Suvarnabhumi Airport will not only change air travel in and out of Bangkok – plus Thailand’s image as a hub of Southeast Asian aviation – it will also have a big impact on thousands of people whose lives revolve around the airport.

As Suvarnabhumi is a long way from Don Muang airport, staff must adjust their daily travelling routine. Some are buying new houses near the airport, some are renting apartments and others are still considering whether they should move – or quit their jobs.

Pimpa Kachenthong, 28, who is part of Lufthansa’s ground staff, said she had already rented an apartment with two friends near the new airport.

“I started looking for it about a month ago as soon as it was confirmed we were going to move to the new airport,” Pimpa said. She found a place she liked and reserved it. Later, two friends from the same airline agreed to share with her.

They don’t plan to fully shift to the apartment. Rather, it will act as a shelter when they finish shifts at late hours.

However, if it proves too costly to travel 80 kilometres back and forth from her home in Phongphet, Pimpa might consider a permanent move.

Thai Airways co-pilot Chakbong Singharachai, 27, wants to wait a little bit longer. “My house is very close to Thai Airways’ headquarters on Vipavadi-Rangsit Road, and now the company is offering daily shuttle buses from there to Suvarnabhumi, I think I will try that first,” he said.

Chakbong has not moved yet because he was not fully confident Suvarnabhumi was ready to open.

“It’s like you are building a new house, a very big one, and you have to move in when it is not even finished. Certainly, we expect some confusion and problems. But the question is, to what extent will these problems be?” he said.

“I just want to make sure that the move is completed and we don’t have to move back to Don Muang. Otherwise, I would have wasted my time and energy finding a place near Suvarnabhumi and moving in.”

For Thai Airways stewardess Benjamas Pooklomtuan, 37, who has been living in the Don Muang area since leaving school, moving is a big matter that needs careful consideration.

For now, she opts to drive to work, despite costly expressway tolls and the price of fuel. But that means she has had to adjust her schedule because it takes an extra hour to get to the new airport.

Aphitsara Sawangkaew, a guest service agent for AirAsia, will have to make the same adjustment. She said she might have to wake up and get ready as early as 2am.
“My shift normally starts at 4.30am. With the move to the new airport, I have to leave the house by 3am to reach my workplace in time,” said Aphitsara, adding that she felt insecure leaving home at such a time.

Increased travelling costs also concern her.

The move to Suvarnabhumi will cost her Bt130 a day for expressway tolls alone, not to mention the cost of fuel. With an average net income of Bt300 a day, she foresees an inevitable financial problem.

“I have been looking for a place to rent near the new airport. But they are either fully occupied or too expensive,” she said.

The cheapest condominium she found was Bt4,500 a month, excluding the community fee. The landlord told her that local rents had increased dramatically because of the high demand created by the new airport.

Her airline only confirmed its move last month, leaving her little time to look for accommodation.

Despite the travelling difficulties, none of the people interviewed said they would quit their jobs.

“As an air hostess, I have travelled to so many countries and had to adjust to new environments. When our country needs to make an adjustment, I think I should be able to handle it,” Benjamas, from Thai Airways, said.

Chatrarat Kaewmorakot,
Sopaporn Kurz
The Nation