Welcome to Bangkok

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The main international gateway to Bangkok by flight is Suvarnabhumi Airport. The name Suvarnabhumi means 'Land of Gold' in Sanskrit.

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Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok features a monumental sculpture of the "Churning of the Ocean of Milk" (Samudra Manthan), a powerful and iconic scene from Hindu mythology. Located prominently in the central concourse, this dynamic artwork depicts a legendary cosmic event in which gods (Devas) and demons (Asuras) join forces to churn the primordial ocean in search of Amrita, the elixir of immortality. The scene is filled with symbolic detail: the serpent Vasuki is used as a churning rope, wrapped around Mount Mandara, while the god Vishnu, in his Kurma (turtle) avatar, supports the mountain on his back. Vishnu, standing at the center, is poised to distribute the Amrita once it emerges.

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This sculpture was chosen as the airport’s central artistic feature not only for its visual grandeur, but also for its deep cultural resonance. The story, rooted in Hindu mythology, reflects values that are central to Thai heritage—balance, cooperation, and the triumph of harmony over chaos—and underscores Thailand’s longstanding spiritual and artistic ties to Indian and Hindu cosmology. By placing this mythological scene at the gateway to the country, Thailand offers both a tribute to its cultural foundations and a symbolic message to travelers: that transformation, unity, and renewal await those who pass through. The piece has become one of the airport’s most photographed attractions, admired for both its beauty and its profound meaning.