Bangkok (Lonely Planet) - Andrew Burke [201]
China Airlines (CI; Map; 0 2250 9898; www.china-airlines.com; 4th fl, Peninsula Plaza, 153 Th Ratchadamri)
Garuda Indonesia (GA; Map; 0 2679 7371-2; www.garuda-indonesia.com; 27th fl, Lumphini Tower, 1168/77 Th Phra Ram IV)
Jetstar ( 0 2267 5125; www.jetstar.com)
Malaysia Airlines (MH; Map; 0 2263 0565-71; www.malaysiaairlines.com; 20th fl, Ploenchit Tower, 898 Th Ploenchit)
Qantas Airways (QF; 0 2627 1701; www.qantas.com.au)
Singapore Airlines (SQ; Map; 0 2353 6000; www.singaporeair.com; 12th fl, Silom Center Bldg, 2 Th Silom)
United Airlines (UA; Map; 0 2353 3900; www.unitedairlines.co.th; 6th fl, TMB Bank Silom Bldg, 393 Th Silom)
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CLIMATE CHANGE & TRAVEL
Climate change is a serious threat to the ecosystems that humans rely upon, and air travel is the fastest-growing contributor to the problem. Lonely Planet regards travel, overall, as a global benefit, but believes we all have a responsibility to limit our personal impact on global warming.
Flying & Climate Change
Pretty much every form of motor transport generates CO2 (the main cause of human-induced climate change) but planes are far and away the worst offenders, not just because of the sheer distances they allow us to travel, but because they release greenhouse gases high into the atmosphere. The statistics are frightening: two people taking a return flight between Europe and the US will contribute as much to climate change as an average household’s gas and electricity consumption over a whole year.
Carbon Offset Schemes
Climatecare.org and other websites use ‘carbon calculators’ that allow jetsetters to offset the greenhouse gases they are responsible for with contributions to energy-saving projects and other climate-friendly initiatives in the developing world – including projects in India, Honduras, Kazakhstan and Uganda.
Lonely Planet, together with Rough Guides and other concerned partners in the travel industry, supports the carbon offset scheme run by climatecare.org. Lonely Planet offsets all of its staff and author travel.
For more information check out our website: www.lonelyplanet.com.
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Airports
Bangkok has two airports. The main airport is Suvarnabhumi International Airport ( 0 2132 1888; www2.airportthai.co.th), a vast glass-and-concrete construction 30km east of central Bangkok that was opened in 2006. After rather a lot of teething problems, Suvarnabhumi (pronounced su-wan-a-poom) now works fairly efficiently most of the time. The unofficial website www.bangkokairportonline.com has real-time details of airport arrivals and departures. Left-luggage facilities ( 24 hr) are available on level 2, beside the helpful TAT office ( 0 2134 4077; 24 hr). For airport hotels, see Click here.
Don Muang Airport (Map; 0 2535 1111; www2.airportthai.co.th) is 25km north of the city centre and, after being temporarily retired, now serves domestic routes operated by Nok Air and One Two Go.
Getting to/from Don Muang you can take a taxi or bus. Taking a taxi is the fastest and most comfortable option, and fares at most times will be a very reasonable 200B to 350B depending on the traffic and how far you’re going. Taxis depart from outside the arrivals hall, and there is a 50B airport charge added to the meter fare, plus expressway tolls. Air-con buses include the following:
Bus 29 Northern Bus Terminal, Victory Monument, Siam Sq and Hualamphong train station
Bus 510 Victory Monument, Southern Bus Terminal
Bus 513 Th Sukhumvit, Eastern Bus Terminal
Return to beginning of chapter
BOAT
Although many of Bangkok’s klorng have been paved over, there is still plenty of transport along and across Chao Phraya River and up adjoining canals.
River Ferries
The Chao Phraya Express Boat Co ( 0 2623 6001; www.chaophrayaboat.co.th) operates the main ferry service along Chao Phraya. The central pier is known as Sathorn, Saphan Taksin or sometimes Central Pier, and connects to Skytrain at Saphan Taksin BTS station. Each pier is numbered from Sathorn, and ferries run four stops south to Wat Ratchasingkhon (S4), though tourists