Bangkok wins top-ten airport ranking

Thailand’s reputation for organisation as well as charm has had a boost from the latest global Skytrax survey – Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok’s international airport, is now up among the world’s best ten air hubs.

The opinion of the 9.8 million travellers in the survey reflects a successful push by the Airports of Thailand to improve the airport’s ranking.

On its opening back in 2006, Suvarnabhumi Airport – which was named by King Bhumibol after a mythical ‘Golden Land’ – was plagued by delays, system breakdowns and subsidence.

Ghosts and spirits had also bothered workers during construction, necessitating an industrial-scale exorcism by 99 Buddhist priests.

Last year, the supernatural threat returned, as 12 demons – six-metre statues reproducing temple decorations – had to be moved out of the arrivals hall to stop them messing with the Duty Free zone.

But the airport’s operators have surmounted their shaky start to steadily climb the Skytrax ratings, up from 16^th place last year and 37^th place in 2008.

The airport’s general manager told the Bangkok Post that his goal is now to win a top-five spot in the survey.