airport subdivision

This 'Mubaan' (housing subdivision) is located in the eastern Bangkok district of Lat Krabang. It sits mostly inhabited, but with a number of derelict structures and a few with squatters taking advantage of the large, dry, empty spaces of these once-comfortable upper-middle class dwellings. Many seem to have moved out due to the regular noise of landing planes at Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Large passenger jets buzz overhead at low altitudes every few minutes en route to landing at one of Asia's busiest airports. The houses look to have been built in the mid-90's, while Suvarnabhumi opened in 2006. There were probably some peaceful years along the soi in the years preceding the airports opening. However, according to online reports, multitudes of residents moved out after the opening of the facility, finding the noise levels to be far more disturbing than they had anticipated. Furthermore, since the area is not exactly an appealing piece of real estate, property values have dropped off, forcing many residents who can't afford to move to simply deal with the noise that interrupts daily life on a perpetual basis. Now, many of the houses are owned by the Suvarnabhumi airport association, which was forced to buy some properties & pay the owners of others for the disturbance caused by flight operations. It is not a place that I would personally prefer to live if given a choice, however, the residents are friendly & upbeat enough (considering what they have to deal with) and Lat Krabang district makes for some dramatic photographs with 747's and other large passenger jets flying just overhead.

I was able to enter the playground, one of the houses, and the subdivision's clubhouse which has an amazingly green swimming pool, overgrown with the greenest of green algae. I did not dive in, but I offer 500 baht to anyone who does (with video proof). Gross!