Captain Werasak Wiroonpetch, who steered the TG 1881 special flight upon landing, said upon arrival: "I feel very honoured to fly this very first flight." Werasak had previously flown simulations of the route.

The 15-minute flight was symbolic. The test of commercial flights was designed to put to rest concerns over the readiness of the Bt155-billion airport. Thaksin said it should be ready for commercial operations on September 28. "The remaining problems are minor, and they should not be an obstacle to opening the new airport," he said.

Six Thai carriers - Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, Orient Thai Airways, Nok Air, PB Air and THAI - flew a combined 20 domestic flights in and out of the new airport yesterday.

THAI president Apinan Sumanaseni said: "THAI's first commercial flights to Suvarnabhumi will ensure that the new airport is ready for official opening on September 28."

However, some industry observers remain sceptical that the airport will be ready for operation as scheduled, saying that the first test flights will not test its ability to handle heavy traffic. When it is fully operational the airport should be able to handle 45 million passengers a year.

Despite some safety concerns, thousands of passengers were willing to pay to join the first flights to Suvarnabhumi.

Tanat Tanabullawat, who is in the construction business, flew from Phuket by Bangkok Airways. He said he wanted to see the facilities of the new airport. Asked about safety concerns, he said: "I have head about some security problems, but I was not afraid to fly."

Pinij Boonsanunt bought a ticket for flight TG 1881 because he wanted to see the interior of the new airport. "The airport is quite spacious, even though the interior is a bit too plain for me," he said.

Bangkok Airways meanwhile operated four commercial flights in and out of Suvarnabhumi Airport with two types of aircraft, the 162-seat A320 and the 70-seat ATR-72. Bangkok Airways senior vice president for operations, Puttipong Prasarttong-osoth, said the carrier was expecting a 10-15 per cent boost in the number of its passengers when the new airport opened.

Swedish engineer Jan Gallsjo, 55, caught a glimpse of what the new airport will be like when he arrived from Phuket via Bangkok Airways. He said he would fly into the new airport again in December. "I hope to see it fully operational," he said.

While most of those interviewed said they were not afraid of potential safety problems, many expressed concern with the readiness of a mass-transport system to carry passengers from Suvarnabhumi Airport into Bangkok.

With the Airport Link mass-transit system yet to be finished, many passengers used public buses to leave the airport.

Hundreds of visitors arrived at the new airport just to see what it looked like. Crowds gathered in front of shops inside the terminal to look at watches and electronic gadgets.

A choir of youths dressed in various national costumes gathered at the front of A1 Gate to welcome passengers with a rendition of "We are the World".

Most of the visitors wore yellow as a tribute to His Majesty the King, who named the airport. "Suvarnabhumi" means "Golden Land".

The sea of yellow T-shirts was quite pronounced against the white background of the airport's interior, which uses plenty of white fabric and UV low-emission glass.

The highlight of the interior is the bronze sculpture inside the terminal hall depicting characters from mythology based on the story of the Churning of the Milk Ocean. In the story Vishnu produces 14 treasures by churning the sea.

"The story is suitable here at the airport as it highlights travel and stability," an Airport of Thailand (AOT) official explained.

Opposite the sculpture is a site marked for the throne that the AOT official said had been prepared for His Majesty the King when he visited the airport for its grand opening.

Asked if that would be in September, the official said: "We hope so."

Next he displayed the slogan on his T-shirt, a uniform all AOT officials wore yesterday.

It said: "We can do".

Jeerawat Na Thalang,

Suchat Sritama

The Nation