History - Russell Family Web Page

Ekkamai, the third-eastern-most stop on the Skytrain. For all destinations north and northeast, the
Northern Bus Terminal at Mo Chit, which can be reached by both the Skytrain and Metro, is the place to
start. Long distance bus service has become safer as drivers are changed and most no longer take
methamphetamines including Ya Baa to stay awake, which often caused excessive speeding and passing
on dangerous undivided roads.
Airports
Bangkok is one of Asia's most important air transport hub, as of 2005 more than 80 airlines served Don
Mueang International Airport (IATA: DMK; ICAO: VTBD) and over 38,000,000 passengers, 160,000 flights
and 700,000 tons of cargo were handled at this airport per year. It was the 18th busiest airport in the
world and 2nd busiest in Asia by passenger volume and the 9th busiest in the world and 4th busiest Asia
in international passenger volume. Don Mueang consistently ranked 19th in the world in cargo traffic, and
7th in the Asia-Pacific region. Don Mueang is considered to be one of the world's oldest international
airports opening in March 1914, making it almost 20 years older than Heathrow. It has 3 terminals and is
located about 30km north from the heart of Bangkok.
On September 28, 2006 Bangkok officially opened Suvarnabhumi Airport (IATA: BKK; ICAO: VTBS)
(pronounced RTGS Suwannaphum, or loosely Su-wan-na-poom), in the Bang Phli district of Samut
Prakan Province. Suvarnabhumi has been one of the most, if not the most anticipated, mega-project in
Thai history. The progress of Suvarnabhumi Airport dates back to the early 1970's when a large plot of
land (8,000 acres, 20,000 rai) was bought. A student uprising in October of the same year prevented
further progress with the development when the military government of Thanom Kittikachom was
subsequently overthrown. After several military coups and the Asian financial crisis of 1997, construction
finally began in 2002, after 5 years of clearing the cobra swamp. Moreover, the military coup d'etat of
September 2006 was to inaugurate the first week of domestic flights.
Suvarnabhumi Airport has been dubbed the 'Pride of Thailand' due to its architecture. Its 2 parallel
runways are connected by the 5 concourses of the main terminal building which is the world's secondlargest
passenger building after Hong Kong's Chep Lap Kok. The airport features a 134 meter-tall control
tower, the tallest in the world and one meter taller than Kuala Lumpur International Airport control tower.
Moreover, the Airports of Thailand Plc. (AoT) have announced another terminal within the airport for lowcost
airlines to accompany 15 million passengers for the growing use of low-cost airliners. This will be
encompassed by phase 2 of the Suvarnabhumi Airport which is expected to begin construction in 3-5
years. In total, the airport hopes to handle as many as 100 million passengers per year.
Don Mueang is now the base of the Royal Thai Air Force (RTaF) and is only used for chartered flights.
Today Suvarnabhumi international airport has won many world records including, the most beautiful
airport in the world, the highest control tower in the world, the largest airport in Asia, the world's largest
single terminal building. By the completion of the second phase it will earn its title as the most efficient
airport in the world, the biggest in the world and probably the busiest airport in south east Asia. Built for
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