Thai Airways Business Class Bangkok Lounge Concourse D

The huge new Bangkok Thai Airways Business Class Lounge at Concourse D is the main, central, business class lounge at Bangkok. It is large - with a 2,410 square metres and it seats 491 people, and has recently doubled in size. It is one of the biggest Business Class lounges on the planet, but partly due to the vast amount of traffic it gets it can still seem crowded, particularly close to the exits where people congregate.

However, if ever there was a lounge of two halves, this is it. There is the old lounge, which is 20 years ago, and which hasn't changed a jot since the lounge was first built. And the new lounge which is a side extension on the lounge, doubling its area, which is new, quite fancy, and a totally different place. There is just one small hidden archway between the two, and few passengers walk between them.

Both lounges have a good selection of hot food, however drinks can be patchy, with only one small staffed bar.

However, there is plenty of space, and despite the lack of views can be nice and quiet.

Bangkok Thai Airways Royal Silk (Business Class) - Concourse D lounge review Concourse D

Once you've checked in at the dedicated business desk - or even in the small First enclave to the left of this - at Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi International Airport, you'll go through passport checks, and then the security checks (a new revelation at BKK: previously all the checks were at the gates, but these were moved in 2009 except for flights to the US, Australia, and the UK) and then down a long escalator.

At the bottom you are already in the lounge, with the desk ahead of you, the piano bar to the right, and the main lounge to the left.

Carry on down - past the halfway landing where the shops are - and you'll be greeted at the desk to have your ticket checked, and welcomed to what must rank as the longest business class lounge. The huge flagship-lounge is like a corridor, with banks of seats on either side.

Alas it's all rather gloomy, with no windows looking out onto the runway, and all decked out in a purple and blue colour scheme.

Starting here you are in the old lounge, and as you walk along, you pass various cosy nooks, a small buffet station, and then a much larger buffet, before yet more seat at the far end next to the Children's room, and the showers.

However, if you are out in the terminal, and enter via the door in the middle of Concourse D you enter the new lounge. There is a vast door here, and then at the huge long desk you either turn left for First Class, or right, and you enter the main Business Class lounge, which at first sight appears to be rather small. It isn't. Keep on walking, and you pass banks of armchairs all in separated rooms, with vast green living walls, or glass screens, separating them. Small lights and power sockets separate the areas.

At first the lounge seems packed, and many people just hang around in this area, but keep on walking. On the left is a large buffet - one of many - and then a small inner room which is kept for VIPs. Further in there is another larger buffet area, and around a corner little stalls with regional specialities. Facing this area are a number of high benches: power sockets are at the end of the bench.

There are high desks in some areas, with almost French style chairs. Then an area just with green walls at 45 degree angles separating areas of chairs.

Finally, at the end, you come to the staffed bar, with seats around it, almost hidden away. Behind this is a small doorway that seems to lead to an abandoned area: this is the old, and famous, piano bar, with an abandoned service desk. If you walk behind the reception desk, you then enter what is the old lounge, and only from this angle can you see what is the hidden way to get from the old to the new lounge.

There once used to be a lounge Lobby Bar with piano, and a walk-up cocktail bar. No longer: the bar is still there, but it hasn't been open for years. However, this is by far the nicest area of the lounge to sit in, as it is far more open, light, and airy than the other parts of the lounge. It is a shame this bar closed, but it was shut as part of major cutbacks at Bangkok by Thai that also saw another bar in the same lounge, and the further food area closed.

The lounge also abandoned 24 hour opening at the same time, but in the usual spirit of Thailand of trying to sell you something at every opportunity, Thai did open a small duty free shop which is opposite the main food area, and beside the small children's room, called the Kids Corner (there's not really a lot in here, but a few toys).

Food

There are multiple buffet areas dotted throughout the Thai Airways Business Class Bangkok Lounge Concourse D.

On the left (old) lounge, there is a small snack area, and then the main dining area on the left about half way down. It's on a raised area, and is pretty much continually topped up by the staff who hover around you. There are some big silver tureens with noodles (chicken, beef, or fish: it's good to see Thai stick to the airline clichés).

Don't miss the hot cabinet with various pies. Next to this is a plastic cover over sandwiches, tightly wrapped in plastic.

Opposite this area is the salad area, on an island, with a giant floral display. The salads here are really good, with lots of fresh fruit too, and there are a vast number of different dressings.

On the other side, in the 'new' lounge, things get a whole host more interesting. There are two main dining areas, with high benches around the refectory areas. These have the same selection of food as in the old lounge, but there is also an area with different pastries, and another area with local delicacies. These can be quite good, and local can include a lot of Indian and northern Asian food. It it well worth while taking a wander around both dining areas, as both are different.

Bar

Alas the feature Piano Bar has been closed for many years, but the bar is still there, empty.

The main bar area is accessed right by the door between the two lounge halves, in the newer section: it is also right at the end of the new lounge if you access by Concourse D. This is a very good bar, with seats at the bar if you wish. There is Champagne, and Tiger beer on draft. It is well worth while popping in here, as the staff will mix cocktails on demand, even early in the morning. It is Thailand after all. The lineup of spirits behind the bar is also worthy of note.

Other than that there are several bar areas throughout the lounge, but not as many as there used to be. Indeed, the main cocktail bar for most passengers is on the small tray, opposite the main food area, where there is a rack of 17 bottles of spirits.

And oh, what a selection, it includes Chivas Regal, Drambuie, Martini (x3), and a whole host of other specials that rarely make it into an airport lounge. There are also two cans of coke, Schweppes tonic, and Schweppes Soda.

In what must rank as one of the most stupidly labour intensive jobs at the airport, if you take a can, one of the waitresses goes into the kitchen and replaces it on the tray. Madness. At two other points in the lounge there is a fridge with beer - Carlsberg, Chang and Singa - although these are rather poorly stocked.

Thankfully there are plenty of bar fridges dotted throughout the lounge by the food areas.

Business Facilities

In a small room off the far end of the lounge there is an Internet Room with 13 brand new fast PCs. Free wifi is available throughout the lounge. There are TV on several walls (normally showing CNN), and departure boards. Further back in the lounge there is a sleeping corner, with slumber seats.

If you're really going to try and get your money's worth out of this lounge, there are also the newspaper racks, beside the main corridor, with a very Spartan collection of papers, but there are usually a few international papers here, mainly of the US variety (despite the lack of flights to the US). Curiously, there are no UK papers (despite the regular flights to the UK). Magazines are much harder to come by - you may have to nip around the corner to the Singapore Airlines lounge for that.

Bathrooms

In lounge, showers at the far end. The shower rooms which are actually quite swish, and come with a towel and amenity kit which is handed out by the attendants.

Access

Business class and first class passengers of Thai Airways, and Star Alliance carriers have access to the Bangkok Thai Airways Royal Silk (Business Class) - Concourse D lounge.

Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus Gold and Platinum members prior to Star Alliance flights.

Other Star Alliance Gold frequent flyers departing on Star Alliance flights.

Paid lounge members of Air Canada Maple Leaf Club (Worldwide plan only) and United Club, before Star Alliance flights.

Lounge Access in Bangkok by ROP Miles Awards Redemption- Royal Orchid Plus members travelling on THAI / Thai Smile Airways

Video: Thai Airways Business Lounge D

Thai Airways Business Lounge D video - Click to play

Thai Airways Business Lounge D video - Click to play

Thai Airways Business Lounge D video - Click to play