Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK / VTBS) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Bangkok, Thailand
Suvarnabhumi
BKK/VTBS
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 04:04 local
- Active runway
- 01 / 02L / 02R
- METAR wind
- 340° @ 5 kt
- Best spot
- Bang Phli south perimeter
- Sun
- 97° / -31°
Wind vector · +4 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sunrise in 2h 7m
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Best Suvarnabhumi (BKK) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR340° @ 5 kt
27°C · 10+ km · 1011 hPa
FEW020 BKN080
Sunrise in 2h 7m
Runway alerts for Suvarnabhumi Airport
$3/mo
Spotting guideRunway windsATC frequencies
Lighting schedule
Morning 07:00-11:00, midday 11:00-14:00, afternoon 14:00-18:00 at BKK, scored from each spot's view bearing.
| Spotting Location | Morning (07:00-11:00) | Midday (11:00-14:00) | Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00) | JetPhotos / Camera Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bang Phli south perimeter Runway 02L, 02R, 01 | SIDE LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 10:00-11:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
| King Kaew Road Runway 20R, 20L, 19, 02L | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 11:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Lat Krabang north Runway 19, 20L, 20R | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 11:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 01 / 02L / 02R · Dep 01 / 02L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 14° | 13,123 ft | +4.1 kt | 2.8 kt | Both |
| 19 | 194° | 13,123 ft | -4.1 kt | 2.8 kt | Standby |
| 02L | 14° | 13,123 ft | +4.1 kt | 2.8 kt | Both |
| 20R | 194° | 13,123 ft | -4.1 kt | 2.8 kt | Standby |
| 02R | 14° | 12,139 ft | +4.1 kt | 2.8 kt | Landing |
| 20L | 194° | 12,139 ft | -4.1 kt | 2.8 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Suvarnabhumi (VTBS)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 119.000 | Published |
| Tower | 118.200 | Published |
| Approach | 120.925 | Assigned |
| Departure | 126.175 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.650 | Published |
| Ground | 121.750 | Published |
| Delivery | 128.075 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 127.800 | Published |
Lens for the top pin: Sony FE 200-600mm, Uniden Bearcat BC125AT, FlightAware Pro Stick. Sony FE 200-600mmUniden Bearcat BC125ATFlightAware Pro Stick
Open the ATC frequency pageFrequently asked questions about plane spotting at Suvarnabhumi (BKK/VTBS)
Which runway is active at Suvarnabhumi (BKK/VTBS) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 03:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing 01+02L+02R, departure 01+02L. The METAR wind is 340° at 5 kt. 01 shows +4.1 kt headwind and 2.8 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Suvarnabhumi (BKK) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 111° azimuth and 25° elevation. Bang Phli south perimeter scores 78/100, 2207 m from runway 02R, view bearing 352.2°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 248° and 25°. Bang Phli south perimeter scores 75/100 on a 352.2° view. Morning and afternoon picks follow that bearing: a view that wants the sun in the east is a morning spot, and a view that wants it in the west is an afternoon spot.
What is the best time to plane spot at Suvarnabhumi Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK/VTBS) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 1 of 3 spotting locations. Read the Best Time of Day & Lighting Schedule by Spot table for the lens and the hours to avoid harsh backlit contrast.
What is the sun direction at VTBS spotting locations?
VTBS spotting locations sun direction: Bang Phli south perimeter (runway 02L, 02R, 01) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 10:00-11:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. King Kaew Road (runway 20R, 20L, 19, 02L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 11:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. Lat Krabang north (runway 19, 20L, 20R) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 11:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Suvarnabhumi (BKK)?
Bang Phli south perimeter is 2207 m from the 02R centerline, so the lens is 150-600mm. The bands are fixed from that distance: 70-200mm inside 250 m, 100-400mm from 250 m to 450 m, and 150-600mm beyond 450 m. The aircraft itself is about 754 m from this pin on a 700 m final.
What ATC radio frequencies should I monitor while spotting at Suvarnabhumi (VTBS)?
Monitor Tower 119.0 MHz, Ground 121.65 MHz, ATIS 127.8 MHz. Online streams lag by 30 seconds or more. A handheld VHF airband scanner at the fence is the zero-delay way to hear a runway change on Tower 119.0 MHz.
How do I know when Suvarnabhumi (BKK) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 340° at 5 kt, so 01 remains the favored arrival. The $3/mo Telegram Runway-Shift Alert pings you when D-ATIS or the METAR wind vector changes the active runway: https://planespottingmap.com/airport/VTBS#runway-alerts