News Forum - New Don Mueang Airport shuttle links to Thailand hotspots

[Thaiger]

A brand-new feeder shuttle bus service, linking Don Mueang International Airport to the dazzling shores of Pattaya, is going to make it a whole lot easier for tourists to experience some of Thailand’ most iconic destinations. Launched on Saturday, March 8, under the watchful eye of Deputy Transport Minister Surapong Piyachote, the service is set … …

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[AussieBob]

I dont know why they dont just build another airport on the west side of the city for domestic and local regional flights, and bulldoze Don Mueang and sell the land to pay for it all. They want more and more tourists but instead of making their travel infrastructure more easier and modernised, they keep putting lipstick on the Don Mueang pig.  Surely for Tourists comng to Pattaya, the far better option is getting on with and finishing the Utupao Airport.

From the local village to the Government - Thais have SFA ability to see the big picture and organise themselves appropriately.  The Queen of UK was buried within 2 weeks - already done and organised and just a matter of implementation - who sits where etc.  They took 12 months to sort it all out for the last Monarch to pass away here - and even then it did not go smoothly. 

[BigHewer]

I think Don Mueang is seen as the gateway to the north, especially for future high speed rail links and the like. 

I travelled in there by train last month and flew out, all very smooth. 

For me, an airport south-west of Bangkok would make sense but I suppose it ain’t ever gonna happen.

U-Tapao seems to me like “oh sh*t we should’ve built Suvarnabhumi further east”. 

[AussieBob]

  On 3/10/2025 at 6:05 AM, BigHewer said:

I think Don Mueang is seen as the gateway to the north, especially for future high speed rail links and the like. 

I travelled in there by train last month and flew out, all very smooth. 

For me, an airport south-west of Bangkok would make sense but I suppose it ain’t ever gonna happen.

U-Tapao seems to me like “oh sh*t we should’ve built Suvarnabhumi further east”. 

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Whenever I must use DM, I use a car/taxi and it is always a problem getting in and out - a total clusterf*** of disorganisation and illogical route design.  I understand why (sort of) - because it should have been bulldozed decades ago - it is in a very busy location and there is no room to expand things easily. 

Utapao is being rebuilt as we speak - the land has been cleared and the plans are big. But as with all things in Thailand, there are conflicting interests and it will probably end up being another camel (the committee design of a horse).   You know that the 'interests' making the money from DM being where it is, will not support any other airport taking away their business in their Province/District.  IMO there are many things holding Thailand back from becomming what is could be - and one of them is the antiquated Provincial and District mentality that controls all things in that area, with absolutely no care at all about the other Provinces and Districts and the people in them.  

[BigHewer]

  On 3/10/2025 at 6:21 AM, AussieBob said:

Whenever I must use DM, I use a car/taxi and it is always a problem getting in and out - a total clusterf*** of disorganisation and illogical route design. 

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I agree there for sure. Not only for cars.

Had a late night pick up there last month when my wife flew in at 1am. Got the train in and instead of waiting in arrivals, went over to the outdoor food market on Kampaeng Phet Rd…

Little did I know, they shut down all access to the elevators and foot bridges across the tollway after the last train. WTF? Bad luck if you’re getting there on foot.

Long story short, a real maze to get back, had to jump/scale two accordion gates like some kind of thug to avoid taking a 15 minute taxi ride for a 100 meter journey.

[AussieBob]

  On 3/11/2025 at 12:16 AM, BigHewer said:

I agree there for sure. Not only for cars.

Had a late night pick up there last month when my wife flew in at 1am. Got the train in and instead of waiting in arrivals, went over to the outdoor food market on Kampaeng Phet Rd…

Little did I know, they shut down all access to the elevators and foot bridges across the tollway after the last train. WTF? Bad luck if you’re getting there on foot.

Long story short, a real maze to get back, had to jump/scale two accordion gates like some kind of thug to avoid taking a 15 minute taxi ride for a 100 meter journey.

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Reminds me of one interesting time we had there.  We booked the hotel at the airport (forgot name) so it would be easy to get to the airport in morning for departure (short trip over to see family in Isaan).  Well fornicate me if I could understand how to get to the hotel parking lot - Google no help as it's alleged route disappeared when we wnet under the overpasses) - Wife calling them no help either. Lots of driving around and trying roads and sois and I stumbled upon it.  Have you guessed what was next?  Yep - finding a route over to the airport parking lot was also a disaster - Google no help Hotel desk staff no help (very confusing instructions) - but I found it in the end,  Allowed plenty of time so no problems. But still it was a total clusterphark, because having done it all I still failed. I was talking to a mate some time later and he said "Why did you not pay to leave the car in the hotel parking lot and walk over to departures?"  

But wait - I still remember one more similar episode. This was in Australia !!  Brisbane Airport - also a total clusterpharkk of idiots planning. Besides have 2 separate airport terminals 1 km apart with two separate huge carparks - International and National. There was absolutely no advice provided on website about that fact by Google or the Car Rental company - and the roads in and out were planned by a Gender Studies PHD.  So there I was having dropped off the Wife and all the bags at the departure gates, and I had no idea how to get across to the hire car place in the international terminal carpark to return the rented vehicle. I asked an 'attendant' at the gates and she said 'what?' and she then asked why I had not taken the car there when entering the airport. I pointed at all the bags we had - about 8 of them - including golf clubs. She looked lost and said she would ask. She came back and said 'no one knows' - she suggested I leave the International Airport and go to the National one and then come back.  After much trying, I discovered it was not possible - even Google had no idea - it kept taking me around to the hire car place at the National airport. In the end I had to leave completely and drive about 5ks back towards the City (all a freeway with no off ramps) and then turn around at a set of lights (illegally) and come back in to the International Terminal carpark and into the car rental section.  Wait - there is more. There is no easy way to walk directly from the car rental section of the international carpark over to the departure gates about 100 yards away.  They told me I had to walk out of this section, across to the public entrance to the main carpark building over 200 yards away and then go up to the Xth floor of that carpark and then walk back this way across to the departure gates. The whole place was not built for pedestrians - obviously they thought no one returns a rental car and then goes to the international departure gates.  When I said - hey wait a minute - it is only just over there across those roads - she said no pedestrian allowed to walk cross that way.  So now you know what reminded me of your adventure - I ignored that advice, waited until she was gone and I was out of sight, and I scaled 2 small fences and walk over the 3 roads to get to the gates. As soon as I arrived, I had instructed the wife by phone, to have everything ready to run because they might detain me if I was spotted. I have been to every City airport in Australia (and many Regional ones). Without a doubt, Brisbane Airport is the worst designed, managed and run airport in the country.  PS - while sitting upstairs having a much needed coffee, guess what I saw? Yep - a bloke scaling the last fence and walking across a road towards the departure gates carrying a bag (I always hope he also made it). 

[BigHewer]

  On 3/11/2025 at 8:21 AM, AussieBob said:

I have been to every City airport in Australia (and many Regional ones). Without a doubt, Brisbane Airport is the worst designed, managed and run airport in the country.

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Problem with Don Mueang hotels is they look close on the map but a total PITA to get to or from. Hence your issues above and my fence scaling escapade.

I kid you not, as I read the first paragraph of your post, I was thinking yep, agree, yep… then my mind wandered a bit and I started thinking of other sh*t airports logistically and Brisbane was the first place that sprang to mind. Then reached your paragraph two and hey presto . Seriously, what a dumb layout with their parking and drop offs.

[Khunmark]

  On 3/11/2025 at 8:21 AM, AussieBob said:

Reminds me of one interesting time we had there.  We booked the hotel at the airport (forgot name) so it would be easy to get to the airport in morning for departure (short trip over to see family in Isaan).  Well fornicate me if I could understand how to get to the hotel parking lot - Google no help as it's alleged route disappeared when we wnet under the overpasses) - Wife calling them no help either. Lots of driving around and trying roads and sois and I stumbled upon it.  Have you guessed what was next?  Yep - finding a route over to the airport parking lot was also a disaster - Google no help Hotel desk staff no help (very confusing instructions) - but I found it in the end,  Allowed plenty of time so no problems. But still it was a total clusterphark, because having done it all I still failed. I was talking to a mate some time later and he said "Why did you not pay to leave the car in the hotel parking lot and walk over to departures?"  

But wait - I still remember one more similar episode. This was in Australia !!  Brisbane Airport - also a total clusterpharkk of idiots planning. Besides have 2 separate airport terminals 1 km apart with two separate huge carparks - International and National. There was absolutely no advice provided on website about that fact by Google or the Car Rental company - and the roads in and out were planned by a Gender Studies PHD.  So there I was having dropped off the Wife and all the bags at the departure gates, and I had no idea how to get across to the hire car place in the international terminal carpark to return the rented vehicle. I asked an 'attendant' at the gates and she said 'what?' and she then asked why I had not taken the car there when entering the airport. I pointed at all the bags we had - about 8 of them - including golf clubs. She looked lost and said she would ask. She came back and said 'no one knows' - she suggested I leave the International Airport and go to the National one and then come back.  After much trying, I discovered it was not possible - even Google had no idea - it kept taking me around to the hire car place at the National airport. In the end I had to leave completely and drive about 5ks back towards the City (all a freeway with no off ramps) and then turn around at a set of lights (illegally) and come back in to the International Terminal carpark and into the car rental section.  Wait - there is more. There is no easy way to walk directly from the car rental section of the international carpark over to the departure gates about 100 yards away.  They told me I had to walk out of this section, across to the public entrance to the main carpark building over 200 yards away and then go up to the Xth floor of that carpark and then walk back this way across to the departure gates. The whole place was not built for pedestrians - obviously they thought no one returns a rental car and then goes to the international departure gates.  When I said - hey wait a minute - it is only just over there across those roads - she said no pedestrian allowed to walk cross that way.  So now you know what reminded me of your adventure - I ignored that advice, waited until she was gone and I was out of sight, and I scaled 2 small fences and walk over the 3 roads to get to the gates. As soon as I arrived, I had instructed the wife by phone, to have everything ready to run because they might detain me if I was spotted. I have been to every City airport in Australia (and many Regional ones). Without a doubt, Brisbane Airport is the worst designed, managed and run airport in the country.  PS - while sitting upstairs having a much needed coffee, guess what I saw? Yep - a bloke scaling the last fence and walking across a road towards the departure gates carrying a bag (I always hope he also made it). 

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There’s no doubt in my mind Bob, the Brisbane airport was purposely designed to include frustrations you have highlighted to prep unwitting tourists for what they can expect once they leave the airport and start driving around the city. I don’t know who designed the city, however it’s safe to assume he drew inspiration from a bowl of spaghetti when coming up with the design. 

[AussieBob]

  On 3/11/2025 at 3:58 PM, BigHewer said:

Problem with Don Mueang hotels is they look close on the map but a total PITA to get to or from. Hence your issues above and my fence scaling escapade.

I kid you not, as I read the first paragraph of your post, I was thinking yep, agree, yep… then my mind wandered a bit and I started thinking of other sh*t airports logistically and Brisbane was the first place that sprang to mind. Then reached your paragraph two and hey presto . Seriously, what a dumb layout with their parking and drop offs.

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When we first went to Australia to 'serve out' my waiting period for the Pension, and for the wife to get Residence/Citizenship,  we lived in rural NSW in a town called Albury . It was cheap and had lots of good infrastructure - big freeways and airport for visiting relos - Sydney and Melbourne both too expensive to rent a decent houise to live in for a few years. Within 6 months it was clear the winter was too extreme, even for me who lived in Canberra foir a while it was cold after years of living in Thailand. Seriously, on day the wife looked like a small Michillen man with all the gear she had on. So I decided we should move north where it was warmer  - anywhere near the coast was horrendously expensive and anything inland was like The Deliverance, so we went to Queensland - north of Brisbane. Suffice to say the weather was great, but if/when we return to Australia we will not be living in Queensland - basically it is full of educated people from the Deliverance (Georgia/Alabama) - some are good, but many should only be on the farms/swamps.

[AussieBob]

  On 3/12/2025 at 5:58 AM, Khunmark said:

There’s no doubt in my mind Bob, the Brisbane airport was purposely designed to include frustrations you have highlighted to prep unwitting tourists for what they can expect once they leave the airport and start driving around the city. I don’t know who designed the city, however it’s safe to assume he drew inspiration from a bowl of spaghetti when coming up with the design. 

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Truly a design/plan made by farmers trying to build a City - the whole town is a clusterf*** of epic proportions - no planning ahead.  I recall once having a chat with a young business lady (in real estate) who had just moved up from Melbourne - we had a few laughs about how silly/ignorant they are. She said they 'speak funny' and I said - "Wait there is more ... not only do they walk and talk funny, they think funny too."  In the end I suggested that she try Sydney, if she was looking to work somewhere for a few years 'life experience' away from Melbourne - a couple of months in Queensland is all you need. 

[BigHewer]

  On 3/15/2025 at 7:55 AM, AussieBob said:

but if/when we return to Australia we will not be living in Queensland - basically it is full of educated people from the Deliverance (Georgia/Alabama) - some are good, but many should only be on the farms/swamps.

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Wow. I couldn’t agree more.

The Deliverance

Great movie with Burt Reynolds et al.

I watched it again last year and read up on it.

The tune from the movie Duelling Banjos (ding a ding ding, ding ding ding ding) was a number one hit in one country only.

Can you guess the country?

(hint: One state loved it) 

[BigHewer]

Edit: I just checked.

Duelling banjos only reached #3 in Oz.

My bad

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_number-one_singles_in_Australia_during_the_1970s

[Khunmark]

  On 3/15/2025 at 10:24 AM, BigHewer said:

Edit: I just checked.

Duelling banjos only reached #3 in Oz.

My bad

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_number-one_singles_in_Australia_during_the_1970s

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Wow, that list brought back some memories. If Benny Hill and Graeme Bond are making the top of the charts you can be sure we didn’t mind taking the pi55 back in the day.

[AussieBob]

  On 3/15/2025 at 10:14 AM, BigHewer said:

Wow. I couldn’t agree more.

The Deliverance

Great movie with Burt Reynolds et al.

I watched it again last year and read up on it.

The tune from the movie Duelling Banjos (ding a ding ding, ding ding ding ding) was a number one hit in one country only.

Can you guess the country?

(hint: One state loved it) 

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USA?  Georgia??

[BigHewer]

  On 3/15/2025 at 11:02 AM, Khunmark said:

Wow, that list brought back some memories. If Benny Hill and Graeme Bond are making the top of the charts you can be sure we didn’t mind taking the pi55 back in the day.

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Yeah, I noticed when searching for “duelling banjos” that the Benny Hill theme song was a number one hit in Australia in 1972.

Very impressive