Thai Airways has opened a refurbished Royal Orchid business class lounge in Bangkok. It’s an international departures lounge on level 3 of the Suvarnabhumi airport E concourse. It’s a strange time to be making capital investments and opening a lounge when the airline is not generally selling international flights leaving the country.
Credit: Daily News
Credit: Daily News
The lounge offers “free Wi-Fi, hot dishes, snacks, ..various beverages” and will ultimately provide showers and a nap room though those are not yet open. It’s a Star Alliance Gold lounge in addition to being for Thai’s business class customers. Though Google translate is sometimes imperfect, it appears that this is a pay-in lounge for anyone flying internationally and able to access the terminal as well.
(HT: Drew J.)
Though I was only in Suvarnabhumi four times this year, I am glad this lounge will be ready for my return next year. Many of my favorite lounges are in BKK.
Investments, refurbishments and expansions are usually budgeted in advance, so this does not seem strange.
Construction during Covid is probably easier, with fewer people to get in the way.