When we arrived at BKK Airport we were traveling from Chiangmai to Vietnam. That means we landed at the domestic terminal and had to do a self-transfer to the international terminal. We were greeted with the familiar hustle and bustle of an airport, and I knew that this would be the perfect opportunity to capture the unique soundscapes of Bangkok Airport.

With my Zoom H6 and the Soundman OKM binaural headphones (which I later switched to the Zoom F4), I recorded sounds at the baggage claim while waiting for our bags to be rechecked in. You will hear the rolling of suitcases, the chatter of people as they pick up their luggage, the hum of the travelator, and the various announcements that are made throughout the airport.

After we retrieved our bags, we made our way to the main terminal and to the Jetstar counter. The main terminal at Bangkok Airport is truly impressive with its vast hall and striking architecture. The reverberation of the chatting crowd was incredible, and it was fascinating to listen to the thousands of people that were present in the airport. Although there were so many people, the sound was very soft, much like the gentle murmur of an ocean.

The background noise that you will hear in the recordings is the soft white noise from the air conditioning units that are located in every corner and along the walls of the airport. This background noise provides a unique ambiance that adds to the overall soundscape of the airport.

After checking in, we decided to take advantage of our Priority Pass and entered one of the lounges. Inside, you can hear people eating and chatting, the movement of chairs, and the sound of dishes being moved around by the waiters. After a few minutes, we had the entire lounge to ourselves, and this was the perfect opportunity to capture the sound of the lounge with fewer distractions. This is when I switched my recorder to the Zoom F4 and left the lounge.

As we made our way to the gate, the walk was about 600 meters and was filled with an incredible array of soundscapes and people walla. I stopped next to a shop to capture the sound of the cashier and the beeping of the register. Then we walked down a metal walkway and the sounds that I captured were truly remarkable. You can hear people chatting, kids playing, the sound of suitcases rolling on the metal walkway, the sound of a needle printer, the sound of staff ripping off the boarding cards, and even the sound of a Chinese child screaming.

Our Bangkok Airport sound effects library offers high-quality recordings of the true ambiance of this international hub, perfect for film and video production, music composition, and more.