The picture of the meeting between Anutin and Robert F. Godec was published on Anutin's political party's website "The Bhumjai Thai Party."
Godec met Anutin at 2 PM to introduce himself and discuss several matters. One of them was the way Anutin handled the Covid-19 pandemic, which Godec said was well executed, according to the Bhumjai Thai website.
The two also talked about future cooperation between Thailand and the United States.
Social media, and media in general, in Thailand has been dominated over the past three or four days by one main topic -required documentation of proof of having a Covid-19 vaccine to enter Thailand.
To be more accurate, the main issue was the suddenness of the change to many travelers and then constantly changing rules and guidelines over the past weekend that caused widespread confusion and frustration from travelers.
In the end, as seen here, the documentation requirement was dropped,but not before likely causing many travelers to cancel their trips entirely and widespread damage to the tourism industry.
The requirement was originally brought in because Thai government officials, led by Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, wanted to "not discriminate" against any one country in terms of introducing Covid restrictions. This was, to be more accurate, not wanting to discriminate against China to avoid possible political issues.
China, of course, reopened its borders for the first time in three years this week, allowing tourism and visitors to flow once again. This is good news for the tourism industry, due to China making up about thirty percent of overall visitors to Thailand as of pre-covid, the largest of any country.
However, with this reopening came concerns of a possible resurgence of Covid-19 due to China currently suffering its first major widespread outbreak after lifting Covid Zero. Many western countries enacted specific restrictions against Chinese tourists as a covid precaution, which caused the Chinese government to respond angrily. Thailand desperately wanted to avoid this issue while still calming down nervous citizens about a possible new wave of Covid.
In the end though, attempting to appease one country with very short notice only ended up irritating and angering nearly everyone else due the sudden implementation of new Covid requirements for everyone with a two-day notice.
Minimizers online in social media comments made statements like "It is only a vaccine proof requirement" or "Just get the shot" but this failed to address that the announcement was only made with a few days warning and only through the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand, avoiding official notices from the Royal Gazette or the Tourism Authority of Thailand. If a traveler didn't closely follow Thai media, which the vast majority do not, they would have had no idea about the new requirements. Indeed, reports of many confused travelers rejected to board their flights due to not having or knowing they had to have documentation around Covid emerged. Many were vaccinated but didn't have proof with them.
As the weight of the proof of requirements was put solely on airlines at the last minute, with changing rules and regulations, this only further added to confusion and massive inconsistence with travelers being the victim.
In the end, Thailand made likely the right decision and lifted the vaccine documentation requirements, but nobody won from this debacle. Not Thailand, whose image and reputation from tourists was damaged with the sudden flip flopping and turnaround. Not tourists, many of whom were left with a bitter taste from the situation and many who had their dream trips cancelled either on their own or due to airlines rejecting them from boarding. Not even China, as the entire event cast a dark cloud over what should have been a positive, their return to Thailand after three long years.
Will any lessons be learned from this massive confusion over the past several days? That remains to be seen, but based on past track records, is unlikely.
Bangkok, Thailand-
Thailand has released new entry requirements this weekend to airlines, as originally stated as being proposed by Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul earlier this week.
First, get caught up on the proposal here.
It was originally believed that the Thai Cabinet would debate the proposals next week, however, it now appears the new entry requirements have gone directly through the Ministry of Transport and CAAT, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand to be sent to airlines, to take effect as soon as possible. Multiple foreign airlines have reportedly already confirmed the new order. TPN is also reaching out to the Tourism Authority of Thailand for further clarification.
The CAAT issued the statements to all airlines flying to Thailand and the Minister of Transport, Saksayam Chidchob, confirmed the order. TPN media notes that there are many, many questions at this time but they should be directed to your airline or embassy according to Saksayam. It is not completely clear as of press time what procedures would be in place for land and sea borders nor were they addressed immediately.
Here is, as of press time, the new regulations keeping in mind this is a developing story. The order is in effect from January 9, 2023 at 1:00 a.m. to January 31, 2023 at 4:59 p.m. Keep in mind, Thai authorities could also extend the order at their discretion or even suspend it early.
1. All passengers over the age of 18 must show proof to their air carrier of at least two Covid-19 vaccines, list released by CAAT below. They could also bring a letter from a doctor certifying that they have recovered from COVID-19 from the past seven days to no more than 6 months (180 days) or have a medical certificate from a doctor stating they are unable to get a vaccine. Those under 18 were not mentioned and appear to be exempt. Vaccines must have been at least fourteen days before departure, but no end limit which means even those vaccinated two years ago could travel.
2. If the country you are returning to after traveling to Thailand requires a Covid-19 test, like India or China, you must have medical insurance that covers Covid for the duration of your stay. Specific dollar amounts were not given. Flight crews can use their company insurance as proof. Ex-pats with Thai social security are exempt.
3. Thai Citizens with a Thai passport are exempt from all vaccination and insurance requirements.
4. Transit only passengers are exempt.
5. It is the airline's responsibility to check these requirements at check-in. It is unknown if it will be random screening or if everyone will be required to show their proof of documentation.
6. Airlines should ask passengers to Thailand to mask during their journey except during meal time or an emergency.
7. If a passenger shows signs of having Covid they be asked to take a Covid test at their expense upon arrival in Thailand.
This is a developing story and may be updated at any time while information continues to come in. Information is subject to change.
The demand for Russian flights to U-tapao airport, neighboring Pattaya, is being described as insatiable. Almost daily, Air Azov and Red Wings are now delivering 2,000-plus passengers on six charter flights from various Russian cities including Moscow, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk and even Kazan which is the country's fifth largest urban complex and situated by the Volga. These arrivals are on top of daily, multiple scheduled flights to Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport.
Most Russians will return after their vacation, but a sizeable minority is here to stay as long as possible as retirees or entrepreneurs. Some younger men and those with families are evading conscription to fight in the Ukraine war, or seeking to settle as global expats. Pattaya immigration is deluged with requests from Russians for certificates of address to open bank accounts and apply for driving licences. Indeed, there is a standing half-joke that, within a few years, more Russians than Thais will own healthy Thai bank balances or own plush vehicles.
The Russian love affair with Pattaya goes back decades and annual arrivals almost touched 2 million before the pandemic struck in early 2020. Some believe that this figure has already been exceeded in the last twelve months. Welcome signs beckon in Russian in convenience stores in "Little Moscow", a Naklua suburb near Pattaya: davai (take it) and deshyovyi (cheap). Thai tailors report a booming business in made-to-order clothes whilst the tills ring merrily in retail outlets from stylish malls to corner jewelry stores. Closed parties with champagne freely flowing are reported in several of the resort's five star hotels.
Thailand Privilege, the owner of the Elite visa, reports intense interest amongst Russians for longstay visas from 5-20 years. The less affluent are renewing their immigration entry stamps by crowding the organized minibus trips to the Cambodian border where a further 45 days visa exempt is available the same day. "Russians don't want temples and culture, they want sun and fun," according to a Moscow tours representative. "Pattaya is our main business now," she adds, "and we have clients who light their cigars with a 1,000 baht (US$30) note."
Some Chinese investors want the freedom to travel in and out of China at their discretion. They are already the biggest group of foreign buyers of property in Thailand, according to the Real Estate Information Center, with 3,500 units snapped up last year at an average price of US$150,000. In Pattaya, Chinese investors own at least half of all foreign-owned condominium flats. They don't necessarily intend to live here: the idea is to rent them out. Almost 30 percent of all near-40 million foreign tourists in Thailand were Chinese nationals in 2019.
There has long been a debate about how Pattaya is changing and the prospects for neo (new) Pattaya in the post-pandemic world. The unprecedented surge in Russian and Chinese immigration – not simply tourism – will likely have titanic consequences not yet unfolded. They likely involve a continuing rise in the general cost of living as demand begins to exceed supply against a rapidly shrinking Thai workforce owing to a falling birthrate. Even more significantly, it is an open question whether Pattaya's infrastructure, traffic routes and local government services can handle a surge of this proportion. The jury will be out a long time.
Dr. Yong Poovorawan came out today, January 6th, to allay Thai people's concerns over a surge in Covid-19 infections in light of China's upcoming easing of travel restrictions from January 8th onwards.
Dr. Yong, who is the chief of the Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Medicine, posted on his Facebook wall that, "The ongoing outbreak in China is primarily caused by the Omicron subvariant of Covid-19, known as BA.5, which has already spread in Thailand."
He went on to say that, "We should be more concerned about the strains that have not spread in Thailand, especially the BQ variant from Western countries which is more alarming." The doctor also commented on certain tourists that, "We do not check and cannot force (them) to wear face masks."
Covid-19 cases in Thailand are declining in Thailand due to seasonal transition, according to Dr. Yong. 70% of Thai people (around 50 million) have been infected with the coronavirus, and 90% already have antibodies from vaccination or infection.
He said, "The mutation of the virus can occur anywhere in the world…It is pointless to block tourists from a particular country from entering the kingdom."
All travellers, irrespective of passport nationality, must show proof of at least two covid vaccinations according to the "final" committee meeting chaired on January 5 by Thai health minister Anutin Charnvirakul. He did not give a definite date for the latest procedure to be checked on individuals, but travel agents are advising all foreigners – including those from UK, EU, America and Australia – to bring the paper documentation or online verification on their next journey to Thailand.
Travellers will not be compelled to purchase pre-flight covid or travel insurance, even though that is recommended for all, unless such cover is specifically required as part of their visa (O/A retirement visa or 10 year residence permission) or if their next destination after Thailand requires a pre-flight RT-PCR Covid test. Journeys affected that that would include post-Thailand flights to China or India where entry for all passengers depends on having such a clinical test 48 hours in advance of the journey. That rule is to show that anyone testing positive for the virus will have medical insurance to cover the costs of any required treatment in recovery.
The latest rules, technically from the Department of Disease Control, allow Thai authorities to say they are not introducing any regulations which target only Chinese tourists. It is unclear where, how and what cost Chinese nationals will be able to take a RT-PCR test in Thailand 48 hours or less before returning home. Although there is substantial concern worldwide about many Chinese vacationers having the virus and spreading it internationally – amid growing disbelief about Beijing's official statistics – the Thai government is nervous of incurring the wrath of a major trading partner. Cash is king for the time being.
Greg Watkins, a UK-based travel agent, said, "Thailand-bound British tourists will soon need once again to prove their minimum two-shot vaccination to both airline checkin staff and Thai immigration. There is no sign that they will be required to be medically insured, but should bear in mind the high costs of hospital care in the kingdom." The Thai health minister said last night there were no new screening measures yet in place for any nationality pending the formal announcement. However, a monitoring committee would keep a close eye on arrivals at airports, land borders and ports.
Thailand's foreign tourism industry was thrown a curveball on Thursday when a conference of officials from three ministries met in Bangkok and decided to introduce a Covid vaccine requirement for all incoming travellers in light of the return of Chinese tourists next week. The announcement was made by Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul after the decision was made. Full details Of the new regime have yet to be released.
Thailand's public health authorities have reintroduced a requirement demanding that all incoming travellers to the country have proof of being fully vaccinated.
In the past, this has been taken to mean the administration of two approved vaccines.
The move comes in response to the impending reopening of China on Sunday next January 8th which, it is anticipated, will lead to increased foreign tourist traffic into Thailand from the communist country currently in the grips of its largest outbreak of Covid since the crisis began there in late 2018 when the threat first emerged in Wuhan.
There appears to be no data available from authorities in Beijing to offer guidance on the scale of what is thought to be a massive outbreak but there have been unconfirmed reports of 1 million infections per day while a report from medical officials in China's commercial centre, Shanghai, suggested that as much as 70% of the huge city's population of 26.32 million have become infected.
The threat has seen many countries such as the United States, France and Italy impose specific test requirements on all travellers originating in China, an approach which has been rejected by Thailand.
Today's announcement by Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul, which still has to be clarified with more detailed information as to its implementation is certain to cause disruption to Thailand's rising tide of foreign tourism in the short term as the market has shown consistently that such requirements are unpopular among potential tourists to the country and are resisted by the travel market.
The uncertainty caused by them and the red tape involved in compliance is not conducive to a carefree holiday excursion which is what Thailand was seen as offering tens of millions of visitors up to 2020.
The news is coming amid another blow to the kingdom with a requirement from Indian authorities in New Delhi that all arrivals from Thailand will now be subjected to RT-PCR testing on arrival.
This new requirement is a response by nervous Indian officials to the news from China which has lifted its quarantine for arrivals requirement as part of scrapping its deeply unpopular zero covid policy which has led to the current outbreak.
The development has seen governments across the world place restrictions on arrivals from China and, in this case, countries such as Thailand which is associated with China in terms of travel and tourism.
India, in 2022, became a mainstay of foreign tourism to Thailand with 9% of the 7.36 million visitors arriving in the country from January to October 26th, second only to Malaysia with 17%.
The country's estimated arrivals in 2022 are 11.5 million visitors with an uptick in more long-haul visitors from western countries reported after all entry requirements were cancelled in October.
The Indian market, assisted by special Thai Airways flights between the subcontinent and the kingdom, saved the country's foreign tourism industry which has singularly failed to recover its former markets in the same fashion as other countries in the aftermath of the global emergency that today's development shows is still not yet over.
Up to October 26th 2022, the top five markets for tourists to Thailand, which made up 44% of arrivals between them, were Malaysia with 1,246,242 arrivals, India with 661,751 arrivals, Laos with 538,789, Cambodia with 373,811 and Singapore with 365,593 arrivals.
This saw the average expenditure per tourist decrease from approximately ฿50,000 in 2019 to between ฿40,000 and ฿43,000 for this period.
Today's announcement that Thailand is reimposing the need for proof of vaccination to enter the country made no mention of a proposal from Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn who last week proposed offering free vaccines to incoming tourists at Thai international airports on arrival.
The statement by Deputy Prime Minister Anutin also made clear that passengers transiting through Thai airports to a destination where a RT-PCR test will be required will also have to have travel insurance.
This may have extended ramifications as many countries worldwide have now imposed a test requirement on passengers of any nationality whose flights originate in China, a move which has been harshly criticised by Beijing as discriminatory but which was surprisingly defended by a World Health Organisation (WHO) spokesman on Thursday who said that in the absence of proper data and guidance from authorities in China particularly as to the sequencing of detected strains of the virus, such moves were understandable.
Thai medical officials are reportedly satisfied that the strains of Covid in China and Thailand are the same based on data they have received.
The reason for the health insurance requirement according to Minister Anutin was to ensure that those who test positive for the disease in Thailand can pay for their treatment in the country.
In October, Thailand cancelled all tests and requirements concerning Covid when the disease was declared endemic and reverted to entry requirements as they existed in 2019.
Today's announcement will be a bombshell not only to visitors already on the way to the kingdom but also to those planning to visit in the coming months.
There are already reports of some prospective tourists changing plans or cancelling their trips.
While the vast majority of the population of western countries are fully vaccinated, the uncertainty created by Thursday's decision will cause a loss of impetus to the trade.
Data in the United States shows a sizable minority of the population (21%) do not qualify as fully vaccinated although the country strictly enforces a requirement for all non-residents to be fully vaccinated against Covid just as Thailand now proposes to do.
The latest data from the US government shows that 79% have received at least one vaccine dose with 21% fully unvaccinated.
This figure is 17% in Canada and is even lower in the United Kingdom where 94% of people have had a vaccine and 89% have received the required two vaccine doses leaving just 11% unvaccinated.
It is reported that many of those who are not fully vaccinated are men under 30 years of age with up to 25% of his group falling into the category.
The figures are even stronger in Australia where 96% of the population is fully vaccinated.
The problems for Thailand's foreign tourism industry after these developments are the likelihood of a sharp downturn in Indian arrivals and a slowdown in bookings from western countries, particularly because of the uncertainty caused by the renewed requirements.
Mr Anutin emphasised on Thursday the determination of the Thai government to be non-discriminatory as he acknowledged that the kingdom attracted visitors from across the world but most particularly from China.
'The principle is there will not be any discrimination against a particular country because Covid-19 is spreading in all countries and the strains are similar. So, Covid-19 should not be an issue of discriminating against any country,' he told journalists after the meeting of key ministries and officials.
It is understood that today's conference involved representatives from the ministries of Transport, Tourism and Public Health as well as the Office of the Insurance Commission and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.
There was no indication as to when the new regime would take effect but officials indicated that it would coincide with the arrival of Chinese travellers.
It is thought that next week after the restrictions on China are lifted, it will take some time for a volume of tourists to arrive due to sky-high ticket prices, limited flight services and the current turmoil in the communist country.
The Director-general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) Suttipong Kongpool said the first newly scheduled flights will land on Thursday, January 12th but that within 3 months, there will be 15 flights a day between Suvarnabhumi Airport, Chiang Mai International Airport and Phuket International Airport.
The relaunch of the Chinese market however is expected to ramp up considerably after this with up to 400 flights a week expected if the situation reverts to normal.
China was Thailand's largest tourist point of origin and all indications are that it will account for between 5 to 10 million projected visitors in 2023.
This will again make it the main driver of the tourism industry and perhaps even on a more dominant scale as the country's efforts to revive its traditional markets have met with quite disappointing results in 2022 with increased numbers of visitors from Southeast Asia covering up what would otherwise have been a disastrous recovery and one which, even as things stand, is well behind the performance of its international peers.
One of the key reasons given for the disappointing performance of the foreign tourism sector last year was a lack of flight connectivity with sources within the airline industry pointing to the unpredictable nature of entry conditions to Thailand which has now again changed and resulted in confusion at this time due to the country's proximity to China and its reliance this year on Indian tourists.
The Ministry of Public Health, on Thursday, said it would continue to monitor the situation and adjust its measures in line with updated risk assessments.
It is understood that Chinese tourists who do manage to visit Thailand at this time will still face an RT-PCR test on arrival back in the communist country, something which may act as a further impediment to an immediate surge in arrivals from China.
Ahead of Thursday's meeting, Minister Anutin described his goal as balancing out the needs of the economy with protecting public health, a similar refrain to other crises and volte-faces which we have seen in 2020, 2021 and 2022 in line with external developments.
He said that his ministry and officials had a duty of care to the Thai public who he enjoined to avail of free booster shots against the virus at this time.
Earlier in the week, Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan ocha described Thailand's measures against the virus as 'Grade A' and said that the country was admired for its ability to manage the situation.
He said it is important that everything at this time was approached with care and caution.
There had been hopes within the travel industry that the government would not impose new entry criteria across the board and avoid interfering with the recovering industry with many respected doctors such as Dr Thiravat Hemachudha, the chief of the Red Cross's Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Centre, over the last few days coming forward to explain that now was the time to live with Covid and not to be afraid of the infection which was already declared endemic in Thailand when all restrictions were lifted in October resulting in a boost to foreign tourist arrivals which surged to over 1.5 million a month.
Today's announcement will inevitably damage confidence among foreign tourists planning to visit over the coming months while there is growing concern that this pandemic and the 'new normal' it has ushered in, impacting the international travel industry, has caused significant changes which have particularly had an adverse impact on foreign travel to Thailand.
Thailand may want to rethink its pandemic prevention strategy for Chinese tourists after news broke this week that more than a quarter of passengers from China landing in Taiwan tested positive for Covid-19.
The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) in Taiwan reported that over a quarter of the 500 plus travellers who arrived in Taiwan from China returned positive Covid test results, reported focustaiwan.
Last week the CECC announced last week that travellers from China needed to take a PCR test when arriving in Taiwan from January 1 as Taipei tried to fight the current wave of Covid infections.
The guideline was directed at individuals travelling on flights from Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Xiamen, which all have direct flights to Taiwan and residents who are arriving in Kinmen and Matsu islands from Xiamen.
The CECC reported that on the first day of the new testing policy, some 146 out of 524 arrivals from China at Taoyuan International Airport tested positive for Covid.
Chuang Jen-hsiang, a spokesperson for the CECC, stated that it is difficult to predict whether the positivity rate for Covid will increase, decrease, or remain stable in the coming weeks. However, he expressed hope that the new policy will discourage individuals travelling from China from boarding a flight if they are experiencing coronavirus symptoms.
According to the new policy, travellers who test positive for Covid will be required to isolate for five days if they have mild or no symptoms. If they have more severe symptoms, they will need to call the 1922 hotline to arrange for transportation to a hospital.
Chuang added that the CECC plans to conduct genome sequencing on samples taken from around 20 travellers who arrive from China and test positive each day, to better understand the Covid variants circulating in each of the four cities of travel.
The new testing policy primarily affects Taiwanese citizens returning to Taiwan and Chinese nationals travelling to Taiwan for business, study, or to visit their families. Chinese tourists are still not allowed to enter Taiwan at this time but the policy is currently scheduled to expire on January 31.
Several countries have rushed to impose restrictions on travellers arriving in their respective countries from China after Beijing announced it will open its borders to international travellers and relax restrictions on Sunday, January 8. Morocco has banned all travellers from the Chinese mainland until further notice while others are requiring Covid tests 48 hours before travel and testing on arrival.
Thailand has not imposed any restrictions.
All visitors to Thailand must show proof of at least two Covid-19 vaccinations under revised rules that coincide with the revival of travel from China, authorities said on Thursday.
As well, visitors who will be travelling onward from Thailand to a country that requires a negative RT-PCR test result must provide proof of insurance. This will ensure that they can meet the costs of their treatment if their test in Thailand is positive, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters.
China still requires a negative PCR test result no older than 48 hours prior to arrival for all incoming travellers. India this week imposed a similar mandate for visitors from five countries: Thailand, China (including Hong Kong), South Korea, Japan and Singapore.
Thailand last October scrapped the requirement for proof of vaccination and antigen test results as well as health insurance. However, officials believe that as people resume travelling from China in large numbers, the prospect of people in many countries contracting Covid-19 will rise.
New measures are necessary because Thailand is a major destination for travellers from many countries including China but the measures must be non-discriminatory, Mr Anutin said.
"The principle is there will not be any discrimination against a particular country because Covid-19 is spreading in all countries and the strains are similar. So, Covid-19 should not be an issue of discriminating against any country," he said.
Mr Anutin made the comments following a meeting involving officials from the ministries of Public Health, Transport, Foreign Affairs and Tourism and Sports. They were joined by representatives from the Office of the Insurance Commission and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.
He did not say when the new measures would take effect but officials said they should start before the arrival of Chinese visitors.
China on Sunday will scrap quarantine requirements for people entering the country, which is expected to open the floodgates for travel abroad by millions of Chinese residents. However, in the first few days and weeks, limited flight capacity is expected to keep visitor numbers low.
Suttipong Kongpool, director-general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand, said the first scheduled flight from China would arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport on Jan 12. In the first three months of this year 15 Chinese airlines would operate 15 flights a day to Suvarnabhumi, Chiang Mai and Phuket airports, he added.
China was by far the country's largest tourist source prior to the pandemic, accounting for more than 11 million of the 40 million international arrivals in 2019.
Mr Anutin said that people who have respiratory illness should consider postponing their travel until they make a full recovery in order to reduce chances of disease transmission.
Visitors who will be travelling to countries that require proof of a negative PCR test should stay at hotels with standard disease control measures and Covid-19 test services, he added.
Health authorities, he said, would continue monitoring the local Covid situation and could adjust measures to cope with changing risks.
Authorities in tourist provinces should prepare their hospitals and hospitels, while employees of tourism and transport services should have at least four shots of Covid-19 vaccine, Mr Anutin added.
The Thai health minister has confirmed that fully-vaccinated Chinese tourists will not be subject to any new Covid tests or quarantine on arrival. Anutin Chanvirakul said that Chinese visitors won't be treated any differently from other nationalities in this regard, but they will need an appropriate health insurance policy and proof of their vaccination status. His announcement is subject to confirmation by the Department of Disease Control later today January 5.
The rules for most other nationalities are similar but not precisely the same. Tourists from UK, US, Australia and the European Union are "advised" to take out Covid insurance, but it has not been compulsory now for several months. Pattaya Mail understands there will be no change to current policy, although Thai embassies round the world and Thai immigration do require ongoing health insurance documentation for a few longstay visas, including O/A retirement and the new 10 years Long Stay Residence.
Several airlines do check that passengers are fully vaccinated (minimum two shots) prior to boarding, but Thai airport authorities have not required to see that documentation since last July. The speculation is that paper checks at Thai airports will not become regular lest the queues for entry clearance become unmanageable. Chinese tourists require a 30 days visa-on-arrival and, once charter flights resume, the paperwork with group insurance is likely to be prepared in advance by the Chinese tour operator to prevent chaos at Thai airports.
Several countries have introduced for Chinese travellers the need for a clinical covid test 48 hours or less in advance of the flight. It is clear that Thai authorities at this stage are not following that trend for arrivals from any country. Instead, they will rely on passenger monitoring and examination of wastewater from aircraft tanks to detect the virus. Thai citizens and foreign arrivals are being advised to take booster shots, although it is not clear that large stocks are currently available in Thai private or public hospitals nationwide.
In Bangkok, Department of Disease Control is apparently hoping that mass tourism from China to Thailand will initially be a slow-moving phenomenon. It will take time to organize charter flights to fit in with Thai airports' schedules, whilst Beijing authorities have not issued passports since the covid pandemic began leading to many renewals waiting to be processed. Director general Tares Krassanairawiwong said that covid-19 variant strains were similar in China and Thailand, but a new Bangkok-based monitoring center would ensure the public remains safe. Optimistic policies could change swiftly if the prediction of pessimists that Thailand will soon be welcoming a large disease spread as well as paying customers proves to be true.
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