New Thailand Airport Seen As Regional Contender

"It was a costly and embarrassing experience for Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. Perishable goods expired. The image of the airports was affected," Concil added.

Suvarnabhumi Airport, which will eventually have two runways, will replace the 60-year old Bangkok International Airport, commonly known as Don Muang.

The seven-storey terminal, one of the largest in the world, will cover the equivalent of 100 football fields and be able to handle 45 million passengers a year during the initial stage, or 9,000 per hour, through its 360 check-in counters.

It will be able to simultaneously berth 120 aircraft, including five of the world's largest passenger planes, the new Airbus 380.

When the final phase is complete, the airport will be able to accommodate 100 million passengers a year.

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