The airfield was the second in Thailand, after Sa Pathum, which was actually a part of the Sa Pathum horse racing course. The first flights to Don Mueang were made on March 8, 1914 and involved the transfer of aircraft of the Royal Thai Air Force. In 1911 Thailand had sent three army officers to France to train as pilots. On completion of their training, the pilots had been authorized to purchase four Breguets and four Nieuports, which formed the basis of the Royal Thai Air Force.

Commercial service to Don Mueang began in 1924. The first commercial flight was an arrival by KLM.

The airfield was used by the Japanese during World War II, and was bombed and strafed by Allied aircraft on several occasions.

During the Vietnam War, Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base was a major command and logistics hub of the United States Air Force.

Before the opening of Suvarnabhumi, the airport used the IATA airport code BKK and the name was spelled Don Muang. After Suvarnabhumi opened for commercial flights, the spelling was changed and as Don Mueang it now uses the airport code DMK, though it still retains the ICAO airport code VTBD. 

History of disasters and near-disasters

• December 25, 1976 - EgyptAir Flight 864, a Boeing 707-300 bound for Bangkok from Cairo, crashed into an industrial area near the airport during a landing attempt. All 53 aboard were killed.
• April 27, 1980 - a Thai Airways BAe 748 en route from Khon Kaen to Bangkok lost altitude during a thunderstorm and crashed about 8 miles (13 km) from Bangkok International Airport. All four crew members and 40 of the 49 passengers were killed.
• 1981: The Hijacking of Flight Garuda Indonesia GA 206 on 28 March 1981. This was the first serious Indonesian airline hijacking, since the first was a desperate Marine hijacker who was killed by the pilot himself. The hijackers, a group called Commando Jihad, hijacked the DC 9 "Woyla", enroute from Palembang to Medan, and ordered the pilot to fly the plane to Colombo, Sri Lanka. But since the plane didn't have enough fuel, it refueled in Penang, Malaysia and then to Don Mueang, Thailand. The hijackers demanded the release of Commando Jihad members imprisoned in Indonesia, and US $ 1.5 million, as well as a plane to take those prisoners to an unspecified destination. The Kopassus commandos who took part in this mission, trained for only three days with totally unfamiliar weapons, brilliantly executed this fast-paced operation. One of the Kopassus commandos was shot by the hijacker leader, who then shot himself. All the other hijackers were killed and the hostages were rescued.
• November 29, 1987 - Korean Air Flight 858, flying from Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad, Iraq to Abu Dhabi International Airport in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates to Don Mueang to Gimpo Airport near Seoul, South Korea, exploded over the Andaman Sea after a bomb planted by North Korean agents exploded. Everyone on board died.
• May 26, 1991 - Lauda Air Flight 004, which was headed to Wien-Schwechat International Airport in Vienna, suffered an in-flight deployment of the thrust reverser on the No. 1 engine after taking off from Don Mueang. Among the 213 passengers and 10 crew, there were no survivors.
• If Project Bojinka had not been discovered after a fire in Manila, one or more aircraft owned by U.S. carriers flying to Bangkok would have blown up over the Pacific Ocean on January 21, 1995 as part of the project's first phase.
• August 22, 1999 - China Airlines Flight 642, which was landing in Tropical Storm Sam at Hong Kong International Airport in Hong Kong on a route from Don Mueang to Hong Kong, rolled upside down on the runway. The plane came to rest upside down. 3 of the passengers died.
• September 23, 1999 - Qantas Flight 1, in what was the most serious incident in the airline's famously safe jet aircraft history, saw a Boeing 747-400 overshoot the runway causing significant damage, but no casualties.
• March 3, 2001 - a Thai Airways International Boeing 737-400 (HS-TDC), bound for Chiang Mai from Bangkok, was destroyed by an explosion and fire that occurred about 35 minutes before the Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and about 150 other passengers were to board. Five members of the cabin crew were aboard, and one was killed. Witnesses said they heard an explosion before flames erupted aboard the aircraft. NTSB investigators reported that the center fuel tank exploded followed by the right tank 18 minutes later. The cause for the explosion was unclear. No traces of explosive were found. The center fuel tank is located near air conditioning packs which generate heat, and were running nonstop prior to the explosion.
• April 19, 2005 - a Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-200ER stopped approximately 194 meters beyond a painted stop line at Bangkok International Airport, and its left wing-tip was clipped by a Thai Airways International Airbus A330-300 taxiing for take-off. There were no injuries.
• September 16, 2007 - One-Two-GO Airlines Flight 269, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (HS-OMG), on a short routine flight from Don-Muang airport, Bangkok to Phuket International Airport the aircraft overran the runway in wild weather comprising of battering shower storms. Out of 123 people on board 88 are said to have been killed.
  
  

  Taxi

  Taxi Stand: Located in front of the Arrival Halls International & Domestic Passenger Terminals
  Fare: Based on meter plus 50 baht airport surcharge

  The taxi fare rate within Bangkok and Greater Bangkok is charged by the meter plus a 50 baht airport surcharge. In addition, if taking the tollway, passengers are required to pay the tollway fee.

  The taxi fare rate outside Greater Bangkok and other provinces is fixed by BIA without the 50 Baht surcharge for the driver. Passengers should keep part 4 of the taxi ticket as evidence for any service complaint they may have.

  Location & Map
•