Bangkok Airways announced the opening of its business class, or the “Blue Ribbon Club” (BRC), lounge for the international departure at the Concourse A, Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The BRC lounge, located on the 3nd floor within Bangkok Airways’ Boutique lounge, is designed for comfort with a cutting-edge oriental touch. Lodged within the embrace of 250-sqm hall, the lounge is equipped with soul-healing music, courtesy corner with various kinds of snacks and non-alcoholic drinks, hi-speed internet corner with wireless connection, cable TV, reading corner, and a playground for kids. In the near future, additional services including massage therapy and shower rooms will be provided for more comfortable traveling experience.

Global logistics giant DHL launched its 22-million-dollar hub on Monday at Bangkok`s new international airport as part of the company`s strategy to boost its growth in Southeast Asia.

"We consider Thailand as the gateway to Indochina," Scott Price, CEO of DHL Express for Asia and the Pacific, told a news conference at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, which opened in late September.

DHL`s 12,000 square meter (129,000 square feet) cargo facility at Suvarnabhumi is five times larger than its former facility at the old Don Muang airport and has the capacity to handle more than 23,000 pieces per hour, the company said.

The number of passengers using Thailand's five biggest airports rose by 13.2% to 38.52 million during the first nine months of the year, Airports of Thailand said Tuesday.

The statistics did not include the impact from the opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport, which only opened on September 28 and has not yet reported any statistics.

The number of passengers who used Bangkok's now-shuttered Don Muang airport was 31.46 million in the first nine months, up 10.8 percent over last year, according to AOT, which operates the facility.

The amount of cargo was also up 6.2 percent to 936,948 tonnes.

Less than a month into its commercial opening, the Aviation Department is already planning expansion of Thailand's Suvarnabhumi Airport to accommodate rapid growth in passenger traffic.

Department of Aviation director-general Chaisak Angkasuwan said he will propose to the Transport Ministry and Airports of Thailand Plc.(AOT), which manages the airport, to speed up the feasibility study to build a new passenger terminal exclusively for low-cost carriers as well as the third runway to accommodate growth in air traffic.

Mr. Chaisak said since its September 28 opening, Suvarnabhumi Airport is reaching full capacity. The expansion is required in view of the projected 10 per cent growth per year in flight and passenger traffic.

Two weeks will have passed tomorrow since Suvarnabhumi Airport was opened for commercial operation; thankfully no disaster, complete chaos or serious multiple failures occurred. The teething troubles seem to have been gradually resolved and kept to minimum with great determination, apparently due to the total dedication, the high spirit of teamwork among parties concerned and well-laid-down contingency plans.

In a poll I conducted, international airline managers, who were utterly critical about the readiness of the 125-billion-baht airport ahead of its Sept 28 opening, have given a passing grade in its initial operation. Scores of airline executives, who were on the ground, rated Suvarnabhumi's terminal and operations about six or seven on a scale of 10, a pretty fair assessment and consistent with scores that Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) which runs the airport, has given itself.