Situated about 30 km or 40 minutes by car from central Bangkok, the modern Suvarnabhumi International Airport which opened in September 2006 is located in Bangphli, a district of Samut Prakarn province. Nearby attractions are Ancient City, the world's biggest open-air museum, and Samut Prakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo. Neighbouring the area is Bangna, a thriving commercial and industrial area and home to the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC), as well as the massive Seacon Square shopping mall. The infamous Pattaya beach resort is also less than 40 minutes away.
The Flourishing Future of Suvarnabhumi Area
Since the opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport, new business opportunities, especially in the property, tourism, logistics and export sectors, have continued to mushroom. There has been talk of plans to further develop the area into a financial street, consisting of banks and financial institutions with an investment of about 40 billion baht.
At least 3,000 more factories will be set up in the vicinity of the airport, as well as an international hospital to serve expatriates working in industrial zones. Other new developments include an aviation college, a hypermart, and a logistics park featuring technology manufacturers. The airport is also considering the possibility of allowing transit passengers to travel to town and nearby sights and attractions while waiting for connecting flights.
Whether or not Suvarnabhumi Airport will become the regional aviation hub is still a debate. But with new developments and projects, it's no doubt that in a few years from now, the area will be as developed as Bangkok. |
