Anutin: Chinese visitors won't face discrimination
Visitors queue at Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan on Dec 28. (Photo: Somchai Poomlard)
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has reiterated that any new Covid-related measures adopted in Thailand will not discriminate against travellers from any country, including China.
He made the comment ahead of a meeting scheduled for Thursday at Government House, where authorities are expected to finalise measures that would apply to visitors arriving from Covid-plagued China and from other countries.
"Relevant officials agree to give the same treatment to visitors from all countries and health measures will not discriminate against visitors from any particular country," Mr Anutin said on Wednesday.
The Thai health system, he said, was ready to cope with emergency situations as only 5.2% of hospital beds were now occupied by Covid-19 patients. Authorities have prepared response measures for any worsening disease situation or mutation, he added.
Among the possible measures that authorities might adopt on Thursday could be a requirement for visitors to show proof of at least two doses of Covid-19 vaccines as well as health insurance to cover possible health expenses. If they have a respiratory illness, they should postpone their visits until they make a full recovery.
During their stay in the country, visitors will be advised to protect themselves by wearing face masks in public places and on public vehicles, regularly washing hands, conducting antigen tests if they have any respiratory symptoms, and going to hospital if they develop worse symptoms.
If their destination countries after their stay in Thailand require prior disease screening, visitors will be advised to stay at hotels with disease control standards and Covid-19 test services.
Mr Anutin expects about 300,000 Chinese visitors to arrive in the first quarter of this year, representing about five percent of all visitors for the period. Prior to the pandemic, Chinese arrivals accounted for more than one-quarter of the country's 40 million foreign tourists.
"There will be 60,000 (Chinese) visitors in January, 90,000 in February and 150,000 in March," said the minister. "Their number will rise gradually because (currently) there are limited flights, it will take time to seek passports and visas and the Chinese government has not allowed tour firms to organise outbound groups of tourists yet."
In the short term, visitors from China will be "independent travellers and upscale travellers with purchasing power", he added.
Mr Anutin also said the local Covid situation was improving. In the week from Dec 25 to 31, there were 2,111 hospital inpatients, including 529 with lung inflammation and 352 people dependent on ventilators, and 75 fatalities related to the disease, he said.
Most of the inpatients were from groups of vulnerable people who were never vaccinated or had had insufficient doses of vaccines, he added.
Want to make sure you are aware of all the religious and other holidays that per Thai law will close all the bars and BAN alcohol sales for 2023?
Well, Pattaya Unplugged is here for you. The following days are guaranteed closure days for 2023. This means that Bars, Entertainment venues, Gogos, etc are closed. Sales of ALL booze are prohibited. No stores, restaurants, or hotels will legally sell these days.
Nightclubs, live music places, etc will be closed. Most tourist attractions, restaurants, malls, movies, etc. are open….but NO booze is sold on these days. There are five guaranteed closure days and a few "possible" days. Closure hours are generally 24 hours, from midnight to midnight.
The following five days below are guaranteed total alcohol sales ban days. If bars are opened, they will also be shut these days:
Monday, March 6th-Makha Bucha Day, GUARANTEED CLOSURE OF BARS
Saturday, June 3rd-Vesak Day, GUARANTEED CLOSURE OF BARS (Note, there will be a government holiday on June 5th, but alcohol will not be banned this day)
Tuesday and Wednesday, August 1st and 2nd-Asahna Bucha Day and Buddhist Lent Start, GUARANTEED TWO-DAY CLOSURE OF BARS
Sunday, October 29th-Vassa Day, End of Buddhist Lent, GUARANTEED CLOSURE OF BARS. Likely a Government holiday on Monday, October 30th, but not a ban on alcohol.
Importantly, there is set to be a GENERAL ELECTION this year which will likely fall in May, although the EXACT date is not yet clear. The tentative date set is MAY 7th, a Sunday. General elections under Thai law cause alcohol sales to be banned, although hours are usually only the night before until polls close.
Generally, closing hours are around 5 PM the night before (Saturday, May 6th) to 5 PM when polls close on Election Day but will disrupt two days of business.
Additionally, early voting has been known to close bars and alcohol sales also the weekend before but is not guaranteed. If this happens, Bars would close on Saturday, April 29th, around 5 PM and reopen when polls close on Sunday, April 30th.
Birthdays of the beloved and respected Royal family, while government holidays are not alcohol-ban days.
This is a working document and will be regularly updated.
BANGKOK, Jan 4 (TNA) – There were 6,992 drunk-driving cases in six days and the country needed serious measures on the wrongdoers, according to the director-general of the Probation Department.
Weerakit Harnpariphan, director-general of the department, said courts ordered probation for 6,992 drunk-driving cases from Dec 29, 2022, to Jan 3, 2023. They formed 96.08% of the 7,277 cases in which probation was ordered during the same period.
There were also 15 cases of reckless driving (0.21% of the total cases) and 270 cases of driving under narcotic influences (3.71%).
Mr Weerakit said the Probation Department valued strict law enforcement. It required wrongdoers to report to probation officials, have their driver's licenses suspended, attend traffic rule training sessions and offer social services including care for victims of accidents and people with disabilities and assistance in hospital services in accordance with court orders.
The requirements would discourage such drivers from repeating their wrongdoings, the director-general said. (TNA)
Travellers upon arrival at Suvarnabhumi airport during the first few days of 2023. Somchai Poomlard
An influx of Chinese tourists is unlikely during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday as not enough flights can be added in such a short amount of time, while large tour groups are still awaiting an official announcement from the Chinese government, according to the Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta).
Atta president Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn said only small groups of friends and families are expected to travel when entry restrictions on the mainland are lifted on Jan 8, as direct flights remain limited, with prices much higher than pre-pandemic rates of 10,000-20,000 baht.
"It is too soon to expect a massive Chinese flow in January as seat capacity remains scarce," said Mr Sisdivachr.
"Another turning point will be permission from Beijing to allow tour groups to travel outbound."
He said those who can travel immediately are tourists with valid passports, while those holding expired passports must queue up for the renewal process, which might take longer than the usual 10-day period as many people have invalid travel documents following three years of lockdowns.
However, Thailand refusing to test arrivals from China for Covid should help market sentiment among that nation's tourists, said Mr Sisdivachr.
"Many countries have imposed travel curbs against Chinese travellers," he said.
"Even though most of them who were already infected don't have concerns about additional steps for entry, they may avoid travelling to those countries if they do not feel welcomed."
Surawat Akaraworamat, Atta vice-president, said tourism operators in Northeastern Thailand have to prepare for Chinese tourists coming via the China-Laos high-speed railway.
Amid constraints on air connectivity, land transport is an option to fulfil tourism demand, which could help Thailand secure at least 300,000 Chinese tourists from January to March, and 5 million by the end of the year, he said.
In addition to tourists from the mainland, there are hundreds of thousands of overseas Chinese currently living in Laos, said Mr Surawat.
Thailand should be ready to facilitate immigration processes at major checkpoints, such as Nong Khai's border control near Vientiane and the Huai Kon border control in Nan, which can connect to Luang Prabang.
He said Thailand should not mandate specific rules against Chinese tourists as it could be viewed as discrimination.
Mr Surawat said he believes Chinese tourists are willing to take care of themselves while travelling.
Tourism operators have been requested to adopt measures to protect their employees, such as requiring workers to take daily swab tests.
The Thai Minister of Public Health announced on Tuesday, January 3rd, that Thailand will not implement lockdown or strict regulations in response to the easing of harsh travel restrictions that is soon to take effect in China next Sunday.
Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters that he has decided at a meeting with the Medical Affairs Committee that Thailand will not implement any specific measures against Chinese arrivals, as the country already has effective measures in place.
As for testing for the coronavirus, Mr. Anutin said it is "unnecessary," adding if there is any medical issue, we leave it to the Department of Disease Control, which is responsible for disease prevention and surveillance, to determine the necessary measures without causing harm to the country's economic system.
When asked whether he is worried about the new strain of the coronavirus that is wreaking havoc in China, Anutin confidently replied that he trusts the Thai medical professionals.
He said, "Thailand is able to effectively control the spread of the virus, illness, and deaths better than other countries. Thailand's healthcare system is not inferior to anyone else's, and when compared to other countries with higher infection and death rates, we are holding up well."
The minister went on to say that, "The vaccines available in Thailand can still create immunity. I encourage Thai people to get a booster jab against Covid to have immunity."
Anutin affirmed that there will be "no lockdown," but, he also said there is no guarantee that there will not be a resurgence of the outbreak, thereby people should continue taking precautions such as wearing masks and practicing social distancing to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
"I recommend that people get vaccinated when they have a chance. This can greatly help reduce the risk of serious illness or death from the virus," said the public health minister.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha came out on Tuesday, January 3rd, to assure the public that Thailand already has effective measures to welcome Chinese travelers.
Gen Prayut told the press that, "People should not panic because Thailand's preventive measures and healthcare system are top-notch. Also, Chinese arrivals will bring lots of income to the country."
He also urged the public to practice what they have learned from the past handling of the outbreak and maintain regular precautions to keep themselves safe.
He said, "Many countries see Thailand as a model in handling with the Covid-19 pandemic, and we should maintain this standard."
TAT aims to woo more tourists with Thailand-China siblings campaign
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is ready to launch a campaign under the theme "Thailand and China are siblings" in a bid to attract Chinese tourists to the country, the agency said on Tuesday.
The campaign comes after the Chinese government announced in December last year that it would lift travel restrictions from January 8.
TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said the agency would focus on promoting Thai tourism products and services via Chinese online platforms, such as Ctrip, Fliggy and Lvmama.
He added that TAT plans to invite Chinese singer and actor, Ma Tianyu, to promote Thai tourism products and services via live streaming on January 10.
"Meanwhile, Ctrip CEO Jane Jie Sun will promote Thai tourism products and services via live streaming on January 11," he said.
Yuthasak said TAT also plans to allow Thai entrepreneurs to promote their tourism products and services in China after the Chinese New Year festival. Chinese New Year falls on January 22 this year.
He said TAT will negotiate with airlines to increase flights between Thailand and cities in China. TAT will also design land travel packages between the two countries, such as via Laos-China high-speed railway and caravan, he added.
Thai army cadets on parade at their headquarters in Bangkok.
House of Representatives speaker Chuan Leekpai is warning that the next general election, provisionally set for May 7 2023, is likely to see rampant vote buying as some politicians continue to mix money with politics. He is appealing for the public to vote for honest politicians to put an end to the familiar cycle of corruption which could lead to yet another military putsch to restore order.
Thailand has, on average, experienced a coup attempt every seven years in the last 90 years, most of them successful. Mr Chuan foresees a negative scenario in which no party will win enough seats to form a government, resulting in a scramble for power with no holds barred. A further complication is that the unelected Senate, all of whose 250 members were appointed by the military following the 2014 coup, has significant voting rights in choosing the next prime minister.
Military-backed parties in the upcoming election hold a number of key advantages apart from control of the Senate. They include a host of laws to keep the opposition on the back foot, the highest-quality surveillance technology, an obedient electoral commission and a party list system which few mortals can understand. The army is the country's largest landowner apart from the separately controlled national parks. The main opposition parties are Pheu Thai, traditionally associated with the Shinawatra family, and the more radical Move Forward Party. But they are split on important political issues such as political leadership, the lese majeste treason laws and legalization of recreational cannabis.
Although the current army chief, general Narongpan Jitkaewtae has stated the chances of another coup are "zero", the danger exists that domestic violence following a disputed poll would lead to demands for the army to step in to avoid chaos, to end corruption and to protect the monarchy. A review of past Thai coups suggests that ongoing violence on the streets is a likely precursor of a military putsch. The 2014 intervention, created the day after martial law was declared by the army, was very much in the traditional mold.
Chaiyan Chaiaporn, a lecturer in political science at Chulalongkorn University, predicted that no party will gain enough seats to be confident of victory. "It's going to be quite complicated putting together a government," he told the Bangkok Post this week. Coup historian Francis Ritchie said, "Thailand's addiction to coups is well-known, but I personally think that calmer heads will prevail after the next election. There are no good coups on offer."
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.
WHO officials met Chinese scientists on Tuesday amid concerns over the accuracy of China's data on the spread and evolution of its outbreak.
