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Anything interesting to do in Transit for 5 hours in BKK Su-va-na-POOM??

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  • Anything interesting to do in Transit for 5 hours in BKK Su-va-na-POOM??

    Hey guys I was just wondering whether you guys have any suggestions on what I can do for 5 hours in BKK?? My flight will arrive at 0600 and my next flight will depart at 1055. I'm travelling both sectors on TG, but don't have any status on any airline, so I wondering is there anything fun to do, especially at that time?? I know there aren't that many seats and resting areas in BKK and arriving at 0600, I'm bound to be really tired... So instead of resting I was thinking of staying awake and doing something useful!

  • #2
    Assuming your flight arrives on time, add to that the time it takes to taxi to the gate plus the boarding time for your next flight, you realistically have only four hours so I would say just hang out and chill in the terminal. If you try to venture outside, traffic is gonna be at peak hour especially if you arrive on a weekday and you don't wanna risk missing your flight.

    If you're tired, you can plonk yourself at one of the resto-bars, order a cuppa, and people watch. If you feel awake, walk about the terminal, window shop, feel the smoothness of Thai silk fabric on display, taste-smell the aromatherapy essential oils, etc.

    If you head straight for your next departure gate, you'll be early enough to pick a great seat where you can catch a snooze.
    Le jour de Saint Eugène, en traversant la Calle Mayor...

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    • #3
      Go for a massage perhaps? There are quite a few littered around the terminal... Not the best but you can kill an hour or so, then go for some breakfast...
      God must have been a ship owner, he placed the raw materials far from where they are needed and covered two-thirds of the earth with water...

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      • #4
        You *could* take the airport train into town for a quickie... then go back (the fast trains are 15 mins, the slow ones are 25 mins) but I wouldn't recommend it... stay in the terminal, massage yourself silly (45 mins = 500 baht, or about $20 SGD), then go crash in the lounge (if you have access)... try to get one with a private room/bed if you're tired. Then off you go to your next flight.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Kyo View Post
          You *could* take the airport train into town for a quickie... [...] but I wouldn't recommend it... stay in the terminal, massage yourself silly
          I think a quickie is preferable to a quick one with yourself but YMMV...

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          • #6
            FYI if you go landside. It might be a hit or miss paying the departure tax of 700BHT (if the passport checker or immigration officers catches this you must pay)

            4 hours is pushing your limits. At most you will have 1-2 hours in town if you can speed through everything.

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            • #7
              You WILL have to pay if you go landside. Don't try to evade it... they'll send you back and cost you precious time and potentially some embarassment also...

              Originally posted by jhm View Post
              I think a quickie is preferable to a quick one with yourself but YMMV...
              Don't wanna know what goes on in your Private Room...

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              • #8
                The one big benefit on the new train is being able to nip into town during a long layover and not have to worry about getting caught in a traffic jam on the way back and missing your flight. It's next to useless for most Hotels in the city but that's another story...

                Personally I would stilll go into town, mainly because I am sick of the sight of airports and lounges and Bangkok is one of the great cities, but at that time you are probably as well just killing time in the airport.

                Originally posted by fumitani View Post
                FYI if you go landside. It might be a hit or miss paying the departure tax of 700BHT (if the passport checker or immigration officers catches this you must pay)
                Well it shouldn't be hit or miss as the laws of the land say it's payable if you go landside.

                I have to say I have been reading with immense amusement recent threads and posts elsewhere about how you go about evading this unaffordable US$ 20 tax that is due if you go landside. Some of the comments and advice have been hilarious. I even read one today that advised someone to stay airside for over 8 hours to avoid it.

                It's US$20 FFS. If you need to start dodging that then people should pick somewhere closer to home/cheaper for their holiday or a new company to work for if it's business trip.

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                • #9
                  Thanks guys! Are there any pay-in lounges in BKK, like the Plaza Premium ones in SIN and KUL?? Would think there would be demand for them in a bustling airport like BKK.. And no I don't have status, and plus I have a Sri Lankan passport and Thailand and more or less every other country in the world (except Singapore, bless their souls ) Needs a visa, and tons of questions, because they assume we're all terrorist/ illegal immigrant wannabes.

                  So you think $20 singapore dollars is a fair charge for a 45 minute massage?? Any massage centre names that have been tried and tested. People have tried to con and cheat me in Bangkok, well like in other places in the world as well, so I don't want pay for some bogus massage.

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                  • #10
                    There is the Louis Tavern CIP Lounge that I am sure you can pay for access (check online). $20 for a 45-minute massage is alright really. There are a number of centres within BKK airport that offer the traditional Thai massage, foot reflexology, etc. and IIRC they are all run by the same company.
                    God must have been a ship owner, he placed the raw materials far from where they are needed and covered two-thirds of the earth with water...

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                    • #11
                      Hoping to get some more advice. We are arriving at 04.10 and departing 13.xx in TG J so will have lounge access but not keen on spending that much time in the lounge. I'm quite happy to go into town in terms of cost/effort but just not sure if anything much will be open - seems most things don't get going until about 10am which doesn't leave us long before heading back to the airport.

                      Any thoughts or advice?

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                      • #12
                        You're right - but it depends on what you're keen to do. E.g. If you want to amble around Chinatown or the riverside nearby there, it's open nice and early, then you can make your way back to the airport.

                        Alternatively there are a few very decent breakfast joints, although they tend to lack the 'local' food element but I usually go to a crepe garden restaurant along Sukhumvit called Crepe and Co. and it's very pleasant (but pricey in comparison with local offerings)

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                        • #13
                          Well glad I found this thread, was about to start a new one, but then it would probably be merged here...... anyways....

                          Next Sunday will be flying TG to EU (again).... as all evening flights are fully booked, TA got me on the mid morning flight to BKK, arriving at 1345 hours. Next flight to Zurich, 0030 hours the next day.... I know I will be exiting the airport to go out into the city... a friend will likely pick me up..... no problems, btw, where do I pay the airport tax on return?

                          My return, will be from Stockholm, arriving into BKK at 0550 hours.... Have made arrangements to meet a friend at BKK airport, flying in from Singapore arriving 0930 hours... that will be about nearly 4 hours of waiting at the arrival hall of the airport... Ok, my plans are...... get past immigration, collect luggage, probably put them into lockers..... go to the TRUE mobile sales booth landside, get my mobile phone and iPad sim cards topped up..... All those will probably kill about 1 hour..... So there probably will be another 3 hours to kill...... go upstairs, plonk myself on the massage bed and get a 2 hours massage and maybe get some sleep, after that, go to the food shops next door of the massage place, grab a meal and hopefully by that time my flight would have arrived and I will feel all fresh and raring to hit the town...... btw, do anyone know if there are shower facilities landside, that will take at least 30 minutes of my time.....
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                          • #14
                            I would get an onward BP printed ex-SIN. Additionally you're travelling J, so TG should let you go straight through Fast Track without paying the airport tax (it's hit or miss - if they insist, they'll bring you back to the SCB bank to pay the tax but I haven't had to so far).

                            On your return, that's a good plan - go get a shower at TG J Concourse C (near the SKL side), there are also slumber rooms inside if you wanna take a break, but don't pass out and miss your flight.

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Kyo View Post
                              I would get an onward BP printed ex-SIN. Additionally you're travelling J, so TG should let you go straight through Fast Track without paying the airport tax (it's hit or miss - if they insist, they'll bring you back to the SCB bank to pay the tax but I haven't had to so far).

                              On your return, that's a good plan - go get a shower at TG J Concourse C (near the SKL side), there are also slumber rooms inside if you wanna take a break, but don't pass out and miss your flight.
                              Thanks for the info, yes, I will get the BP printed at Changi check in....

                              For my return, I will be waiting at land side, there is no flight to catch, waiting for a friend to arrive to spend a few days partying in BKK....
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