but only if you book direct through their website. This gives a much better photo angle on the approaching aircraft, but more importantly gives views of the approach to the 2nd parallel runway, where inbounds should be able to be read off with a decent telescope. There will also be a list available at reception of arrivals due in for the day (and night) for you to take at the commencement of the day. Rates for a double room are about £15 a night, which makes the place much more economical than the Novotel. All of the above points are subject to bookings made through the official hotel website only (not Expedia etc). Advise them that you are a plane spotter on the booking form and they will try to get you the best rooms and also arrange for access to the viewing balcony and rooftop area.
The Queens Garden Resort features on for reviews, prices and room availability
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