Chinese tourists (and their habits) surge into Thailand

[pharvey]

One of the main differences is that the majority travelling from the U.K. have been double, treble, quadruple vaccinated (with highly recognised effective vaccines) - the same can’t be said for those travelling from China!!

The vaccinations, whilst vastly reducing symptoms of Covid (well, known strains anyway), don't prevent infection or the ability to transmit the disease.

There certainly needs to be testing of Chinese tourists/travellers from China - preferably before boarding IMHO.

[Michaelaway]

Before AND after!

[pharvey]

Before AND after!

If they test positive before, they shouldn't be allowed to travel - so why after?

[handdrummer]

Before AND after!

If they test positive before, they shouldn't be allowed to travel - so why after?

There's the shouldn't be allowed, then there's the what is allowed.

[buksida]

Tourism sector preps for Chinese
Tourism operators are prepared for a wave of Chinese tourists in terms of hotel room capacity, public health hygiene and flight capacity, though demand remains unclear.

The government confirmed on Thursday Chinese tourists will be exempted from RT-PCR Covid tests upon arrival, but will be required to buy Covid insurance to guarantee they have medical expense coverage in case they are infected before flying back home.

Phunut Thanalaopanich, president of the northern chapter of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), said Chiang Mai is ready to accommodate all tourists, including those from China, which are expected to return starting this month.

He said hotel employees are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and were asked to wear masks while on duty.

Starting at the end of this month, hoteliers will ask Chinese guests to show negative test results, whether from an antigen test kit or RT-PCR, before checking in.

Mr Phunut said most hotels in Chiang Mai under the THA apply this pre-screening measure to every guest, regardless of nationality.

Hotels also require vaccine certificates and apply random Covid-19 testing to ensure tourism confidence, he said.

The Provincial Public Health Office recently announced a campaign to provide booster shot vaccines for workers in the tourism sector from Jan 23-29, offering 3,000 daily doses.

Most hotels in Chiang Mai don't plan to recruit more workers or open more rooms as the inventory is deemed adequate to accommodate Chinese tourists in the first quarter, said Mr Phunut.

At present, more than 90% of hotels in Chiang Mai have been reopened.

He said there are no bookings from Chinese guests at the moment, but travellers have started to make inquiries about hotel rooms for future stays.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/24 ... or-chinese

[Michaelaway]

With the number of infected people in the PROC (and who knows how many strains of the virus), ALL travelers from there should be tested upon arrival in ANY country.

[Dannie Boy]

I think the biggest concern is “the unknown” - China has been under lockdown for almost 3 years so who knows what’s lurking out there?

[buksida]

Thailand’s half baked entry rules on arriving Chinese tourists falls shorter than other countries
Thailand’s way of dealing with the expected influx of Chinese tourists starting this Sunday is much weaker than other countries that have put in place a requirement for a negative RT-PCR test prior to arrival.

The move by the Thai government to impose restrictions on arrivals came after heavy criticism that the government of 2014 coup leader Prayut Chan-o-cha was not doing enough to prevent another wave of Covid-19 outbreak.

The Thai government now said it was looking to impose entry regulations on all travelers, with no specific rules for Chinese tourists.

Chinese tourists accounted for nearly a quarter of the 40 million visitors to Thailand in 2019 but the number drastically dropped with China’s lockdown.

With China now getting rid of its ‘Zero Covid’ policy and allowing freer travel from January 8th, it is expected that as many as 25 million tourists would be heading into Thailand in 2023 from 11 million seen in 2022.

The initial projection for tourist arrival during this year was 20 million until China announced that they will lift quarantine for inbound travelers.

The Thai government is expecting the number of Chinese tourists to increase to more than 5 million in 2023 from 270,000 in 2022.

The first flight after the lifting of the restriction is expected to bring in 200 Chinese tourists from Xiamen on January 9 and Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob is even planning to personally welcome them at the airport.

Thailand, until July 1st, 2022, required visitors to have at least 2 shots and a vaccine certificate to be able to enter the country but all those requirements were taken out which helped boost the tourism numbers.

But, with the number of infections in China at levels that are comparable to those seen around the world at the end of 2021 and early 2022 during the Delta outbreak, many countries have opted to put in place stricter rules for Chinese tourists.

Many countries also randomly test Chinese tourists and in some instances, more than 50% of the sample have tested positive for the virus.

https://www.thaienquirer.com/47315/thai ... countries/

Arms open for Chinese return
Key tourism provinces are bracing for the return of tourists from China after the country reopens its borders on Sunday.

Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattaya of Chon Buri are popular among Chinese travellers. About 300,000 Chinese arrivals are forecast for the first quarter of the year, including January with a reduced total of only 60,000 due to limited seat capacity.

Suladda Sarutilavan, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand's (TAT) Chiang Mai Office, said the Chinese market plays a major role in driving the tourism sector in the province. Before the pandemic, it had welcomed 1 million Chinese travellers each year.

She said business operators are well-prepared for high demand after three years when most of the world was forced to abandon holiday plans and stay at home.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ese-return

Critisizing China/Chinese will soon be punishable and up there with Lese Majeste if Anutin gets his way ...

[pharvey]

With the number of infected people in the PROC (and who knows how many strains of the virus), ALL travelers from there should be tested upon arrival in ANY country.

I agree, but as I've mentioned earlier, ALL travellers from or via China/HK/Macau need to provide a negative test before travel, let alone upon arrival.

[EDIT] I think there are many nations (including Thailand) who benefit from Chinese money/investments/loans that must be nervous of any repercussions - China has after all threatened "Western Nations" over their restrictions regarding the latest Covid outbreak. The UK were very slow in putting any restrictions in place and quite frankly they are not strong enough.

[buksida]

90% of people in China province infected with Covid: official
Almost 90% of people in China's third most populous province have now been infected with Covid-19, a top official said Monday, as the country battles an unprecedented surge in cases.

Kan Quancheng, director of the health commission for central Henan province, told a press conference that "as of January 6, 2023, the province's Covid infection rate is 89.0%."

With a population of 99.4 million, the figures suggest about 88.5 million people in Henan may now have been infected. [More than Thailand's entire population]

Visits to fever clinics peaked on December 19, Kan said, "after which it showed a continuous downward trend".

China is battling a surge in cases following its decision last month to lift years of lockdowns, quarantines, and mass testing that had hammered its economy and sparked rare nationwide protests.

And Beijing is determined to press on with its reopening, on Sunday lifting mandatory quarantine for all international arrivals and opening its border with the semi-autonomous southern city of Hong Kong.

But infections are expected to soar as the country celebrates Lunar New Year later this month, with millions expected to travel from big cities to visit vulnerable older relatives in the countryside.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/24784 ... d-official

Welcome to Thailand ...

[HHTel]

Anutin should be personally liable if infections here goes through the roof when the Chinese arrive. The guy wants a veritable kick up the ar*e and this article shoved where the sun don't shine.

[Nereus]

Flowers and face masks as Chinese tourists return to Thailand

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... o-thailand

[pharvey]

Flowers and face masks as Chinese tourists return to Thailand

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... o-thailand

Sounds about right!

Can't say we were ever given a "Gift Bag" on arrival at BKK! "Open Arms" no matter the danger to life or the economy long term - a quick buck seems to be the first priority!

[handdrummer]

a nut in has announced that no vaccinations or vaccine cards will be necessary for anyone from anywhere to enter Thailand.
On the other hand, wait until tomorrow for the next change of mind.

[buksida]

Chinese tourists caught running restaurant
Three Chinese who entered the country as tourists have been arrested for illegally operating a restaurant in Bangkok’s Huai Khwang district.

Immigration police inspected a Chinese restaurant with the Thai name Chaoshan Ocha and English-script name Chao Wei on Rama IX Road in Bang Kapi area of Huai Khwang early on Tuesday. They found three Chinese men were illegally operating the restaurant and had hired compatriots and other illegal migrants to work there, according to the arresting team.

When police arrived, one of the three Chinese men, identified only as Yang, was preparing revenue and expense accounts and the two others - Chin, 38 and Chen, 31 – were cooking in the kitchen. All three were unable to show their passports, but did show copies to the officers.

The immigration database showed the three men had entered the country as tourists. They were detained on charges of being aliens working without work permits, put on an immigration blacklist and will be deported to their country of origin.


https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... restaurant

I know its not the crime of the century ... but these are the people Thailand is bending over backward to accommodate ...