Three ministries to meet Thursday to prepare for return of Chinese tourists
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Senior officials of Thailand's Public Health, Tourism and Sports and Transport ministries are scheduled to meet this Thursday to prepare for the arrival of Chinese tourists, expected to begin in the middle of this month.
The Chinese government has eased travel restrictions, effective January 8th, allowing Chinese citizens to travel out of the country again and allowing tourists to visit China.
Thai tourism-related officials said that, during the initial stage, not many Chinese tourists will visit Thailand, due to the limited number of flights between China and Thailand, and many Chinese citizens may have to renew passports which expired during the COVID-19 pandemic, when travel restrictions were strictly enforced under China's Zero Infection Policy.
About 50,000 arrivals from China are estimated in the first month and many are expected to travel overland and through the border crossing in Chiang Saen district of Thailand'snorthern province of Chiang Rai, or via the Lao-Chinese high speed train service to the north-eastern province of Nong Khai.
Then, with increased flights, the number of arrivals isexpected to rise to about 100,000 a month and, this year, total arrivals are forecast to be about 5 million, compared to 11 million a year pre-pandemic.
No special measures are to be imposed on Chinese tourists, as they will be treated like other foreign tourists, according to the recommendation of a technical sub-committee of the National Communicable Disease Committee.
Chinese tourists will, however, be required to present their COVID-19 vaccination certification, will be advised to wear face masks while travelling around Thailand and should take out health insurance coverage before leaving for Thailand.
Based on the United Nations definition, a country is an Ageing Society when the share of the aged population (people aged 65 or older) is higher than 7% and is an Aged Society when this share rises above 14%. Once this share is over 20%, the nation is called a Super-Aged Society.
Vaccine-resistant strains in West and China threaten Thailand: virologist
Top virologist Dr Yong Poovorawan has urged the government to take action to defend Thailand against new Covid-19 variants spreading abroad.
He spoke out after China announced it will lift travel restrictions next Monday, January 8, prompting concern among countries worldwide.
So far, Japan, India, Italy, Malaysia, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan and the US have imposed tighter requirements including negative Covid tests on travellers from China, where infection rates are soaring.
Read more:
https://www.nationthailand.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/40023655 .
COVID-19 infections in Thailand this year are expected to increase as there are more arrivals from China, but there is no reason to be overly concerned as long as they are fully vaccinated, wear face masks and maintain social distancing, said Professor Dr. Prasit Watanapa, dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Mahidol University, today (Monday).
He said that it would not be surprising if some Chinese tourists carry COVID-19 and spread the disease in countries they visit, including Thailand, because Chinese people have low immunity to the disease, as they were less exposed to the virus than other nationalities due to the Chinese Government's zero infection policy.
About five million Chinese tourists are expected to visit Thailand this year. The technical sub-committee of the National Communicable Disease Committee has agreed that Chinese tourists will be treated like all other foreign tourists visiting Thailand, but they will be required to produce a certification of vaccination and are advised to take out health insurance coverage before arriving in Thailand.
If people in countries visited by Chinese tourists have sufficient immunity, the risk of being infected or of becoming seriously ill will reduce, he added.
For high-risk people, such as the elderly and those suffering from underlying diseases, he recommends that they get fully vaccinated, including boosters, adding that it does not need to be with the new generation of vaccines.
According to the COVID-19 Data Centre, 2,111 people contracted COVID-19 between December 25th and 31st last year, or an average of 302 cases a day. The COVID-19 related death toll for that week was 75.
More countries roll out China traveller checks amid COVID surge
WORLD: Travellers from China now face restrictions when entering more than a dozen countries as concern grows over its surge in COVID-19 cases, with Australia the latest to demand a negative test before arrival.
The announcement was followed by news that Morocco has banned all arrivals from China outright.
Last month, Beijing abruptly began dismantling its "zero-COVID" containment policy of lockdowns and mass testing, three years after the coronavirus first emerged in the city of Wuhan.
As COVID overwhelms Chinese hospitals and crematoriums, officials have insisted that the wave is "under control" despite acknowledging that the true scale of infections is "impossible" to track.
Australia's health minister yesterday (Jan 1) cited Beijing's "lack of comprehensive information" about COVID cases as the reasoning behind the travel requirement, which will take effect on Jan 5. The move will "safeguard Australia from the risk of potential new emerging variants," he said.
In recent days, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan have also imposed either a negative COVID test requirement or testing upon arrival for travellers from China.
Canada cited "the limited epidemiological and viral genomic sequence data available" on recent COVID cases in China for its negative test demand.
Meanwhile, Morocco moved to ban all arrivals from China on Saturday, "to avoid a new wave of contaminations in Morocco and all its consequences".
The flurry of global travel restrictions began as countries anticipated a surge in Chinese visitors after Beijing announced mandatory quarantine for inbound passengers would end on Jan 8.
The World Health Organization has called the precautionary measures "understandable" in light of the lack of outbreak information provided by Beijing.
But the European branch of the International Airports Council - which represents more than 500 airports in 55 European countries - said the restrictions were not justified or risk-based.
The conflicting reports over the weekend were the product of two high-powered committee meetings within the Ministry of Public Health ahead of a meeting of three key ministries on Thursday next January 5th and an ultimate decision by the prime minister and cabinet on the approach to be taken. It comes with voices from both the medical community and government agencies urging caution as the kingdom and the wider world have learned to live with the COVID threat.
Ahead of a key meeting this week between three key ministries involved in dealing with China's planned border reopening to foreign travel, there are conflicting reports on whether additional entry requirements will be imposed at Thai airports, something that would have a severely negative impact on the country's ongoing foreign tourism recovery. Last week, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul indicated that the economic impact of such moves must be carefully considered at this time while in recent days the Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) Sutthipong Kongpool urged Thai authorities to examine carefully the measures introduced by Beijing concerning outbound passengers before deciding how to react.
Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul has played down the need to react even as key committees within his own ministry are reported to have drawn up new entry requirements including proof of vaccination which would be applied to all incoming travellers with the possibility of torpedoing confidence among prospective foreign visitors which has risen since Covid was declared endemic in Thailand in October with nearly all entry requirement eliminated. This comes as officials scramble to react to the pending reopening of foreign tourism from China and more flights from the communist country arriving at international Thai airports.
A key meeting between the ministries of Transport, Public Health and Tourism on Thursday, January 5th will determine the kingdom's new international arrivals policy in light of the reopening of China's borders and the expected resumption of mass tourism from China into Thailand.
The development has resulted in conflicting reports over the weekend with a meeting last Thursday at the Ministry of Public Health appearing to signal a return to a screening of passengers across the board as they enter Thailand and new preflight requirements, in particular a requirement that passengers show proof of adequate vaccination against the COVID-19 virus.
Signals at the weekend were that a reversal of the free flow of passengers into the kingdom which benefits foreign tourism numbers was on the cards
This has since been played down although all the signs are that there will be a reversal of the travel free for all that we have seen since COVID was declared endemic in Thailand in October 2022 and which has been the basis for a marked uptick in foreign tourist arrivals and expectations for the coming year with rising confidence among both passengers and airlines which had been severely challenged by the arbitrary nature of entry requirements and conditions imposed in 2020, 2021 and 2022 by the Thai government.
The key lesson learned in 2020 and particularly in 2021 and 2022 was that foreign tourists expect to be able to travel freely and without red tape when planning and taking holidays abroad.
Any imposition of entry criteria aside from a passport and normal visa provisions will see a sharp decline in numbers opting to travel or visit.
Some of those who attended the meeting on Saturday at the ministry are understood to have taken a more pragmatic tone when officials are reported to have agreed that screening at airports may not be necessary at this stage in reaction to the news of China's opening to international travel.
Conflicting reports from two Ministry of Public Health meetings which first of all targeted Chinese visitors and then applied the rule to all travellers
This was judged particularly so as travellers from China will already have been vaccinated against the disease although other reports from the meeting suggested that a COVID-19 vaccine certificate will be required from Chinese travellers as well as proof of short-term health insurance for COVID.
Sources also suggested that travellers from China will be informed of these requirements through the travel industry network and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a scenario which appears to harken back to the kingdom's policy in 2020 and 2021 of orchestrating tourist trips before arrival via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which had a devastating impact on Thailand's foreign tourism sector from which it has not yet recovered with this year's projected visitor numbers at only 29% of those seen in 2019, well behind other countries with large tourist industries.
There are also reports from the Ministry of Public Health that 'sentinel' random testing will be carried out at Thailand's main airports with RT-PCR tests on both passengers leaving and entering the country.
Health Minister Anutin has emphasised the need to protect key economic interests responding to the news from China, expected arrivals to be 'gradual'
It is understood that outline proposals from both meetings on Thursday and Saturday will be discussed at this week's summit between the three ministries concerned with any final decision being made by the prime minister and the cabinet given the potentially significant impact of such measures on the country's tourism recovery and the wider economy.
Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul was involved in Thursday's deliberations and afterwards attempted to play down the impact caused by the return of Chinese tourists saying he believed that this would be a gradual process.
He also emphasised the proposal tabled for next week's meeting by Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn to offer free vaccines to incoming foreign tourists on arrival but purely on a voluntary basis.
Vaccination levels and health risks are the same in China as in Thailand declared the minister as he played down the challenge and warned of speculation
He told reporters that the virus circulating both in Thailand and China was essentially the same with a similar level of vaccination and risk.
'I would not like any speculation of a Chinese influx because that would worry people. I believe they will arrive gradually,' he insisted.
Deputy Prime Minister Anutin also made it clear that any decision on the issue would also bear in mind the economic impact.
The proposals being developed include the allocation of increased resources for treating foreign tourists in Thailand who become ill or sick with COVID-19 while it is also being proposed that all incoming travellers will be advised to wear face masks, adhere to health protocols and regularly use hand gels.
The ministry is also advancing plans to deliver booster vaccines to front-line foreign tourism and health staff who are involved with the foreign tourism industry.
Proposals to be adopted as universal measures due to fears of acting in a 'discriminatory' fashion to Chinese travellers such as seen in the US and Italy
Initially, it was reported that the proposals put forward on Thursday by a top committee within the Ministry of Public Health were meant for Chinese arrivals only on the basis that the Chinese government has failed to provide even basic data on infection and mortality rates linked to the country's huge COVID wave after authorities abruptly withdrew their zero Covid measures due to unprecedented and dangerous protests across the communist country in recent weeks.
This approach was swiftly condemned by leading Thai physicians and public health figures such as Dr Prasit Watanapa of the Faculty of Medicine of Mahidol University at Siriraj Hospital who classified them as unacceptable and 'discriminatory' against the Chinese population in a similar vein to the stance taken by the European Union last week but differing from the reaction of individual states such as Italy and the United States which have brought in strict requirements for Chinese travellers.
Following Thursday's meeting at the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Chakrarat Pittayawonganon, chief of the Division of Epidemiology, however, appeared to make it clear that the proposals devised by the meeting were aimed at all international travellers.
'All international arrivals must have a record of receiving at least two shots of the Covid-19 vaccine, while all international travellers arriving in Thailand from China have to have a health insurance package that fully covers Covid-19 treatment,' he outlined.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs expects 360,000 Chinese travellers before the end of March with larger numbers to come as Thailand is the No. 1 destination
He went on to outline plans for 'sentinel' random testing at international Thai airports and indicated broader advisory measures for the Thai public.
'As for the Thais, they will be advised to keep wearing face masks in crowded areas, to get properly vaccinated and to undergo a self-antigen test if or when they develop symptoms suspected to be those of Covid-19,' he declared.
In the short term, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Thailand is predicting that the reopening of China's borders on January 8th will mean 300,000 Chinese visitors to Thailand in the opening three months of 2023, 60,000 in January and 150,000 each in February and March.
However, this will increase dramatically according to the Minister of Transport Saksayam Chidchob last week inspecting Thai airports to address key problems with the availability of services such as taxis and processing times at facilities such as Suvarnabhumi Airport and Don Mueang in Bangkok as well as Phuket International Airport and Chiang Mai International Airport which will be in the vanguard of welcoming Chinese foreign tourists in 2023.
The minister suggested that Thailand could see up to 10 million arrivals from China in 2023 as the kingdom is the favourite holiday destination for middle-class Chinese according to recent travel surveys.
5 to 10 million visitors due from China. Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) chief advises a study of Chinese outgoing passenger requirements
At a minimum, the country should welcome 5 million visitors from China in 2023 with Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Yuthasak Supasorn saying this week that his agency was revising upwards its target for this year to 25 million visitors, 5 million of them being Chinese if the reopening of China's borders goes according to plan.
Mr Sutthipong Kongpool, the Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) believes that Thai business chiefs and officials must wait and see before they can determine the response if the full reopening of China goes ahead or to determine if it turns out to have a positive impact for the country.
He thought this would become apparent during the Chinese New Year or at the end of January.
He also thought that Thai authorities and business leaders should look closely at what conditions of outward travel would be required of Chinese tourists at home before putting measures in place.
Currently, 15 flights a week from China, a full return of Chinese tourists would see this rise to 400
Nevertheless, he said he expects the number of flights from China to pick up dramatically from 15 flights a week at this time to somewhere near the 400 flights per week, as seen before the pandemic, in 2023.
'I believe that entrepreneurs should wait to see the measures and requirements of the Chinese authorities to be announced because even if you don't have to detain them, we have to wait and see further measures before we can believe that opening this country will have a direct positive effect on the tourism sector and Thai aviation industry to come back to life during the Chinese New Year 2023.'
The flight agency chief noted that China is the kingdom's largest foreign tourism market and expressed confidence that airlines and official agencies will be able to accommodate the resumption of demand when it comes.
It all depends, he said, on measures implemented in China for outgoing and incoming passengers.
He said he also expected the resumption of some charter flights to Thailand from China by the end of January 2023.
He predicted that China will send 7 to 10 million visitors this year, an outcome which would cement its position as the key driver of Thailand's foreign tourism industry.
Top Thai doctor urges the kingdom to learn to live with COVID and advises less alarm about the disease
In the meantime, Dr Thiravat Hemachudha, the chief of the Red Cross's Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Centre, on Sunday, called for a more relaxed attitude towards COVID and the Omicron strain of the disease.
He said it would be normal for cases to rise at the end of the year as Thailand experienced colder weather and people socialised more.
He expected, however, that with the level of vaccination among the population and built-up immunity that the need for alarm was now reduced.
'The Omicron sub-variants are not causing as severe symptoms as before,' he said. 'I think we can finally celebrate the New Year with peace of mind.'
He called for less alarmism about the disease at all levels and drew attention to the atmosphere at the recent FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
This view was echoed by Chamnan Srisawasdi, the Chairman of the Tourism Council of Thailand who said that most people in the country had now learned to live with COVID which has been a key factor in the recovery of Thailand's critical foreign tourism industry with the final tally in 2022 expected to reach 11.5 million visitors having passed the 10 million mark in early December.
Drunk drivers in Thailand may face stiffer penalties
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Motorists are being reminded of the higher penalties for drunk driving under the amended Land Traffic Act, which is now ineffect.
Deputy Government Spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek said that, under the amended traffic law, once convicted of drunk driving an offender faces a maximum one-year prisonsentence and/or a fine of between 5,000 and 20,000 baht for the first offence.
For a second offence within two years, the repeat offender faces up to two years in prison and/or a fine of between 50,000 and 100,000 baht. She said that the court may impose both imprisonment and a fine for the offence and may suspend the driver's license for one year or revoke the license.
If a person is injured or killed due to the actions of a drunk driver, the offender may face imprisonment of up to ten years and/or a fine of 200,000 baht and will have their driver's license revoked.
According to the law, a person who has a blood-alcohol content exceeding 50mg/100ml, or 20mg/100ml for a driver who is under 20 or on a temporary driver's license, is considered to be intoxicated and is prohibited from operating a motor vehicle.
Speeding and drunk driving are the two main causes of road accidents during the New Year celebrations.
Rachada then advised motorists and motorcyclists to drive carefully, to respect traffic rules and to be mindful of other motorists during the New Year holidays.
Travelers arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport on Dec 28, 2022. (Photo: Somchai Poomlard)
The Covid-19 screening test for arrivals from China at their points of entry might not be necessary for the time being although their vaccination documents will be checked, say communicable disease experts.
The suggestion came at a meeting organised by the Department of Disease Control (DDC) on Saturday where they also assessed the Covid-19 outbreak in China and the expected increase in arrivals after its border reopening on Jan 8. The DDC operates under the National Committee for Communicable Disease.
Dr Tares Krassanairawiwong, the DDC director-general, said nearly five million visitors from China are expected this year while travel to China from Thailand will also increase.
Covid-19 safety measures will be considered in proportion to the virus' prevalence in China.
Committee chairman Dr Somwang Danchaivijitr said the necessity for a non-discriminatory screening protocol must also be factored in.
At the same time, measures must inspire confidence among travellers and tourism businesses and remain consistent with similar practices adopted by other countries, he said.
Participants agreed that on-site screening at airports for arrivals from China might not be necessary just yet, as the risk is still manageable.
However, the committee has prepared guidelines for handling travellers arriving from China from Jan 8 as well as foreign travellers in general.
Those arriving from China will need to produce a Covid-19 vaccine certificate and must present evidence of short-term health insurance covering the infection.
The requirements will be communicated to those in China planning a trip to Thailand, by agencies including the Foreign Affairs Ministry, and airlines and tourism bureaus.
Random tests will also be performed on travellers entering or leaving the kingdom to assess the response measures.
Medical facilities will also set aside spare resources for treating foreign travellers who may fall sick with Covid-19, especially in tourist provinces.
Basic public health advice will be given to foreign travellers on wearing face masks and frequent use of hand gel. A hotline will be opened for travellers with health inquiries.
Tourism businesses have also been told to adhere to public health safety standards when preparing accommodation and shops for foreign customers.
Also, tourism operators and workers who come into close contact with the visitors should be fully vaccinated with at least two booster jabs.
Public health authorities will provide the booster shots for workers in the tourism and transport sectors.
Further measures include a requirement for a medical certificate showing a negative Covid-19 test result and travel insurance that covers the potential cost of treatment for the virus.
These requirements have been written in parallel with the Public Health Ministry's safety measures.
As several countries around the world moved to introduce Covid tests for incoming Chinese tourists a top Thai virologist has skirted round the issue.
The question of Chinese people potentially spreading Covid after their country said they would abandon restrictions from January 8th is a hot topic around the world.
Especially in Thailand as 20% of the country's pre-pandemic tourists (40 million) came from China. Tourism is picking up again with 10 million visiting in 2022 and more expected next year - especially Chinese.
Dr Yong Poovoravan was reflecting on the latest stages of Covid infection in a Facebook post.
He mentioned Japan and South Korea where there are large numbers of infections but avoided mentioning China by name.
Instead he spoke of variants and the need for vigilance especially as only a small percentage of the world's population had received 3 jabs.
He recognised that around 70% of the world's population had got a couple of jabs or acquired immunity through infection.
He stressed the need for Thailand to maintain vigilance, monitoring new variants that might not have entered the Thai population before.
His message was "follow the science".
He stopped short of jumping on the bandwagon in demanding PCR tests for incoming tourists from China.
The US, India and several countries in the EU have implimented these measures.
Thailand is unlikely to follow suit as it attempts to get its struggling tourism industry - and those vital Chinese - back on side, notes ASEAN NOW.
That might risk annoying the Chinese, a step too far for those keen to accelerate the pace of tourism in Thailand.
Check your calendars! As we head into 2023, it's handy to know about the upcoming Thai holidays for the year. Thailand has many holidays throughout 2023, though some are just general observances while others are public holidays where government offices (like immigration) and other businesses are closed. Here's a quick snapshot of the major holidays next year.
DATE
DAY
NAME
TYPE
1 Jan
Sunday
New Year's Day
National holiday
2 Jan
Monday
Day off for New Year's Day
National holiday
14 Jan
Saturday
National Children's Day
Observance
16 Jan
Monday
Teachers' Day
Observance
22-24 Jan
Sunday
Lunar (Chinese) New Year
Observance
14 Feb
Tuesday
Valentine's Day
Observance
6 Mar
Monday
Makha Bucha
National holiday
6 Apr
Thursday
Chakri Day
National holiday
13-16 Apr
Thursday
Songkran
National holiday
1 May
Monday
Labour Day
Bank holiday
4 May
Thursday
Coronation Day
National holiday
11 May
Thursday
Royal Ploughing Ceremony Day (Tentative Date)
Government Holiday
3 Jun
Saturday
Visakha Bucha
National holiday
3 Jun
Saturday
Queen Suthida's Birthday
National holiday
5 Jun
Monday
Day off for Visakha Bucha
National holiday
5 Jun
Monday
Day off for Queen Suthida's Birthday
National holiday
28 Jul
Friday
King Vajiralongkorn's Birthday
National holiday
1 Aug
Tuesday
Buddhist Lent Day
National holiday
2 Aug
Wednesday
Khao Phansa Day
12 Aug
Saturday
The Queen's Birthday
National holiday
14 Aug
Monday
Day off for The Queen's Birthday
National holiday
13 Oct
Friday
Anniversary of the Death of King Bhumibol
National holiday
23 Oct
Monday
Chulalongkorn Day
National holiday
31 Oct
Tuesday
Halloween
Observance
27 Nov
Monday
Chiang Mai's Yi Peng Lantern Festival
Observance
28 Nov
Tuesday
Loy Krathong
Observance
5 Dec
Tuesday
King Bhumibol's Birthday/Father's Day
National holiday
10 Dec
Sunday
Constitution Day
National holiday
11 Dec
Monday
Substitute Holiday for Constitution Day
National holiday
24 Dec
Sunday
Christmas Eve
Observance
25 Dec
Monday
Christmas Day
Observance
31 Dec
Sunday
New Year's Eve
National holiday
Thai holidays that fall on a weekend are generally observed with a day off the following Monday, such as Queen Suthida's birthday, which falls on a Saturday, the same day as the Buddha Day Visakha Bucha.
Speaking of Buddha Days, there are several important Buddha Day holidays throughout the year. On these holiday days, banks and businesses stay open, but government offices close. What tends to affect tourists and expats most though is that the sale and consumption of alcohol are forbidden on these days. Buddha Days coincide with the Full Moon, so the famous party in Koh Phangan is delayed a day so that drinking is allowed.
Makha Bucha falls on March 6 in 2023 and is the commemoration of a sermon Buddha gave where 1,250 disciples gathered spontaneously. Visakha Bucha is on June 3 and is the most important Buddha day. It marks the day Buddha was born, the day he reached enlightenment 35 years later, and then, 45 years later, the day he died and entered Nirvana. Finally, Asahna Bucha Day and Khao Phansa Day, also known as Buddhist Lent, falls on August 1 and 2 in 2023.
The Buddha Day of Visakha Bucha Day or Wan Pra Yai
Many Thai holidays exist around the Royal Family in Thailand, marking the days of the births, deaths, and coronations of family members. In Thailand, Mother's Day is celebrated on Her Majesty Queen Sirikit's birthday, August 12, and Father's Day on the birthday of the late, beloved King Bhumibol Adulyadej on December 5.
Some western holidays are unofficially or semi-officially observed in Thailand. Christmas, Halloween, and Valentine's Day have grown in popularity in the kingdom, as has New Year's Eve on December 31. Of course, locals and expats also rejoice in the festival of Songkran, April 13 to 16, the celebration of the Thai New Year. The sights of Thailand's national water fight have become iconic worldwide as happy celebrants splash water and sometimes flour or talcum powder with glee.
Another world-famous Thai holiday comes November 27 and 28. Loy Krathong, on the 28th, is a festival where people gather along Thailand's riverbanks to float banana trunks (Krathong), typically shaped like a lotus and decorated with flowers, incense, candles, personal items, and craft-store buys. For some people, however, it's a day to pray and give gratitude to the water goddess, Phra Mae Khongkha, as well as to ask for forgiveness for using too much water or for polluting the water as they float their banana trunks into the rivers.
PHOTO: Releasing Krathong during Loy Krathong festival. (via salineechot/freepik)
Loy Krathong is often confused with the Yi Peng Lantern Festival which coincides, this year on the 27th. The iconic site of thousands of floating lanterns, drifting together into the sky with candlelights flickering may be one of the most famous holiday sights to come out of Thailand.
Thailand desperately wants Chinese tourist cash, but risks its health services being overwhelmed by huge demands never experienced during the pandemic.
Thai authorities appear to be adopting a suck-it-and-see approach to covid concerns about hundreds of thousands of Chinese tourists expected to visit Thailand in upcoming months. Beijing authorities have announced freedom of travel to and from China from January 8. Whilst some countries – including the United States, Japan and Italy – have announced a requirement for prior RT-PCR tests for all travellers from China, others have decided to lay out the welcome mat without undue restrictions. Just now, Thailand is in that camp.
The Thai health ministry has announced that Bangkok will not lay out extra requirements but will rely on Beijing's promises that its citizens will need a RT-PCR test both outbound and inbound. Health minister Anutin Charnvirakul, in comments reported in the Bangkok Post, stated that Chinese visitors, along with all foreign arrivals, will need health insurance. However, Thailand does not in reality require health insurance of any kind for short-term tourists from any country. The minister also promised AstraZeneca booster shots for Chinese visitors willing to pay.
On the other hand, Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourist Authority of Thailand, stated this week that the priority was not cash-cow Chinese tourists but the need to protect the Thai population from another wave of covid infections, possibly with new and unknown strains being introduced via airports. Meanwhile, many Thai hospitals are reporting that they do not have stocks of vaccines to offer anybody. Checks at Pattaya-area hospitals yesterday revealed that walk-in or prior appointment booster shots have all been ended as stocks already have run out.
Nor is it clear that the Thai health network can hire enough additional staff to offer RT-PCR tests to all Chinese tourists 48 hours ahead of their return to the mother country. To complicate further, India has now announced that all passengers taking flights to any of its airports from both China and Thailand will require a recent RT-PCR test from January 1. There is also confusion concerning how Chinese immigration authorities will receive the results of the covid test. Some reports say prior uploading of the result to airlines or a website is necessary, others claim passengers will simply take the certificate to airport check-in.
It is obvious that the Chinese decision to discard the restrictions on overseas travel, prompted by mass demonstrations against President's Xi's zero-covid policy earlier this year, has given a potentially gigantic boost to Thailand's tourist industry. "Rebound" tourism is on the march worldwide as vacationers rush to enjoy a travel freedom denied them for almost three years. Yet Thai authorities have yet to balance the pros and cons in a systematic manner. In particular, the Thai health system, public and private, risks being overwhelmed by too many demands for both treatment and testing. As always, the devil is in the detail.
