Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has instructed the Transport, Public Health and Tourism and Sport ministries to take appropriate steps to cope with increased arrivals from China, as the Chinese Government has decided to allow group tours to visit 20 countries, including Thailand, effective from February 6th.

 

The other 19 countries are Indonesia, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Lao PRD, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, Russia, Switzerland, Hungary, New Zealand, Fiji, Cuba and Argentina.

Deputy Government Spokesperson Traisuree Traisoranakul said that the China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism has imposed a set of measures with which Chinese local administrations, tour agencies and Chinese tourists are required to comply.

 

Chinese tour companies, she said, have been instructed to comply strictly with Chinese health measures, and those of destination countries, and urge their customers to undergo COVID screening before departure.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailand-prepares-for-chinese-group-tours-arriving-from-february-6th/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-01-23

 

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The RTP will have their work cut out providing escorts for all these Chinese! At 6 - 7k a pop, they'll do all right though! ????

Let the chaos begin. 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Chinese tour companies, she said, have been instructed to comply strictly with Chinese health measures, and those of destination countries, and urge their customers to undergo COVID screening before departure

Makes you feel real safe doesn't it.

7 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Makes you feel real safe doesn't it.

Our next door neighbour is Chinese, he invited us to a party for Chinese New Year and very good it was too. His wifes sister had arrived from Beijing a couple of days before and speaks perfect English. I asked her, what's the real story about covid  and what's happening with it in Beijing presently? She said, "pretty much everything is normal, life continues there as though nothing much has happened, hardly anything has changed". Some people have covid/flu but it's winter, that's to be expected. She went on to say, the media is making up all sorts of stories, particular western media. 

6 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

She went on to say, the media is making up all sorts of stories, particular western media. 

Possibly, or she's down playing it too?

Just a thought.

6 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

Our next door neighbour is Chinese, he invited us to a party for Chinese New Year and very good it was too. His wifes sister had arrived from Beijing a couple of days before and speaks perfect English. I asked her, what's the real story about covid  and what's happening with it in Beijing presently? She said, "pretty much everything is normal, life continues there as though nothing much has happened, hardly anything has changed". Some people have covid/flu but it's winter, that's to be expected. She went on to say, the media is making up all sorts of stories, particular western media. 

If she were to say any different it would be a death sentence... what do you expect...555

Just now, hotchilli said:

Possibly, or she's down playing it too?

Just a thought.

Possibly, although she has no reason to do so since she's moving here to live with her son. The next day I bumped into our neighbour and thanked him for inviting us to the party. He mentioned that his wife's sister told him afterwards that I had asked that question, apparently she said, "how should I have answered" because she was not used to being questioned by foreigners and our neighbour explained this?  He didn't say, one way or the other but I've had some pretty nitty gritty conversations with him about China so I'm inclined to believe her.

5 minutes ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

If she were to say any different it would be a death sentence... what do you expect...555

...having lived in China for some years, obviously something very different from you!

Hide your children and pets!!!!

Look forward to the lovely totty!????

Is western news media readily available inside China?

3 minutes ago, bang saen guy said:

Is western news media readily available inside China?

Not too much.

 

EDIT: ah, you mean the statement that was made to me. 

 

My neighbours wife's sister travels overseas frequently, she understands this very well.

48 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

She went on to say, the media is making up all sorts of stories, particular western media. 

Really, I only believe the Chinese Communist Party! ????????

1 minute ago, 2baht said:

Really, I only believe the Chinese Communist Party! ????????

I'd broaden my horizons if I were you, get out more, read different stuff, you know.

 

Anyway, if you think about it, the situation with what Chinese people inside China believe, is not that different from what expats in Thailand might believe about what's happening inside also. Both parties have their own news sources and both of them believe what they read in the media and are spoon fed by their respective sources. Unless you actually go there and see for yourself, who is to know what the truth is. And even then, expats here being asked to believe what somebody in China  who journey's outside says, well....you can see what the expat reaction reaction is to that. Perhaps the answer is that you all need to go there and see for yourself.

Glad the wife and I will be long gone by February 

Man the lifeboats hospitals and mortuary's ???? 

The Prawns are getting nervous

51 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

Perhaps the answer is that you all need to go there and see for yourself.

And those of us who have been there, seen it, and have no desire to return, are we allowed to comment? Just wondering what the life of my experiences is too.... I believe a lot has changed there....

Perhaps Ai Weiwei has an opinion worth hearing too?

2 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

Our next door neighbour is Chinese, he invited us to a party for Chinese New Year and very good it was too. His wifes sister had arrived from Beijing a couple of days before and speaks perfect English. I asked her, what's the real story about covid  and what's happening with it in Beijing presently? She said, "pretty much everything is normal, life continues there as though nothing much has happened, hardly anything has changed". Some people have covid/flu but it's winter, that's to be expected. She went on to say, the media is making up all sorts of stories, particular western media. 

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-says-covid-outbreak-easing-eve-travel-rush-2023-01-20/ 

60,000 Chinese died in one week , last week with covid . The hospitals and funeral parlours are overwhelmed with the effects of covid . The opening of China to allow foreign travel is causing global concern . China , much like Russia , have state controlled media broadcasters , that relate news to the nation ,  telling the news as per government instruction . 

The W.H.O. are concerned about the ridiculous Chinese covid stats . 

Greedy countries are lining up to welcome the masses of Chinese tourists . It might just bite them up the backside .

I guess those employed in the Prawn Mines will be working overtime to meet demand.

15 minutes ago, superal said:

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-says-covid-outbreak-easing-eve-travel-rush-2023-01-20/ 

60,000 Chinese died in one week , last week with covid . The hospitals and funeral parlours are overwhelmed with the effects of covid . The opening of China to allow foreign travel is causing global concern . China , much like Russia , have state controlled media broadcasters , that relate news to the nation ,  telling the news as per government instruction . 

The W.H.O. are concerned about the ridiculous Chinese covid stats . 

Greedy countries are lining up to welcome the masses of Chinese tourists . It might just bite them up the backside .

But according to @nigelforbeshis neighbors sister says its fine and normal.........so whose telling porkies.  I tend to believe half of what I read and half of what I hear from others. Yet my condo neighbor who is from China and has been living in BKK and working here for the past 10 years, (His parents and brother still live in the capitol), said it is an absolute mess and he wont head back for a visit anytime soon.  I will put my faith in what he has said. This by the way is the same neighbor who has had Covid 3 times.

21 minutes ago, superal said:

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-says-covid-outbreak-easing-eve-travel-rush-2023-01-20/ 

60,000 Chinese died in one week , last week with covid . The hospitals and funeral parlours are overwhelmed with the effects of covid . The opening of China to allow foreign travel is causing global concern . China , much like Russia , have state controlled media broadcasters , that relate news to the nation ,  telling the news as per government instruction . 

The W.H.O. are concerned about the ridiculous Chinese covid stats . 

Greedy countries are lining up to welcome the masses of Chinese tourists . It might just bite them up the backside .

My math is terrible, what's 60,000 as a percentage of 1.42 billion, please? 

4 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

But according to @nigelforbeshis neighbors sister says its fine and normal.........so whose telling porkies.  I tend to believe half of what I read and half of what I hear from others. Yet my condo neighbor who is from China and has been living in BKK and working here for the past 10 years, (His parents and brother still live in the capitol), said it is an absolute mess and he wont head back for a visit anytime soon.  I will put my faith in what he has said. This by the way is the same neighbor who has had Covid 3 times.

Who to slap, my neighbours WIFE'S sister (pay attention to the detail TR) or your condo neighbour, I mean, China's such a small place, one of them has to be lying!? 

 

This kinda reminds me of where an expat in the South says blah blah about the new Immi requirement and the other expats around the country cried BS, until later. Or opening a bank account is easy but for some it's impossible. Or all the other myriad of things here where even a few miles or a few days difference can present a totally different picture. 

 

Your know your problem TR, everything has to be black or white and the world isn't like that, could it be that both answers are correct...hmm, I wonder!.

Let the zero dollar tours begin.............again! Funny how things change the more they stay the same.

No proof of this happening but c' mon, once the brown envelopes start getting passed around, you can bet on it.

50 minutes ago, superal said:

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-says-covid-outbreak-easing-eve-travel-rush-2023-01-20/ 

60,000 Chinese died in one week , last week with covid . The hospitals and funeral parlours are overwhelmed with the effects of covid . The opening of China to allow foreign travel is causing global concern . China , much like Russia , have state controlled media broadcasters , that relate news to the nation ,  telling the news as per government instruction . 

The W.H.O. are concerned about the ridiculous Chinese covid stats . 

Greedy countries are lining up to welcome the masses of Chinese tourists . It might just bite them up the backside .

Don't worry, no need, I found somebody to do the math. They tell me that, based on that 60,000 deaths, China's weekly rate of deaths from covid is currently 0.0042%. How does that compare with other countries, do you know?

21 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

My math is terrible, what's 60,000 as a percentage of 1.42 billion, please? 

Furthermore W.H.O. state that 83% of the Chinese population have covid , right now . 

 

60,000 covid deaths in 1 week can increase 10 fold quickly .

Never mind your terrible maths and percentages  ???? . With you preaching about global currencies a couple of days ago , I will have to review your info . .

1 minute ago, superal said:

Furthermore W.H.O. state that 83% of the Chinese population have covid , right now . 

 

60,000 covid deaths in 1 week can increase 10 fold quickly .

Never mind your terrible maths and percentages  ???? . With you preaching about global currencies a couple of days ago , I will have to review your info . .

I want to ask how the WHO knows this but I wont go there, I'm sure they do!

 

And indeed 60k deaths can increase 10 fold or even 20 or 30 fold, almost anything could happen, we might all even die as a result!

 

 

22 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

Who to slap, my neighbours WIFE'S sister (pay attention to the detail TR) or your condo neighbour, I mean, China's such a small place, one of them has to be lying!? 

 

This kinda reminds me of where an expat in the South says blah blah about the new Immi requirement and the other expats around the country cried BS, until later. Or opening a bank account is easy but for some it's impossible. Or all the other myriad of things here where even a few miles or a few days difference can present a totally different picture. 

 

Your know your problem TR, everything has to be black or white and the world isn't like that, could it be that both answers are correct...hmm, I wonder!.

So the world is 10% black, 10% white and the other 80% is gray, nice to know and that is basically how I live my life in the 80% gray area. Yes both answers could be correct and nowhere in my reply did I dispute that, just how I look at things.

 

6 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

Don't worry, no need, I found somebody to do the math. They tell me that, based on that 60,000 deaths, China's weekly rate of deaths from covid is currently 0.0042%. How does that compare with other countries, do you know?

The deaths are a by-product of their decision to open up completely amongst mass protest which were occurring in the country.  After 3 years people want to live life and learn to live with Covid, much like learning to live with other virus's.  As long as people take the proper precautions, like normal people do during the Flu and allergy season now then the numbers will continue to be a smaller percentage.  The issue here is that the many who have traveled outside of the mainland are infected to a percentage that is troubling.

8 hours ago, webfact said:

as the Chinese Government has decided to allow group tours to visit 20 countries, including Thailand, effective from February 6th.

Surely it should be up to the countries to which they are visiting to make up the rules.