23Mar08 - Transit at BKK

Some people love this airport, others hate it. I'm with the former group today. Everything running smoothly and in good order.

The Royal Silk lounges were quiet havens with plenty of staff keeping things neat, tidy and clean. Food selection was a little limited – you tire of those savoury pastries quickly enough – but drinks were plentiful (not that I indulged at this hour of the morning). The chairs in the little relaxtion partitions are very comfortable – definitely adequate for a relaxing nap.

Some nice pad thai available around lunchtime, with delicious looking chocolate cake sporting the "Thai Catering" brand!

I really like the long concourse piers at BKK. They are evocative of Suvarnabhumi reaching out to the four (or six) corners of the world – pick your tunnel! There's also a sense of travelling through time and space as you look down the silvery caverns. Do you remember the "tunnel" title sequence of Dr Who (BBC series) in the 70s?

This really is a stunning piece of architecture... notwithstanding some of the problems.

Out of curiosity, I walked to the arrivals hall and found no fast track channels for Royal First/Royal Silk pax. On the far right there was passport control for diplomatic/official travellers. This really is something TG needs to fix – at their home port, they really should look after their premium customers.

An hour and a half before boarding the FRA flight, I freshened up with a shower (would be good if they provided a face washer along with the towel) and headed to the spa for a neck and shoulders massage.

Hint: For those heading to Australia, buy your duty free alcohol at BKK rather than MEL. Price comparison (BKK THB prices converted to AUD at 1:0.0348):

• JW Gold - MEL$90 - BKK$73
• JW Black - MEL$49 - BKK$34
• Absolut - MEL$29 - BKK$18
• Tanqueray - MEL$29 - BKK$21