Mobissimo

After a series of mishaps and delays (cracked and peeling runways, fires a-blazing), the hotly-anticipated new Bangkok airport will make its debut in June. Covering a whopping 7,900 acres, Suvarnabhumi will be able to handle 45 million passengers a year, catapulting Bangkok into position to become a regional aviation hub— competing with Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. What does this mean for flyers? A new high-speed rail link and five alternative routes to the city center means a guaranteed dodging of that nasty and notorious Bangkok gridlock. Pack your bags—or don't! (just take an empty suitcase for some serious shopping in the city's world-famous night bazaars and markets)— and get ready to absorb the noisy chaos, energy and colorful culture that characterizes Bangkok. And flights to Phuket's paradise—where luxurious hotels are a steal in the wake of the devastating tsunami—are a mere hour and change in length.

Related Articles:

The International Herald Tribune, "Free Flow: Can New Thai Airport Deliver the Goods?"

The Informed Traveler, "Upscale Shopping in Bangkok: H1"