A couple of days at BKK. Part 1.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 8:00 pm
A trip to Bangkok for work found me with a couple of spare days as I had to extend my trip due the cost of the flights on the dates wanted. by the time I had the best deal on TK, I found myself with 3 days to kill. Some quick research told me i wanted to book the Siam Mandarina, 5th floor, panoramic views over the airport. Photograph is possible over through the windows, but the quality is affected. After a couple of days I found there was a outside balcony, but the sun only came round in the afternoon.
The heat was a problem throughout and conditions we touch and go for most of the days.
The hotel is great value at around £50 per night, breakfast £12 extra, room service is available and is at a decent price. If you want supplies, come out of the Hotel and there is a shell garage about 200 yards down on the right, this has a western style Bean Cafe, offering various coffee's and pastries etc. A bit further on is a 7/11. Facing the hotel is a more Thai style shop, but this is across a eight lane road which could be described at best as a motorway, to get across is a zebra crossing, and that's it. That might sound great, but the Zebra crossing has no bearing on anything, they just ignore it, you are basically doing 4 lanes at a time with cars doing 50-70 mph, think frogger, on acid, blindfolded.
All that said, a wonderful time was had, with lots of variety, lots of freight and many many Chinese movements, the downside if you can call it that, is the arrivals continue through till about 3 am, then quiet until 6 when the Thai heavies seem to arrive, with 25 + in 2 hours. You might think, whats unusual about Thai heavies arriving at a Thai airport ?? Well if you spot till 3, go bed a\nd back up for say 9...most of the heavies have been and gone.
Here are a few of the shots i managed to save, best quality they aint..but gives you an idea.
Untitled by Rob Burns, on Flickr
New one on me, West Air A320.
by Rob Burns, on Flickr
9M-MYC of Mt Indo Airlines, this was a delayed departure, which i was happy with as it allowed me to capture in the light.
by Rob Burns, on Flickr
B-LPR, arriving in between heavy rain showers from Hong Kong.
by Rob Burns, on Flickr
VNA-392, A321 of Vietnam Airlines.
by Rob Burns, on Flickr
B-18311 A330 of China Airlines, arriving in some wonderful late evening light.
by Rob Burns, on Flickr
9M-WCA of World Cargo Airlines, shower dodging in some nice light.
by Rob Burns, on Flickr
B-2812 of YTO Cargo Airlines, departing in the dull, humid, overcast conditions.
by Rob Burns, on Flickr
VN-A288 of VietTravelAirlines, looking like it could have done with arriving earlier and getting a wash with the showers.
by Rob Burns, on Flickr
HS-VKP of Vietjet Air, looking like it has been painted by numbers by a junior school class.
by Rob Burns, on Flickr
XY-ALT of Mynamar Airways International, shot in the last light of the day, through the window...the resuly was never going to be good.
by Rob Burns, on Flickr
B-20CA, seen arriving on 20L, with a fine array of Far Eastern hardware in the background.
by Rob Burns, on Flickr
B-1057 of Sichuan Airlines, arriving 20L in the last rays of the day.
by Rob Burns, on Flickr
A321 of Wow airlines, when i first saw this i though "Wouldn't like to fly BKK-KEF on that, turn out it was leased to Vietjet.
by Rob Burns, on Flickr
HS-PGW, A319 of Bangkok Air, even with special colours, this airline always seems to look messy.
Part 2 to follow if your still awake :-)
The heat was a problem throughout and conditions we touch and go for most of the days.
The hotel is great value at around £50 per night, breakfast £12 extra, room service is available and is at a decent price. If you want supplies, come out of the Hotel and there is a shell garage about 200 yards down on the right, this has a western style Bean Cafe, offering various coffee's and pastries etc. A bit further on is a 7/11. Facing the hotel is a more Thai style shop, but this is across a eight lane road which could be described at best as a motorway, to get across is a zebra crossing, and that's it. That might sound great, but the Zebra crossing has no bearing on anything, they just ignore it, you are basically doing 4 lanes at a time with cars doing 50-70 mph, think frogger, on acid, blindfolded.
All that said, a wonderful time was had, with lots of variety, lots of freight and many many Chinese movements, the downside if you can call it that, is the arrivals continue through till about 3 am, then quiet until 6 when the Thai heavies seem to arrive, with 25 + in 2 hours. You might think, whats unusual about Thai heavies arriving at a Thai airport ?? Well if you spot till 3, go bed a\nd back up for say 9...most of the heavies have been and gone.
Here are a few of the shots i managed to save, best quality they aint..but gives you an idea.
Untitled by Rob Burns, on FlickrNew one on me, West Air A320.
by Rob Burns, on Flickr9M-MYC of Mt Indo Airlines, this was a delayed departure, which i was happy with as it allowed me to capture in the light.
by Rob Burns, on FlickrB-LPR, arriving in between heavy rain showers from Hong Kong.
by Rob Burns, on FlickrVNA-392, A321 of Vietnam Airlines.
by Rob Burns, on FlickrB-18311 A330 of China Airlines, arriving in some wonderful late evening light.
by Rob Burns, on Flickr9M-WCA of World Cargo Airlines, shower dodging in some nice light.
by Rob Burns, on FlickrB-2812 of YTO Cargo Airlines, departing in the dull, humid, overcast conditions.
by Rob Burns, on FlickrVN-A288 of VietTravelAirlines, looking like it could have done with arriving earlier and getting a wash with the showers.
by Rob Burns, on FlickrHS-VKP of Vietjet Air, looking like it has been painted by numbers by a junior school class.
by Rob Burns, on FlickrXY-ALT of Mynamar Airways International, shot in the last light of the day, through the window...the resuly was never going to be good.
by Rob Burns, on FlickrB-20CA, seen arriving on 20L, with a fine array of Far Eastern hardware in the background.
by Rob Burns, on FlickrB-1057 of Sichuan Airlines, arriving 20L in the last rays of the day.
by Rob Burns, on FlickrA321 of Wow airlines, when i first saw this i though "Wouldn't like to fly BKK-KEF on that, turn out it was leased to Vietjet.
by Rob Burns, on FlickrHS-PGW, A319 of Bangkok Air, even with special colours, this airline always seems to look messy.
Part 2 to follow if your still awake :-)
