Review: Thai Airways First Class Lounge Bangkok Airport

I've been there several times and it's something every frequent flyer should experience once. It is the most seamless, organised airport experience I have ever had. The golf buggy is always a hoot, especially the looks you get from the other passengers.
I don't like how thin the walls of the private rooms in the lounge are as you clearly hear every terminal announcement every 30 seconds but that's a small price to pay.
Thai Airways is hardly perfect but their F lounge experience is pretty close.

Frequently travelling in First class, I have tried numerous First class lounges worldwide including this one. My favourite of all remain The Wing (for the cabanas), the Pier. The least interesting in my view are the First class & Concorde room in LHR (Always overcrowded)

I have been there the last 3 years and agree with @Lucky's overall take, but especially on the shortcomings.

I have declined the full-body massage each time, but not the golf buggy!

Endre, you forgot to mention that you always fly first class on PAID tickets. Please keep reminding us 🙂

I visited the first-class lounge recently as part of my 747s around-the-world adventure and it was great! Granted, I'm a newbie to first-class but the semi-private room was great and the staff of Thai were just so friendly and genuinely happy to please. It was my first airport-scooter ride too, which was mildly embarrassing due to how crowded it was but what a relief to go through Customs in mere seconds instead of waiting in another endless line! The porter also seemed to predict to the second when my luggage was being dropped onto the carousel! As for the lack of a ramp-view, I second that desire, as the views from the terminal are pretty atrocious due to a striping effect on the window glass. Additionally one cannot just wander into any departure gate to view or photograph airplanes, as you can only be checked into your specific gate. Terrible airport for viewing but a very pleasant experience with Thai and also in the China Airlines lounge! (747 to Taiwan and back!)

I presume it's not too crowded and your carry on luggage is safe when you're getting the massage and shower?

Is the massage very hard and painful?

@derek: Thai massage in general is not of the "deep muscle" type, generally light bending, stretching, and pressure. That said, my only experience in the Thai lounge was as a business class passenger where the full massage program was not available. I choose the "head and shoulders" massage (I had been suffering from a stiff neck for months) and that was extremely deep, somewhat painful, and incredibly therapeutic. My neck felt great for months afterwards.

I have to say, I was disappointed after flying from CDG-BKK in F, I was not allowed to visit the lounge after landing since I was connecting to another airline. Bad form I think

First of all thank you for bringing up great reports like this one..I appreciate the good pics as well..
My last visit was almost identical to yours..the difference I was so hungry I had two mains..I can only second the praise to the attentiveness of the staffs..I was constantly look after without being obstrusive..I would be an hypocrit if I deny not loving the golf cart rides..the arrival and deparure assistance are just awesome..I feel looked after very well..About the message..it was a full body one and extremly relaxing..I miss this service..I wishe AF, LH would offer free 1h complimentary massage respectively..TG F ground service is one of the best..

@Lucky - heading to the F lounge this Friday en route to ICN. Is it customary to tip after the one hour massage? Cheers!

I can't agree more.
My friend insisted that in the city center I would have better massages and food with decent prices, but I often don't have time or energy to do that.
Attentiveness is also their beauty, you will not miss the flight even if you keep sitting on a sofa. It is really handy for passengers who are not familiar with BKK or TG.

Lucky, do they still serve you on their knees in TG First? It was a tradition when I once visited the lounge in 2008.

I was there in February. Lucky's report is spot on although when I was there the place was a bit heavy on the staff to guest ratio and although the service and friendliness are exceptional it did get near the point of please just give me a little respite here in my semi-private room, I'll call you if I need anything. As for the decor, it needing "a mild refresh" is a little generous, I would say overall it feels dated, but yes it's comfortable and spacious.

I was a transfer and the reverse is true too with the express golf carts; if you land on the tarmac the FC passengers take their own bus, the golf carts meet you, whisk you up to fast track, then drop you off at the lounge.

@David R - It is not customary to tip. It is a thing driven by visitors. Thailand does not have a tipping culture.

@David R - Not only is it not customary, its borderline offensive.

At least you asked, unlike most Americans.

The 8am flight to HKG on the 747 (assuming no equipment changes) was tough to fully enjoy the First Class lounge due to time constraints, but I did the best I could ... which involved a 30 min foot massage vs. the full 60 min body massage.

I second @derek's question about the massage being painful. Thai massage can be awfully aggressive. My wife and I had a couples massage once where I got some injury, perhaps a cracked rib, from a surprisingly small girl. I could barely sleep for days. If the massages are that style at the lounge, a bit of caution may be in order.

@Lucky, I think those umbrellas are in place for when the sun is overhead the windows in the ceiling 😉

I'll be hitting this on Saturday morning. Thanks for letting me know what to expect. Looks great!

@David R: No, it is not normal to tip especially when this is offered complimentary in a First class lounge. Tipping will be not so chique....please don't stoop to that level by tipping while in a First class lounge like what Lucky had planned to do (fate stepped in to avoid that blunder). There is also no need to tip any of the attendants helping you with your luggage or the buggy when they bring you to the lounge or gate, it will just show how "cheap" you are.

The F class for this sector won't last much longer. Indeed F on TG is mostly for the ratbag' hiso'crowd, some of whom pay but many others just low-life freeloaders. F cannot be justified on commercial grounds and some of the more rational elements in Thai ( a rare breed for much of the airline's history) would like to see it phased out. That day isn't far off.
They would be better advised to beef up their J product , as well as services for Star Gold members. Both are more 'bread and butter' than F, and while Thai likes the status associated with First it is unsustainable when virtually no one pays for it ( except Endre, of course).

@ Paolo

You are totally wrong here. Asians are willing to pay hard cash just to distance themselves from the mundanes..Your aspect reflects more the US and European market in which the majority prefer a more egalitarian approach in a super business class like QR.
LH F and AF F are rare breeds as less people are willing to pay F ticket but rather fly F redemption. First class products will certainly stay far more longer when it is already obsolete in ozher parts of the world..
So again class distinction is not only a matter of airline classes. It has been there in Asia for centuries..there will be always a snobbish eye looking at you when you take a sit in your First class seat onboard or when you dash across the First lounges..
Especially in the kingdom of Thailand..it is all about knowing your station..even for a farang like you!

Right on Myles

@Myles
What you have said is not inconsistent with my comments. Sure, some 'Asians' will pay to be away from the riff-raff in J and Y....my point is HOW MANY will do it. Answer: not enough to justify a separate F cabin ( reflected in the reality: F IS already gone from most sectors on TG; Sydney will go imminently, Hong Kong will be next, Paris and London might survive a few more years).
Freeloaders, scroungers, and points-ticketed wannabes alone cannot sustain F ...it will die. I can understand that people don't want it to go ( myself included), but it will, sooner rather than later ( and indeed TG itself might go unless the stumbling buffoons running the show move over to let the few sesnsible ones in the team implement new survival strategies and reforms). By any objective consideration they are bust now and the government's 'golden share' is worth less every single day.

I live in BKK and tipping is surely NOT offensive. The women there have a very privileged job compared to the average massages jobs in the city. Still don't Forget that they also prepare and clean the bathroom before and after the massage. I always tip them 500Baht (14Dollar) and it's ok for me.

And the luggage guys I always tip 100Baht. BKK is getting more and more expensive, while those easy job wages don't rise. The minimum wage is 9000Baht per month and I am sure those guys are not much above that line. I just don't tip in restaurant which have the 10-% service charge, but the times of "tips are seen as rude" are gone

@ paolo
Thanks, appreciate your infos

For an airline with a good reputation, TG's business lounges are absolute trash. There is a PP lounge at BKK that blows TG's lounges away.