Thailand keeps doors open to Chinese tourists

By MASAYUKI YUDA

 

Tourists wear protective masks while posing for a photo at the Grand Palace amid coronavirus fears in Bangkok. Tourism is an important sector for Thai economy.    © AP

 

BANGKOK -- Amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, Thailand has not restricted Chinese tourists from entering the kingdom, or dropped its visa-on-arrival fee waiver implemented to mainly attract Chinese.

 

This is in clear contrast with concerned nations around the world. Singapore bans entry to all Chinese passport holders and foreigners with a recent history of travel to China. The U.S. decided to halt entry to the country of foreign nationals who had been to China within a 14-day incubation period. 

 

The Solomon Islands implemented regulations to restrict the entry of any person who had visited countries with confirmed cases of coronavirus, while Japan and South Korea have taken milder measures and blocked visitors from Hubei Province, the epicenter of the outbreak. 

 

"We are 100% in control of the situation," Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has been repeatedly saying to the public since the beginning of the outbreak. As of Sunday, Thailand had reported a total of 32 confirmed cases, among the most outside China. 

 

Full Story: https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus-outbreak/Thailand-keeps-doors-open-to-Chinese-tourists

11 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

"We are 100% in control of the situation,"

Comical Somchai and his Shenanigans...

11 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

This is in clear contrast with concerned nations around the world.

N/A! Here we are dealing with another planet!

Shame on the the Generals wearing suits; i just hope someone in their families catches this horrible virus !

2 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

N/A! Here we are dealing with another planet!

How can he be in control if us farrang refuse to use masks ????

The government would appear to me more concerned about their relationship with China than they are about the health of their own citizens.

money b4 thai people

16 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

We are 100% in control of the situation

 

right up until we aren't

 

i hope for all our sakes it doesn't reach that point

 

 

How ridiculous, how naive, how b****y dangerous. Baht before people. SICK. 

6 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

How ridiculous, how naive, how b****y dangerous. Baht before people. SICK. 

there's an international tennis tournament in hua hin going on right now less than 1km away from where they were (maybe still are) treating coronavirus patients

 

its normal.

 

Just go to #RIPPrayut on Twitter to see the local feeling towards the PM. Enlightening!

"We are 100% in control of the situation,"

This scares me more than the virus itself.

what time the flight from wuhan arrives?

27 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

How can he be in control if us farrang refuse to use masks ????

Today i didn't see anybody in Bangkok wearing a mask.

  So the Chinese might have the virus, but they aint the ones who spread it in Thailand, it's falang.

6 minutes ago, fruitman said:

Today i didn't see anybody in Bangkok wearing a mask.

Masks are only available at the airport for tourists coming from Europe.

They're handed out for free by a moronic grinning guy wearing a suit and a chin mask.

Edited February 10, 20206 yr by JustAnotherHun

I wish there was a country that was a PURE democracy, or even a good Republic.  I'm sure the 70 million Thais would vote 99.9% to NOT allow Chinese in.  

 

Making an extra 10,000 baht but dying.......Let's not kid ourselves, the REAL numbers are a magnitude higher (350,000 infected, not 35,000).  We all know how bad this is...  it's air born.  long range....

Edited February 10, 20206 yr by Ventenio

16 minutes ago, spiekerjozef said:

what time the flight from wuhan arrives?

What? Are you living at the airport?

Been noticing on all the social media, main stream news, etc. a strong uninformed racialy motivated people that are making a career on shaming or positing fingers at a ethnicity. Do not forget we are all people and viruses etc. do not care what color,ethnicity, culture, color, you are or where you are from. Blaming something on others does not help the situation mainly in the west with the constant bashing, hatefulness, racists on people who are not like them. I would say become better educated in the issue and speak in a positive light. I'll leave a few links here you can view them or disregard them but these issue exist. 

How to pick the proper mask-

 

Corona-virus Updates Daily-

https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

 

Don't isolate CHINA, isolate the VIRUS 隔离病毒，不隔离爱-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H7Kl2EjAuY&t=4s
 

Coronavirus vs H1N1 and "Whataboutism"-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5rhyBKJXb4

 

Feb 10 - Live from China - Coronavirus Updates From Shenzhen & a Warning About Fear Mongerers-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8LSuI2MlGQ

 

 

47 minutes ago, SteveK said:

The government would appear to me more concerned about their relationship with China than they are about the health of their own citizens.

Absolutely. If there was ever any real doubt over the importance of China for Thailand nowadays then the last week or so have fully confirmed it.

 

Thailand are a pawn for the Chinese overlords and will do nothing to upset them. 

6 minutes ago, BobbyL said:

Thailand are a pawn for the Chinese overlords and will do nothing to upset them. 

It would explain why Thailand appears to be copying the Chinese-style efforts to complicate life as much as possible for westerners living in the country. China has become very nationalistic and anti-west in the last few years. Wouldn't surprise me at all if China is pulling the strings of the Thai government.

Edited February 10, 20206 yr by SteveK

Western media has already cited Thailand as one of the high risk areas of infection, due to the continuation of allowing the Chinese in the country (and all those who transit via China). This year will be a severe blow to all the economic activity in Thailand.

3 minutes ago, SteveK said:

It would explain why Thailand appears to be copying the Chinese-style efforts to complicate life as much as possible for westerners living in the country. China has become very nationalistic and anti-west in the last few years. Wouldn't surprise me at all if China is pulling the strings of the Thai government.

Very true. Look at the recent information too about some of the Thai news being outsourced to China's controlled Xinxua as well. Lots of strange things going on. 

1 hour ago, SteveK said:

The government would appear to me more concerned about their relationship with China than they are about the health of their own citizens.

100% correct. 

I think currently there are 20+ countries that have closed entries to Chinese Nationals. Not singing praise to my country (just one example of many country sensible approach)....Au ban on Chinese Nationals also comes at huge financial cost to AU. Tourism etc etc.

What does Thailand do. Pretty much nothing. Keep in mind it was Chinese gov that stopped tour groups leaving Chine VERY early. Thinking China has done great job (except for early cover up).

By contrast Thailand are headless chook.

Did we expect any less.

 

the idiot health minister is more concerned with sucking up to his  chinese masters than he is with his own peoples lives. Goes to show how pathetic this govt is, they will not be happy till Thailand has a death toll like china's, the people really need to wake up to themselves and toss these cretins out of govt at the nest elections and hopefully it wont be too late to fix up everything these imbeciles have stuffed. 

58 minutes ago, fruitman said:

Today i didn't see anybody in Bangkok wearing a mask.

Pretty much my own obervation too.

 

Whats the point in wearing one, if i go out than to a bar/restaurant, and i can't eat nor drink with it anyway -.-

51 minutes ago, JustAnotherHun said:

Masks are only available at the airport for tourists coming from Europe.

I best bring a Jason mask next time I go through there.

29 minutes ago, SteveK said:

It would explain why Thailand appears to be copying the Chinese-style efforts to complicate life as much as possible for westerners living in the country. China has become very nationalistic and anti-west in the last few years. Wouldn't surprise me at all if China is pulling the strings of the Thai government.

I don't think they are; it's more likely to be sino-thais doing what they think will appeal to China; and also expressing their fear and loathing of lao wai.

27 minutes ago, observer90210 said:

Western media has already cited Thailand as one of the high risk areas of infection, due to the continuation of allowing the Chinese in the country (and all those who transit via China). This year will be a severe blow to all the economic activity in Thailand.

Stable door bolts, eh...

A Danish newspaper has got into trouble for this little meme:

1 hour ago, SteveK said:

The government would appear to me more concerned about their relationship with China than they are about the health of their own citizens.

They have never been in control of this virus, totally ridiculous coment and it's all about the money, and not the welfare of the citizens.. Very sad really... 

2 hours ago, Surelynot said:

How ridiculous, how naive, how b****y dangerous. Baht before people. SICK. 

Big chance that soon the EU countries will ban flights from Thailand.

27 minutes ago, Soikhaonoiken said:

They have never been in control of this virus, totally ridiculous coment and it's all about the money, and not the welfare of the citizens.. Very sad really... 

They were also in control of the floodings 10 years ago, BKK would NOT flood.....55555