BANGKOK, Dec 29 (TNA) – The country will not need any strict disease control measure for Chinese visitors, the public health minister said.
Anutin Charnvirakul, the public health minister and deputy prime minister, said officials from the Department of Disease Control, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Ministry of Transport discussed measures to be imposed in response to China's planned country reopening on Jan 8 and they agreed that existing measures would be enough.
The Chinese government required outbound Chinese travelers to undergo RT-PCR tests for COVID-19 and receive at least three doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Most Chinese people had natural antibodies for COVID-19 also because 60% of the Chinese population already contracted the disease, Mr Anutin said.
When Chinese tourists arrive, they must purchase health insurance so that they will have proper care if they fall sick, he said.
If Chinese visitors would like a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot, the Thai government would have AstraZeneca vaccine for them but they would have to pay for it, Mr Anutin said. (TNA)
Russian flag carrier Aeroflot is launching direct flights from Irkutsk in Russia to Bangkok, Thailand, starting January 18, 2023.
A Boeing 737-800 will service the route which will run twice weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with a flight time of 6 hours and 25 minutes.
Irkutsk, known as "Paris of Siberia," is Russia's 25th-largest city by population. It is the largest city in the Irkutsk Oblast, home to 17.5 million people. The Trans-Siberian Railway connects the city to other regions in Russia and Mongolia.
Russia's S7 Airlines is the only airline currently operating flights on the Irkutsk – Bangkok route.
Since September, Russian tourist arrivals in Thailand have increased sevenfold as Russia's icy winter gets even brisker.
It's little wonder Siberians want to pack their bags and fly to Bangkok. It is it currently 30 degrees Celsius in the Land of Smiles while in Irkutsk it is an intense 11 degrees Celsius at present.
Russians could go anywhere in southeast Asia to escape the cold, but trusty Thailand is an old-time favourite among Russians, who were Thailand's 7th largest tourism market before the pandemic. What's more, Thailand has made an extra effort to lure in Russians this winter, by organising chartered flights and by granting extended visa exemptions on arrivals.
Russians – and any other country with a bilateral agreement with Thailand – can stay in the kingdom for up to 45 days with a visa exemption on arrival until the end of High Season.
In Phuket, Russians currently comprise the biggest tourist group. In Thailand in general, Russia was the third biggest market after Malaysia and India last month.
Aeroflot resumed direct flights between Moscow and Phuket in October in preparation to facilitate an influx of Russian tourists to the tropical paradise.
The flag carrier also runs flights between the Russian and Thai respective capitals.
Thai version of anti-Covid Molnupiravir to be made available this week
Thai-made Covid-19 antiviral drug Molnupiravir will be made available at all branches of Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) pharmacies this week.
The GPO announced on Thursday that it has successfully developed its own version of the antiviral, called "Monovir", for treatment of Covid-19 symptoms.
The Thai-made drug has passed a bioequivalence study, meaning it has similar efficacy as the original Molnupiravir developed by US drug companies Merck, Sharp and Dohme (MSD) and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, said GPO deputy director Dr Nanthakan Suwanpidokkul.
She said the GPO has started delivering Monovir to GPO pharmacies nationwide and it will be available in 200mg capsules for patients with a doctor's prescription in the next few days.
Thailand is currently using between 100,000 and 200,000 capsules of Molnupiravir per day, all of which have to be imported.
"Although we still have adequate stocks of imported Molnupiravir, being able to manufacture the drug domestically will further strengthen the country's supply and ensure that all patients have access to the treatment," said Nanthakan.
Thailand's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved four antiviral drugs, namely Favipiravir, Remdesivir, Molnupiravir and Paxlovid. All four can be purchased with a prescription at hospitals, clinics and pharmacies under the Health Facility Act of 1998.
Events are taking place all across the kingdom - from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket, to Pattaya, Sukhothai, Songkhla, Krabi and many other places.
TAT Newsroom
Bangkok, 27 December, 2022 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is hosting "Amazing Thailand Countdown 2023" New Year celebrations in Bangkok and Songkhla and providing support for other events throughout the kingdom to conclude 2022 with 1.5 trillion in total tourism revenue as targeted.
Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor, said "Thailand's total visitor arrivals for 2022 is expected to reach 11.5 million arrivals by the end of the year. The return of foreign tourists together with domestic tourism recovery – backed by several long weekends and tourism stimulus campaigns – helps generate 1.5 trillion in total tourism revenue or at 50% of the pre-pandemic level seen in 2019."
TAT has expected that 3.14 million domestic trips will be made in Thailand during the New Year holiday between 31 December, 2022, and 2 January, 2023, generating 11.2 billion Baht in tourism revenue.
The "Amazing Thailand Countdown 2023" as well as locally-organised New Year celebrations will be taking place throughout Thailand, in many different locations in the Central, Northern, Northeastern, Eastern, and Southern regions as well as in the bustling capital city of Bangkok.
The two main "Amazing Thailand Countdown 2023" events hosted by the TAT will be at Wat Pho in Bangkok and Atthakraweesunthorn Courtyard in Hat Yai, Songkhla.
People receive Covid-19 vaccines at Siam Paragon on Dec 20. Local authorities are trying to ramp up vaccinations for tourists and tourism workers. Somchai Poomlard
The Tourism and Sports Ministry hopes to offer Covid-19 booster shots to tourists and Thai tourism workers in preparation for the return of Chinese travellers.
Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said this would be a worthwhile investment as vaccine prices are now lower, at around a few hundred baht per shot.
Mr Phiphat said if the average tourist spent 40,000 baht, with 7% value-added tax collected from that expenditure, the value would exceed the vaccine prices.
"It will create a good image for Thailand as we are ranked among the top nations for healthcare security," he said.
Mr Phiphat said the Tourism and Sports Ministry would work with the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Public Health Ministry to explore the feasibility of this idea.
If the government approves the scheme, it should allocate funds to the Public Health Ministry to purchase vaccines, he said.
Mr Phiphat said the Tourism and Sports Ministry will also ask the Public Health Ministry to prepare booster shots for employees in the tourism sector before the first Chinese travellers arrive.
Related authorities should help publicise health and safety measures to tourists, employees in the service sector and locals, encouraging them to wear masks and beware of risks, he said.
Bhumikitti Ruktaengam, advisory chairman of the Phuket Tourist Association, said although there is no update on allowing outbound leisure tourism from China, such a move is expected soon.
He said the first batch of Chinese tourists in Thailand are expected at the end of the first quarter.
Mr Bhumikitti said Chinese New Year next month might be too early for this group to take overseas trips, as there are widespread Covid-19 outbreaks on the mainland right now.
He said certain issues needed to be remedied in Phuket before tourism revives, such as labour shortages in spas, hotels, airlines and immigration offices.
Both the public and private sectors should work together to increase flights connecting to major cities in China, said Mr Bhumikitti.
He said the Tourism Department should speed up the renewal process for tour guide licences and prepare digital payment technologies and Chinese-language signs and instructions to facilitate visitors from the mainland.
At present, roughly 60% of private operators in Phuket are back in business, said Mr Bhumikitti.
He said 20% of suspended businesses could reopen if Chinese tourists return.
Thailand's long and slow recovery of its foreign tourism industry continues with a somewhat ambivalent attitude towards the now imminent prospect of a return of Chinese visitors due to a raging health crisis in China as Beijing abandons its zero Covid policy.
Thailand may offer free vaccines to all incoming foreign tourists under the latest policy initiative from Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn. The move comes as the kingdom contemplates the possible resumption of foreign tourism from China to Thailand while it still struggles to achieve anything like the visitor numbers and revenue generated in 2019. It lags behind countries such as Greece and France whose foreign tourism industries have already exceeded their 2019 performance while Thailand's visitor numbers are mired at 29% of that seen in 2019 and even then, with reduced spending per head of between 14% and 20%.
Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn is proposing a plan to offer free vaccines to all incoming tourists. It comes as Thailand grapples with the prospect of a return of Chinese tourists to the kingdom while the recovery of the industry is mired in difficulties and well behind other countries with large tourism sectors such as Greece and France.
Thailand's Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn is to convene a meeting on January 5th of three ministries to explore the possibility of offering incoming tourists to the kingdom free COVID-19 vaccines in a gesture of goodwill and welcome to foreign visitors.
The ministries concerned are the Ministry of Transport, the Tourism Ministry and the Ministry of Public Health, all three currently under the control of the Bhumjaithai Party which, ahead of an election in 2023, appears to be failing to generate popular support according to the latest National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) opinion poll published on December 25th last.
This is despite the defection of 34 'cobra' MPs to its ranks just over a week earlier in mid-December.
Plan linked with the possible return of Chinese tourists to Thailand after January 8th move by officials to lift restrictions on travellers to China
The initiative is being linked to the potential return of Chinese visitors to the kingdom as the communist country has begun to lift all economic restrictions after it finally abandoned its ruinous zero Covid policy which sparked widespread and unprecedented public protest against the regime and the rule of President Xi Jinping.
Officials working with the minister whose proposal to extend opening hours for pubs and nightclubs in tourist areas to 4 am has been sidelined indefinitely, briefed reporters, saying that the latest initiative would be voluntary for all foreign tourists and would not just extend to Chinese visitors but those arriving from every country.
Officials have compared the proposed scheme to the trend during the pandemic which saw Thai nationals travel to Europe and the United States to receive jabs.
They have assured reporters that the cost of the exercise would be borne entirely by the Thai government with plans already being made for the Ministry of Public Health to purchase more vaccines to support the campaign.
Minister says paying for jabs for tourists makes good economic sense for Thailand as more are ordered
Minister Phiphat points out that the cost of a Covid vaccine can be measured in hundreds of baht whereas the average foreign tourist spends more than ฿40,000 with ฿2,800 alone in VAT on top of that which goes directly into the government's coffers.
This initiative is bound to raise jitters among the Thai foreign tourism industry which wants to put the pandemic behind it.
In the last week, business leaders have urged the government to instead do more to attract more airlines and flights into Thailand as the lack of choice and increased cost are still hindering the recovery of tourism despite Thailand being on course to receive approximately 11.5 million foreign tourists this year.
This figure, of course, will still be only 29% of the 2019 level while spending per foreign tourist is also reported to be off by between 14% and 20% depending on which reports from government sources are correct.
Various state agencies, this year, identified a reported average tourist spend of between ฿40,000 to ฿43,000 compared to just over ฿50,000 reported in 2019.
Thailand's foreign tourism industry has been battered with medium to long-term damage, it has failed to recover like countries such as Greece and France
This is thought to be due to more short-haul visitors from Asian countries staying for shorter periods as opposed to long-haul tourists.
The country appears to have suffered damage in the medium to long term to its critical economic engine because of the pandemic, underperforming other countries with large foreign tourist sectors.
For example, in October this year, Greece had already surpassed the $17.92 billion it earned in 2019 with reported earnings of $18.7 billion.
Similarly, France saw 22 million nights spent by tourists from April to September 2022, 2.4% ahead of the figure for 2019.
One leading industry figure in Phuket this week estimated that 30% of the hotels on the resort island have yet to reopen.
Tourism levy is postponed yet again, it is now to be called a 'fee on landing' with a plan to be reviewed on January 24thnext by a key policy committee
Mr Phiphat, the Tourism Minister, also announced that the country's foreign tourist levy which offers free insurance for all incoming arrivals and is to be charged at between $8 and $9, has yet again been postponed.
The levy has been renamed as the 'fee on landing' and a new plan to introduce the charge will be presented on January 24th to the National Tourism Policy Committee (NTPC).
However, even then, ministry officials say this plan will need to be studied carefully to see if it is in line with tourist behaviour while also addressing the challenge of collecting the charge from visitors entering by land border crossings and by sea.
A key impediment to the plan, up to now, has been resistance from airlines who, while they are legally bound to comply with the law and have made no official complaint, have the option of declining to fly to Thailand or reducing flight frequency to the kingdom.
Proposed collection of the levy by international airlines in 2022 created additional reporting burdens
The proposed collection of the new levy in 2022 imposed an additional reporting burden on all incoming airlines who, under plans developed, were required to notify Bangkok of incoming passengers before they landed in Thailand as well as collecting the levy and remitting it to the government.
It is already widely accepted within the airline industry that airlines are cautious about committing to Thailand because of the relatively low levels of profit on routes to the country.
It is understood that the cabinet will consider a revised proposal for the new tourist levy again in February and if approved, it is thought it will come into force from June 2023 onwards.
Chinese tourism market looks set to reopen in 2023 with 5 million Chinese visitors predicted by Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) chief Yuthasak
In the meantime, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Director-general Yuthasak Supasorn is already predicting that up to 500,000 Chinese visitors may travel to Thailand before the Chinese New Year in 2023 as the situation is rapidly developing north of Thailand's border.
His comments come as authorities in Beijing signalled that from January 8thall entry restrictions to the country will be lifted.
Mr Yuthasak says that, if things go according to plan, this could raise his agency's predicted number of foreign tourists in 2023 from 20 million to 25 million.
The tourism boss said that data from a Beijing-based travel platform Qunar saw searches for flight tickets rise by 700% in recent days with Thailand emerging as the preferred destination for Chinese holidaymakers ahead of Japan and South Korea.
He emphasised that the changes now underway in China are of significance after three years of lockdowns and restrictions.
Concerns in Thailand about a threat to public health if large numbers of Chinese tourists begin to pour in at this time of crisis in China over COVID-19
He also acknowledged rising concern in Thailand about the danger of large numbers of Chinese visitors coming from a country where the virus is still prevalent and placing acute pressure on public health systems.
It comes as Chinese authorities have cancelled all public announcements as to the toll of the virus wave including infections and deaths.
'The most important factor is not how many Chinese will return to visit Thailand, but helping the country avoid another Covid wave and keeping Thais safe,' Mr Yuthasak disclosed.
On the other hand, the tourist chief said that Thailand needs more foreign tourists to get its industry fully back to work.
Tourism chief urges action on flight connectivity
The President of the Association of Thai Travel Agents Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, however, insisted that increased flight capacity to the country must be the overarching priority.
He also warned that China has yet to make known how it will handle the issuance of passports for outbound foreign tourists despite the apparent end of the zero Covid policy.
Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, the President of the Thai Hotels Association was also cautious. She indicated that things will take time to progress.
She also warned that Thailand's foreign tourism sector itself must up its game with a loss of trained staff during the long period when the industry was effectively closed.
'The end of quarantine is good news from China, especially for small hotels in Thailand, but the pace of recovery will be gradual and depends on many factors,' she said.
Among the challenges facing hoteliers were higher operational costs, not least the hike in electricity charges which is due to come into effect from January 2023 with hotels facing higher consumption amid improving occupancy rates.
Danger of becoming too dependent again on the Chinese market as airline chief warns of growing pressure on airport resources with large flight loads
The industry leader also warned that the country must be careful about becoming too dependent on any one market such as China which made up 28% of arrivals in 2019.
Her message was echoed by Thai Air Asia Executive Chairman Tassapon Bijleveld who said that if China reopens, it will take airlines time to put on more flights and services.
He pointed out that, currently, airlines operating international flights are achieving 85% to 90% load factors and that this means that airport authorities will also have to deploy more manpower in processing arrivals.
He expressed concern that an increase in flights from China may overwhelm the current resources at Thai airports and even cause flight delays due to a lack of ground handling services.
Rules for Pattaya Countdown event. Most won't surprise readers but if you want to go to the concerts a few highlights;
Masks are mandatory.
Id required, for foreigners this means likely passport or copy.
No drinks and food, alcoholic or not, inside the concert area.
No chairs or fan signs allowed.
Keep your body strong. That's the actual rule.
Happy New Year!
🎄🎆🎉Things that you should prepare before entering Pattaya Countdown 2023😉(Volume 2146/65 of 28 Dec. k. 65)
It's tomorrow.. With festival New Year's Eve Entertainment "PATTAYA COUNTDOWN 2023"🎉Meet the concert from many famous artists for 3 days 3 nights👉🏻29-30-31 December 2565 at Pattaya Cruise Pier (Cape Bali Hai) and Koh Lan on 31 December🏝️🎶🎉
📌In this case, don't forget to prepare completely before going to the event. According to this 👇🏻
1. Register before entering the event by scanning the QR Code to download the E29 application. Then you will find the REGISTER button for the safety and safety of the participants. It will provide convenience, speed to enter the event and win prizes within the event. (Recommended to register now. Feel free to be confused)
2. Carry your ID to register on site.
3. Sneeze. Personalized medicine.
4. Alcohol is sterilizing.
5. Getting my body right
6. Wear a face mask at all times in the work area.
7. Getting my phone battery ready
8. Cheer equipment for artists include light sticks, akabong, cheer cloth ⛔ All lights are not allowed inside the event.
9. Eat, drink water, take care of personal errands before entering the concert grounds so you don't miss any moment of fun.
10. 🙅🏻 ♂️All foldable chairs and ladders are not allowed inside the event.
🎄I wish everyone to travel to Pattaya Countdown 2023 happily🎄🎆🎉
🥳Let's join us to end the old year and welcome the new year together with Pattaya Countdown 2023🎉
FILE PHOTO: Chinese tourists are returning to Thailand, but could bring problems too.
While people in the tourism and entertainment sector are celebrating China's announcement to reopen and allow outgoing travel, others have raised fears about the potential problems that could come with an influx of Chinese tourists. Some fear an overwhelming surge of Chinese tourists flooding Thailand's hotspots. Others worry that the healthcare systems in Thailand could be overburdened by the influx of tourists, especially amidst the massive Covid-19 outbreak China is currently experiencing.
China announced on Monday it will reopen its borders and abandon its strict Covid quarantine for travellers and mainland citizens on January 8. The announcement signals great news for Thailand as the kingdom continues to prosper from the worldwide relaxation of Covid restrictions. Before the pandemic, China was the No.1 source of international tourists for Thailand and many other countries in the region.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand said that if the Chinese definitely return to their pre-pandemic travel habits, the TAT will raise their target estimates for 2023 from 20 million to over 25 million international travellers. They estimated up to 500,000 people will flock to Thailand for the Chinese New Year holiday. They further expect between three and five million Chinese travellers in the kingdom throughout the year.
The TAT is meeting with the private sector today in what they called a recalibration of preparation and policy. After three years with reduced tourism and no Chinese tourist, the industry may be a bit rusty.
One major concern is the huge surge of Covid infections currently occurring in China. The government stopped announcing the number of infections after it was reported that about one million people a day contract Covid. TAT governor Yuttasak Supasorn vowed to consult with the Ministry of Public Health to address that issue and make sure that the healthcare system in Thailand is ready.
"The most important factor is not how many Chinese will return to visit Thailand, but helping the country avoid another Covid wave and keeping Thais safe."
Aside from Covid, the mechanics of travel may not be prepared for a huge jump in Chinese tourist arrivals. Flight capacity needs to be ramped up quickly to accommodate the demand. Hotels in some markets have been nearing capacity, but the promise of the returning Chinese tourist market may help resolve that issue by allowing closed properties to finally have the stability to reopen and guarantee income to fuel operations and staffing.
But staffing itself may be another issue as the hotel industry is still experiencing a labour shortage. With tourism the first sector to be a casualty of the pandemic and the last to reopen, many workers simply shifted industries and got new jobs. The president of the Thai Hotels Association said that hoteliers should be prepared to pay higher salaries and operation costs to get back off the ground.
Data suggests that a surge of Chinese travellers is imminent. Online travel platform Qunar saw a seven-fold increase in flight searches within 15 minutes of the reopening announcement. And while Japan and South Korea were popular, the second and third most searched destinations, Thailand topped the list of travel locations that were searched. Customers in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou also overwhelmed Tongcheng Travel, which recorded an 850% increase in international travel searches.
The Thai government should look at imposing preventive measures to test or restrict travelers from China and countries where a lot of Chinese tourists have visited, the main opposition Pheu Thai Party said.
"Given the [Covid-19 outbreak] situation in China, Thailand should cautiously prepare for the influx of Chinese tourists," said former deputy prime minister Chaturon Chaisang who is a member of Pheu Thai's strategy committee.
"We should have some guards up…and tests should be administered to find out what kind of variants are coming in from China to find out if they are more severe than the variants that have been found in Thailand," he said.
His comment came after Beijing announced yesterday that inbound travelers will no longer be subject to quarantine from January 8 onward.
The country also announced today that it would allow its citizens to travel abroad and measures are being put in place to facilitate travel for Chinese outside their country.
The move was a good sign for the Thai tourism sector as Chinese tourists accounted for nearly a quarter of the 40 million visitors to Thailand in 2019, before the Covid-19 outbreak.
China had until recently imposed heavy restrictions under the "Zero-Covid" banner until rare protests erupted in the country in November this year, prompting Beijing to change its policy.
Outbreak In China
The latest Covid outbreak in China saw more than 20% of its 1.4 billion population infected with the virus. The World Health Organization warned that such an outbreak could possibly lead to new strains.
Meanwhile, Thailand's weekly Covid hospitalization cases were less than 3,000 between December 18 and 24.
China's move to lift quarantine for inbound travelers led to optimistic comments from the private sector.
The Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, Sanan Angubolkul, said yesterday that he expects at least 5 million Chinese tourists next year compared to less than 300,000 in 2022.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand also changed its forecast for the tourist number in 2023 from 20 million to 25 million after Beijing's announcement.
However, many people have remained cautious because of the ongoing outbreak in China.
Countries such as Japan, India and the United States are thinking of imposing restrictions such as having a negative Covid-19 test before Chinese tourists could enter their country.
Pheu Thai's Chaturon pointed out that Japan already announced that arrivals from China will require a negative test result before entering the country. If tested positive at the airport, they will be isolated.
The US is contemplating similar steps to Japan and Malaysia already imposed new tracking and surveillance measures.
India has last week begun to administer random tests on 2% of passenger arrivals from other countries due to concerns over new variants.
Chaturon said the Thai government should cautiously impose similar measures and closely monitored the outbreak situation in China in order to inform the Thai public about the ongoing situation to avoid public panic.
He said imposing such measures would allow travelers from other countries to feel safer from Covid when traveling in Thailand.
He also recommended that the Thai government, especially the health ministry, should offer help to Chinese people as there are reports that there are shortages of medical equipment and medicines in some states on the mainland at the
China's Covid surge leads countries to adopt entry restrictions
Travellers stand by their luggage at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing on Tuesday. (Reuters photo)
Nations across the globe are implementing or considering measures to test or restrict travellers from China as the country of 1.4 billion abandons its Covid Zero policy and prepares to reopen borders in early January.
The United States is considering new coronavirus precautions for people travelling from China amid questions about the transparency of data China is reporting about the spread of the virus, according to American officials, who asked not to be identified discussing internal thinking. Japan moved quickly on Tuesday to announce steps requiring a negative Covid-19 test upon arrival soon after Beijing said it no longer subject inbound travelers to quarantine from Jan 8.
China is rapidly dismantling its stringent pandemic measures in the face of discontent with Covid Zero rules, triggering outbreaks across the country. Uncertainty over the true scale of infections without reliable official figures is fuelling concern that the rapid spread of the virus could lead to the emergence of new variants.
China is experiencing the world's largest Covid-19 outbreak, raising concerns among public-health officials worldwide. Almost 37 million people may have been infected with the virus on a single day last week, according to estimates from the government's top health authority.
Earlier this week, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said there are "great discrepancies" in information coming out of the country, fuelling growing concern. Japan will require negative Covid-19 test results upon arrival for visitors who have been in mainland China within a seven-day period, while those who test positive will have to quarantine for a week.
The US is weighing similar steps, the officials said, as a way to prevent further spread. Malaysia has also imposed new tracking and surveillance measures. India began random testing of about 2% of passengers arriving from other countries at all international airports a week ago to minimise the risk of any new variant entering the country.
Holiday bookings for outbound flights from mainland China jumped 254% Tuesday morning from the day before, according to Trip.com Group Ltd data, underscoring how the country's vast population is ready and hungry for travel. The top five destinations were Singapore, with a 600% increase in bookings, followed by about 400% for South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan and Thailand.
China will start issuing new passports and Hong Kong travel permits to mainland residents, the National Immigration Administration said in an announcement on WeChat late on Monday. Express checkpoints on the borders with Hong Kong and Macau will resume, while applications by foreigners to extend or renew visas will also re-commence as part of the relaxation of measures on Jan 8.
Taiwan may also adjust Covid measures such as testing as it anticipates tens of thousands of people returning from the Chinese mainland for the Chinese New Year later in January, cabinet spokesperson Lo Ping-cheng said in a statement. While Taiwan currently does not allow mainland Chinese tourists to get it, many Taiwanese work and invest in the mainland.
Philippine Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista called for Covid measures on Wednesday, including testing on inbound travelers from China. "We should be very cautious because if they have a lot of Covid cases, we should be careful about Chinese visitors coming into the Philippines," he told reporters.
The new US travel precautions are based on consultations with public health experts and international partners, officials said. They said the talks have been prompted in part by concerns over the lack of genomic sequencing data that could help identify the emergence of a new variant.
Health experts have said they're worried that the virus's unabated spread could spawn a dangerous new variant for the first time since the omicron strain caused infections to surge more than a year ago.
GISAID, the global consortium that maintains a database for scientists around the world to share coronavirus sequences to monitor mutations, said on Tuesday that China has ramped up its surveillance amid the ongoing outbreak. All the sequences shared by the Chinese health authorities suggest the viruses fueling the massive nationwide outbreak closely resemble the circulating variants found in the rest of the world since July, they added.
Chinese tourists arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport, Bangkok, earlier this year.
The news that Chinese nationals will be able to travel abroad from January 8without experiencing compulsory quarantine and home isolation on return has been generally welcomed as boosting the Thai economy as it struggles to regain momentum in the post-covid world environment. There are still ambiguities, such as the surprising Beijing "rule" that Chinese nationals will need an expensive RT-PCR covid test 48 hours before departure from Thailand back to the home country. Such medical tests in Thailand are mostly organized by major hospitals, must be booked well in advance and cost the better part of US$100. Whether such a difficult "rule" is actually enforced by airport check-in staff and Chinese immigration officers remains to be seen.
Thailand has always been a popular destination for Chinese vacationers with 25 percent of all the 40 million foreign arrivals in 2019 touching down on flights from Chinese cities. Beijing has now withdrawn the limit on the daily number of allowable international flights which, in turn, will lead to pressure to allow more charter planes to land at Pattaya's much-expanded U-tapao airport. Russian tour operators, such as Pegas Touristik and Odessa Tours, are currently lobbying to increase their flight numbers, now joined by Chinese travel authorities which claim to have an available stockpile of planes at Chinese airports which have been in mothballs during the covid pandemic.
Thanet Supornsahasrangsri, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, has already warned of staff shortages to work in hotels and other leisure-related industries. Many medium-sized hotels in south Pattaya are already urgently advertising for staff in preparation for the anticipated boom and are appealing to the foreign worker registration bureau, next to the Jomtien immigration office, to recruit more waiters and cleaning staff from Myanmar and Cambodia. The biggest problem the resort's business owners may experience in 2023 will be keeping up with the demand for more staff. The Tourist Authority of Thailand aims to have 20 million foreign tourists visiting the country in 2023, but many gurus think 30 million plus is a distinct possibility if the required number of flights can be accommodated.
Geoff Clarkson, spokesman for Faraway Tours, said, "It's not just a question of overall numbers arriving in Thailand because of pent-up demand after the covid pandemic, but the tourist crowds coming to Pattaya owing to the massive expansion of nearby U-tapao airport." The number of daily flights should be limited to reduce the risks of pollution, traffic jams and pressure on local services such as immigration and land transportation." He added that some of Pattaya's major roads were still under renovation and not in a position to accommodate hundreds of huge tour buses which are associated with charter vacations. "However, there is time to prepare because it will take weeks for the detailed flights arrangements to be made." Many Chinese vacationers are hoping to get away in late January which is Chinese New Year, a traditional foreign travel favorite.
Travellers walk with their luggage at Suvarnabhumi airport. Varuth Hirunyatheb
An overload of tourists and an overwhelmed Thai healthcare system are issues to monitor next year after China fully reopens, with up to 500,000 tourists projected to start travelling during Chinese New Year.
Even though the tourism sector applauded the announcement from Beijing that it is lifting most entry requirements from Jan 8, except for a pre-arrival Covid-19 test, tourism operators were concerned about an imbalance between supply and demand.
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn said China's reopening would lead TAT to revise its target for foreign arrivals from 20 million to more than 25 million in 2023.
An influx of Chinese tourists, who have been unable to travel overseas for three years, may flock to Thailand during the Chinese New Year holiday at the end of January, with the possibility of 500,000 tourists arriving during this period and 3-5 million Chinese for the whole year, he said.
Mr Yuthasak said positive signs were noticed immediately, as 15 minutes after the announcement Beijing-based online travel platform Qunar saw air ticket searches surge by seven times, with Thailand the most popular destination, followed by Japan and South Korea.
The travel platform under Tongcheng Travel also reported an 850% increase in searches for international routes, mainly driven by users in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
Mr Yuthasak said the TAT and the private sector will meet today to discuss preparations and evaluate the situation as China's major shift in its border policy after three years requires a recalibration.
He said if the private sector has any concerns about the Thai healthcare system, the TAT will take these questions to the Public Health Ministry to ensure the healthcare system is ready.
"The most important factor is not how many Chinese will return to visit Thailand, but helping the country avoid another Covid wave and keeping Thais safe," said Mr Yuthasak.
Beijing stopped announcing Covid infection numbers this week after the country reportedly had more than a million daily cases, according to some media outlets.
He said the return of the Chinese tourism market may gradually help sort out the problem of overcapacity as investors or operators will be willing to fully invest in employment and business expansion once this segment rebounds.
Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said increasing flight capacity should be the first priority for Thailand.
Moreover, Thailand still has to monitor how Beijing helps facilitate passport renewals for its citizens, he said.
Mr Sisdivachr said China might also need to signal which market it would like to promote for outbound tourism, as there is no update on lifting the tour group suspension at the moment.
"The end of quarantine is good news from China, especially for small hotels in Thailand, but the pace of recovery will be gradual and depend on many factors," said Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, president of the Thai Hotels Association.
Mrs Marisa said limited flights connecting to China will be an obstacle during Chinese New Year on Jan 22, while a labour shortage for hoteliers remains, as many workers left the industry for other jobs.
She said hotel operators have to be more active in recruiting staff and be prepared to pay higher operational costs from both employment and electricity charges as a result of growing consumption.
Mrs Marisa said even though Chinese tourists could help generate income for various segments and destinations, such as those in the North, the tourism industry should learn not to be overly dependent on a single market as happened in the past, when the Chinese accounted for 25% of the overall inbound market.
AIRPORT CONGESTION
Tassapon Bijleveld, executive chairman of Asia Aviation (AAV), said congestion at Suvarnabhumi airport usually occurs during peak hours as most airlines cannot increase flights to cater to growing demand.
He said most international flights were fully packed with a load factor of more than 90%, higher than the average of 85% during normal periods, causing congestion at immigration and baggage claims when several flights land during the same hour.
Mr Tassapon said Airports of Thailand already tried to solve this problem by increasing manpower, but it needs a more serious approach if Chinese travellers come back in droves next year because insufficient capacity for ground handling services also results in flight delays.
Nuntaporn Komonsittivate, head of commercial operations at Thai Lion Air, said the airline could not commit to expanding flights to the mainland in time for Chinese New Year as flight operations require notice of at least a month.
Moreover, the airline would have to rotate aircraft from its existing fleet of 11 jets to fly to China at night, as the airline is awaiting new airplanes, said Ms Nuntaporn.
Santisuk Klongchaiya, chief executive of Thai AirAsia, said whenever the Civil Aviation Administration of China officially allows international airlines to resume normal operations, the airline will immediately expand services to the country, which could be in time for the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday.
