I think I saw Victor Navroski the other day waving at me from the window of Suvarnabhumi Airport. That poor Tom Hanks character, the unfortunate tourist who got stuck for months in an airport was grinning down at me standing on the sizzling hot Bangkok tarmac. Looks like Victor was doing the same thing I was, checking out the nooks and crannies of the newest largest single building in the world.  If either of us had to settle in for a long stay this just might be the place.

Suvaranabhumi is the world’s newest aerotropolis – a new class of airport-based city complete with food, lodging and entertainment , a booming economy in itself that will boost the 14% that tourism already contributes to Thailand’s GDP.  People who work here will eat here, sleep near here, heck they might even have their babies here.  But clearly, when the world’s tallest control tower and largest building in the world rose out of the muck of  Nong Ngu Hao otherwise known as Cobra Swamp, those clever PR folks didn’t have to be too clairvoyant to rename it Suvarnabhumi (Golden Land). 

Like they say in Vegas, what happens here, stays here, including your cash.  Suvarnabhumi Airport concourses will be full with vendors offering fast food, Thai cuisine, fresh flowers, designer garments.  Shopped enough?  Miss your flight?  You can always roll a few at the airport’s bowling alley.  There’s also an airport spa and Thai massage.  Just remember to keep aside US$13 for your departure tax (goes up toe $18 in February).

Some say deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra pushed the Suvarnabhumi project too hard, suggesting he was using the airport completion as a political tool to boost his image.  With the recent coup, Thaksin and his government won’t be presiding over the grand opening, which some say is a bit premature and may have some hiccups. We shall see.

Suvranabhumi will have the capacity to handle 76 flights an hour, move 45 million passengers and 3 million tons of cargo a year.  While the air may be hot enough to fry some Pad Thai noodles, the three layers of glass that form the oval architecture will keep the concourses from overheating.  Excess heat created by electricity generation will be used for cooling water and creating steam for Suvranabhumi’s air conditioning system. 

If Victor Nevroski wants to get out, there will be 24 x 7 free shuttle bus service to Bangkok but getting back might be another matter. A high speed rail access promising a 15 minute ride from the downtown to the airport won’t be ready till November 2007 and officials say driving there will take twice that long.  Limos are allowed at the terminal, but beware, even modest limos that don’t look much different from the better taxis will cost up to four times as much as a cab.  And officials are making sure that the passengers arrive in style – public taxis over five years old won’t be allowed to serve Suvarnabhumi airport.  At the time of this writing, it’s still being debated whether taxis will be allowed at the terminals or relegated to a Transport Centre 2.5 km from the airport requiring passengers to take a shuttle bus to and from a satellite Transportation Center at the airport.  Happy schlepping if you’ve got lots of luggage. 

The Airport Authority is  now saying some 20 cabs will be allowed at all times on the second floor of the airport – promising enough for peak times, Otherwise, drag your stuff aboard a shuttle bus that will come every five minutes to take you to the transportation center where you can catch a taxi.  Get on the bus get off the bus, get in the cab, get out of the cab…Gawd I need a vacation! Or a Thai massage.