Suvarnabhumi Airport in Samut Prakan?

It's less about tax dodging and more about geography. The airport was built on what was mostly empty land in Bang Phli district, Samut Prakan, because Bangkok proper simply didn't have a big enough flat, undeveloped plot near the city center. Don Mueang was already hemmed in by suburbs, so they went east where the land was cheap and the flood risk was lower.

The provincial border actually runs pretty close to the airport's western edge, so if you're heading into central Bangkok you'll cross into the city about ten minutes after leaving the terminal. Practically speaking, it doesn't matter much, the airport rail link and the motorway are all run by national agencies anyway. The only real annoyance is that your taxi receipt will say Samut Prakan, which confuses some expense accounts.

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The split actually predates the airport by decades. Bang Phli and the surrounding area were already Samut Prakan territory long before anyone drew up plans for a new international hub, so the airport just landed inside existing boundaries rather than the other way around. If they'd wanted it in Bangkok they would've had to redraw the provincial line, which is a political headache nobody wanted over a patch of rice fields.

A quirk worth knowing: the official address is Racha Thewa subdistrict, Bang Phli, but locals just say "the airport" and nobody blinks. Your Grab driver won't care which province it technically sits in, only whether you're going to the departures level or arrivals.

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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