Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok is Southeast Asia’s aviation titan — a vast, glittering hub handling over 60 million passengers a year. But behind its polished glass walls and booming runways lies a secret that many travelers don’t know: it was built on a graveyard. And some say... it’s still very much inhabited.
Ghost stories swirl through the terminals like airport gossip. Flight crews whisper about unexplained figures on the tarmac, ground staff swear elevators move on their own, and yes — there’s even a shrine to a ghost named Poo Ming who allegedly watches over the airport's spirit world.
Welcome to Thailand’s busiest airport, where not every departure is on the flight schedule.
Before the Jets: A Land of Cobras, Swamps, and Souls
Long before Suvarnabhumi became the aviation marvel it is today, the land it occupies was known as Nong Nguhao, or “Cobra Swamp.” This name wasn’t poetic — the area was a dense, swampy graveyard, feared by locals, rarely entered, and steeped in spiritual lore. The land served as a resting place for unclaimed bodies, plague victims, and those without families — all of which made it a hotbed for ghostly energy, according to Thai tradition.
Despite warnings from monks and locals alike, construction of the airport pushed forward in the late 1990s. As the bulldozers arrived, so did the... disturbances.
Ghosts in Hard Hats: Construction Gone Spooky
Soon after construction began, reports from workers flooded in: strange sounds at night, tools moving on their own, eerie shadows dancing in the scaffolding. One worker collapsed on-site and, upon waking, claimed he’d been possessed. Another reportedly saw a faceless woman watching him from a tower.
The paranormal disturbances got so bad that, in 2005, airport officials held a massive spiritual cleansing ritual involving 99 monks chanting for nine weeks. That’s not a typo: nine weeks of blessings. Thailand doesn’t play around with ghosts.
The Legend of Poo Ming
It was during this exorcism that things got even weirder. A baggage handler collapsed mid-ritual and, when he came to, began speaking in an unfamiliar voice. He introduced himself as Poo Ming, an elderly spirit who claimed to be the cemetery’s guardian. He was angry. He’d been disturbed.
Poo Ming demanded offerings and respect — or else. To appease him, the airport built a spirit house near the Novotel Suvarnabhumi hotel, where staff continue to leave incense, flowers, and the occasional shot of Thai whiskey.
Today, Poo Ming is not just a local legend. He's become the unofficial supernatural mascot of Suvarnabhumi.
Ghost Stories That Still Haunt the Airport
Even after Poo Ming was “appeased,” the strange sightings didn’t stop.
- Pilots have reported seeing a man walking across the runway—only for the figure to vanish before impact.
- Drivers have slammed on brakes to avoid a woman carrying a baby near the perimeter road—except no such woman is ever found.
- Elevators open and close on their own, sometimes even arriving unprompted at the deserted floors late at night.
- Cleaners have reportedly heard crying in empty restrooms or seen ghostly children darting across boarding gates.
And no one — no one — likes to do the graveyard shift.
High-Tech, High-Spirits
Despite the tales, Suvarnabhumi continues to operate as a global hub, blending state-of-the-art infrastructure with Thailand’s deep-rooted spiritual culture. It’s not uncommon in Thailand to see spirit houses in businesses, homes, and yes, airports — because in Thai belief, harmony between the spirit world and the living is part of everyday life.
Flowers offered to a Buddha statue in Bangkok | Freepik
In fact, some visitors now seek out the shrine of Poo Ming just as they would a currency exchange or noodle stand. “A safe flight starts with respect,” one local guide joked to a curious tourist snapping a photo of the shrine.
Final Call: Between Departures and the Departed
Whether you believe in ghosts or just enjoy a good airport urban legend, Suvarnabhumi’s haunted history is more than just folklore — it’s a living part of Thailand’s cultural tapestry. The airport might be a marvel of modern travel, but it hasn’t left the past behind.
So next time you’re catching a flight from Suvarnabhumi, maybe light a little incense… or at least avoid the restrooms after midnight.
You never know who (or what) might be there.
References (APA Style)
- The Culture Trip. (2018). The Curse of Bangkok’s Haunted Airport. Retrieved from https://theculturetrip.com
- Thailand Construction News. (2015). Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport One of Thailand’s Most Haunted Places. Retrieved from https://thailand-construction.com
- Duke Language. (2013). Thai Airways Ghost Legends. Retrieved from https://dukelanguage.com
