Thai prime minister Thai Prime Minister, Prayut Chan-o-cha

 

By Peter Roche

The Thai PM has spoken over his confidence that Thailand “can handle the return of Chinese tourists and any potential Covid-19 risk”.

 

According to a Nation Thailand report, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says he doesn’t see the need for any special rules to be applied to visitors from China. China re-opens its borders from this coming Sunday, following nearly 3 years of some of the world’s tightest travel restrictions.

 

The PM went on to say China’s decision to end restrictions is a positive development for Thailand’s tourism sector.

 

He adds that the kingdom has adequate measures in place to protect the public healthcare system and these measures have been recognised as some of the best.

 

Asked about other countries imposing restrictions on arrivals from China, such as requiring a negative Covid-19 test result, the PM says he’s confident Thailand can manage without such rules and the return of Chinese tourists will be a welcome revenue-generator for the country.

 

To date, the US, Japan, India, Italy, Malaysia, South Korea, UK, France, Spain, Morocco and Taiwan have all introduced tighter controls on arrivals from China.

 

China is currently experiencing a surge in Covid-19 infections, following Beijing’s recent and sudden decision to drop all restrictions.

 

Source: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/national-news/no-new-covid-rules-needed-thailand-can-handle-return-of-chinese-tourists-pm/

 

-- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-01-05

 

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Thailand was one of the last countries in the world to abandon masks and forced isolation (even for zero symptom Positives), and now they are invincible to Covid when it's rampant in China?  Flop flop Flip flop as usual.  Sheesh!

58 minutes ago, webfact said:

To date, the US, Japan, India, Italy, Malaysia, South Korea, UK, France, Spain, Morocco and Taiwan (and others) have all introduced tighter controls on arrivals from China.

Well, there you go!

He's right.

We need the money.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

“can handle the return of Chinese tourists and any potential Covid-19 risk”.

famous last words...

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The Thai PM has spoken over his confidence that Thailand “can handle the return of Chinese tourists and any potential Covid-19 risk”.

If this is the case why is the Public Health Ministry is urging Thais working in the tourism industry to get yet another Covid-19 booster shot before Chinese tourists return.

In addition Thailand, meanwhile, still does not have updated “bivalent” vaccines produced by Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc. that have been available in the west for months. That means, until Thailand’s government gets around to procuring the 2022 vaccine versions, the country has only the outdated vaccine that protects only against the original 2020 virus. - Possibly PM speaking without knowing all the facts or caring ....!!!

1 hour ago, ukrules said:

He's right.

Overconfident as it says.

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The Thai PM has spoken over his confidence that Thailand “can handle the return of Chinese tourists and any potential Covid-19 risk”.

 

Let's see if they can now add all of the flights to get the many who want to come in just a shirt time since they will start traveling so as to be here on the chinese New Years which is the 22nd.  Not much time to even prepare in reality.

18 minutes ago, Geoffggi said:

If this is the case why is the Public Health Ministry is urging Thais working in the tourism industry to get yet another Covid-19 booster shot before Chinese tourists return.

Because the reality is, they aren't really sure! 

15 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Because the reality is, they aren't really sure! 

The only ones who seem to be 100% sure are those that believe Covid is a nothing burger, that 3 years have been lost, that only the old die, that the vaccine is not a vaccine but a gene altering drug, that the vaccines will cause you to die in 3 years, and then those that are averse to mask wearing, those are the ones who are 100% ready......we will wait this one out by staying away from the hordes, throngs, or whatever folks want to call it by enjoying the mostly empty beaches where we are......

Edited January 4, 20233 yr by ThailandRyan

Happy tohear that the PM is confident... But what will the reality be?? In the EU Chinese travellers have to wear a mask during the flight and must show a negative test.. In THailand nothing is required now, but what will happen if suddenly the Covid cases rise again? More masks wearing and curfews only to pamper the Chinese?  

3 hours ago, webfact said:

PM says he’s confident Thailand can manage without such rules

They seem to manage without rules in so many other areas.  I smile wryly when a bike with five passengers roars past me, all wearing masks; none wearing helmets.

3 hours ago, Jerno said:

Thailand was one of the last countries in the world to abandon masks and forced isolation (even for zero symptom Positives), and now they are invincible to Covid when it's rampant in China?  Flop flop Flip flop as usual.  Sheesh!

I'm sorry, Thailand did NOT diched using masks, where I'm living in the middle of Sukhumvit, 99% of the people still wearing masks, and to this environments of fear the government is bringing more potential problems and with an unknown Covid variant as well...

1 minute ago, ezzra said:

I'm sorry, Thailand did NOT diched using masks, where I'm living in the middle of Sukhumvit, 99% of the people still wearing masks, and to this environments of fear the government is bringing more potential problems and with an unknown Covid variant as well...

No, still very much being used in Bangkok, and probably Japan, South Korea and China too I bet. Whether the arrival of Chinese brings Covid (take that back... it is inevitable).... whether a variant of concern is brought and causes problems, we don't know. I fear China is not giving us enough truth of their reality. 

Just like round one , history repeating itself.

 

First the denials and upbeat forecasts followed by what we have already seen.

 

If they were really concerned about the money the Chinese are going to generate, they should consider how much money the country will lose again following the inevitable increase in covid cases.

 

As usual , grab the money and run and the devil take the hindmost .

 

What could possibly go wrong ?

4 hours ago, webfact said:

PM says he’s confident Thailand can manage without such rules and the return of Chinese tourists will be a welcome revenue-generator for the country.

Boom there it is

He needs to refill his trough one more time before getting the boot

1 hour ago, Geoffggi said:

If this is the case why is the Public Health Ministry is urging Thais working in the tourism industry to get yet another Covid-19 booster shot before Chinese tourists return.

In addition Thailand, meanwhile, still does not have updated “bivalent” vaccines produced by Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc. that have been available in the west for months. That means, until Thailand’s government gets around to procuring the 2022 vaccine versions, the country has only the outdated vaccine that protects only against the original 2020 virus. - Possibly PM speaking without knowing all the facts or caring ....!!!

LOL.

40-50 percent of an entire plane has been positive with COVID from China right now.  It's happening.  

Im not afraid of COVID.  Can the hospitals handle the additional stress?  That is why countries are insisting on a negative covid test prior to departure not because they are afraid of COVID.  

It's a total joke now but when you get overrun with it its a big problem.

I was going to say that I am surprised that the government will allow Chinese tourists to return without any restrictions, but this is Thailand, and money rules.

 

If China has it so bad now, what makes Thailand think they can control any spread? PCR certificates and tests? Already been proven to not be 100% effective.

 

I wonder if Songkran will be cancelled this year and the "state of emergency" reinstated around the same time.

Two and a half months from Chinese New Year should be enough time for the virus to spread country wide.

 

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

To date, the US, Japan, India, Italy, Malaysia, South Korea, UK, France, Spain, Morocco and Taiwan have all introduced tighter controls on arrivals from China.

Australia also.  Remember that China requires a negative PCR test to enter China too.

2 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Happy tohear that the PM is confident... But what will the reality be?? In the EU Chinese travellers have to wear a mask during the flight and must show a negative test.. In THailand nothing is required now, but what will happen if suddenly the Covid cases rise again? More masks wearing and curfews only to pamper the Chinese?  

Nobody really knows how bad this covid 19 is coming out of China. China is saying they don't have a problem as the dead are piling up everywhere. There is really no place safe if we let the flights in. 

"No new Covid rules needed" huh... sounds like famous last words and a candidate for an abrupt 180 amid sounds of coughing and a background noise of carpets being lifted along with brushing.

Doing the opposite of everywhere else and Bangkok is clearly afraid of offending the tyrants in Beijing. What could go wrong?

Guess money trumps sense on most levels for many... must be rubbing their hands together at the money that will shortly be flowing into the property market as the Chinese rush like a tsunami to get their money away from the CCP.

2 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Happy tohear that the PM is confident... But what will the reality be?? In the EU Chinese travellers have to wear a mask during the flight and must show a negative test.. In THailand nothing is required now, but what will happen if suddenly the Covid cases rise again? More masks wearing and curfews only to pamper the Chinese?  

EU rejects Italian demand to impose Covid curbs on arrivals from China

France, Germany and other states say situation does not warrant change in coronavirus policies

 

Henry Foy in Brussels, Amy Kazmin in Rome, Sarah White in Paris and George Parker in London 

DECEMBER 30 2022

The EU has rejected an Italian demand to reimpose travel restrictions on arrivals from China, as capitals across the world take divergent approaches to surging numbers of coronavirus infections in the country.

 

EU officials at a meeting on Thursday did not endorse a call from Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s prime minister, for the bloc to collectively follow Rome’s move to test all air arrivals from China in response to Beijing’s abrupt decision to lift its zero-Covid policies.

 

Read more: https://www.ft.com/content/117b664e-2a06-4e3c-9ff5-42d1434f5e6e

European Union officials are "strongly" recommending that all member states insist on negative Covid tests from Chinese arrivals before they travel.

Travel in and out of China gets easier from Sunday, as part of the scrapping of the "zero-Covid" policy.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64167061

So what is Step 2 if a group of Chinese Visitors being to show symptoms and some test positive for Covid 19?  What is the Thai phrase for “Contingency Planning?  Also, what is the Thai phrase for Murphy’s Law(if can go wrong it will go wrong). 

5 minutes ago, Puccini said:

EU rejects Italian demand to impose Covid curbs on arrivals from China

France, Germany and other states say situation does not warrant change in coronavirus policies

 

Henry Foy in Brussels, Amy Kazmin in Rome, Sarah White in Paris and George Parker in London 

DECEMBER 30 2022

The EU has rejected an Italian demand to reimpose travel restrictions on arrivals from China, as capitals across the world take divergent approaches to surging numbers of coronavirus infections in the country.

 

EU officials at a meeting on Thursday did not endorse a call from Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s prime minister, for the bloc to collectively follow Rome’s move to test all air arrivals from China in response to Beijing’s abrupt decision to lift its zero-Covid policies.

 

Read more: https://www.ft.com/content/117b664e-2a06-4e3c-9ff5-42d1434f5e6e

Can anyone blame Italy?  We all remember how hard Northern Italy was hit in early 2020.  Can’t fault any country for being cautious after what they saw two years ago.  

27 minutes ago, Puccini said:

EU rejects Italian demand to impose Covid curbs on arrivals from China

France, Germany and other states say situation does not warrant change in coronavirus policies

 

Henry Foy in Brussels, Amy Kazmin in Rome, Sarah White in Paris and George Parker in London 

DECEMBER 30 2022

The EU has rejected an Italian demand to reimpose travel restrictions on arrivals from China, as capitals across the world take divergent approaches to surging numbers of coronavirus infections in the country.

 

EU officials at a meeting on Thursday did not endorse a call from Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s prime minister, for the bloc to collectively follow Rome’s move to test all air arrivals from China in response to Beijing’s abrupt decision to lift its zero-Covid policies.

 

Read more: https://www.ft.com/content/117b664e-2a06-4e3c-9ff5-42d1434f5e6e

yesterday the EU decided different.. This is 30th December, but to make one rule for all EU countries, there was a meeting yesterday. I only have it in Dutch so not allowed to publish. I found something:

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20230104-eu-countries-strongly-encouraged-to-demand-chinese-passengers-take-covid-tests

 

https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/majority-of-eu-wants-tests-on-passengers-from-china

 

 

Edited January 5, 20233 yr by ikke1959

2 hours ago, phetphet said:

I wonder if Songkran will be cancelled this year and the "state of emergency" reinstated around the same time.

Well, there are some parties who would benefit from instituting 'state of emergency'. No risk from elections

41 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

Nobody really knows how bad this covid 19 is coming out of China. China is saying they don't have a problem as the dead are piling up everywhere. There is really no place safe if we let the flights in. 

Die here, die there, it doesn't matter.  The matter is that health care is already overrun.  Thats all.

Honestly I don't give a toss about COVID.   Its what the bizarro country is doing.

8th January is exactly 3rd anniversary the first covid case have entered thailand, that chinese patient was confirmed positive on 13th January.

History repeating itself.

I would think that once chinese plan their holidays and get airfare, they would comply with any thai rules which would happen of time they travel.

PCR tests are $50, that is small in comparison to cost of invested in that travel. Just matter of timing with doing pcr tests, but can be also done at the airport just before departure - just matter of around $200 for fast test result.

 

6 hours ago, 2baht said:

Well, there you go!

indeed just greed from thailand - wealth before health .