The Chinese are back on Koh Samui - tourists from Chengdu given special welcome

[webfact]

Daily News Thai Caption: Inaugural flight

 

Thailand gave a special welcome back to the first direct flight from China to Koh Samui since the pandemic.

 

The Surat Thani deputy governor Nanthawat Charoenwan and local Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) chief Kanokkitika Kritwuthikorn were on hand with many other officials to welcome a full load of 130 tourists aboard Chengdu Airlines EU 2807.

 

Picture: Daily News

 

The auspicious flight - the first direct flight from China to the holiday island in the south of Thailand since February 2020 - was met with much pomp and ceremony.

 

On the runway it was even given the five star treatment of an auspicious spraying from fire trucks.

 

Picture: Daily News

 

Daily News reported that prior to the pandemic 308,303 Chinese visited Koh Samui in 2019 spending 14 billion baht.

 

The return of the Chinese adds to the brightening future for Samui and neighboring islands after the devastation of Covid-19.

 

 

Picture: Daily News

 

Recently the TAT in Chendu have been working with tour companies there to promote tours to the southern islands.

 

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[Tropicalevo]

33 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thailand gave a special welcome back to the first direct flight from China to Koh Samui since the pandemic.

Duh - wrong.

This from a post on 18th February.  That flight had water spray back then as well.

 

Quote

 

The Chinese are coming to Samui.

Chengdu Airlines lands today. That is the second non PG airline to grace our shores since Covid visited us.

 

I guess that TAT did not realise that they had been landing here for a while.

[2baht]

Time for Chuwit to take a trip to Koh Samui and check if all these Chinese are above board!

[shackleton]

First the Russian tourists now the Chinese are arriving .things are starting to get  busy ????

Happy Times are here again ????

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

On the runway it was even given the five star treatment of an auspicious spraying from fire trucks.

Was it disinfectant i wonder?

[Gweiloman]

No doubt, many will be critical and disappointed. But the important thing is that many Thais will welcome the Chinese tourists with open arms. As it's their country, us foreigners have zero influence.

[bangon04]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Was it disinfectant i wonder?

They are practising ready for Songkran. All arriving airplanes will be sprayed on the tarmac until airport immigration is ready to greet them.

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, bangon04 said:

They are practising ready for Songkran. All arriving airplanes will be sprayed on the tarmac until airport immigration is ready to greet them.

One way of keeping the dust down I suppose... PM2.5 friendly

Maybe they should initiate a Songkran every month, or do they need the water up north to douse the forest fires?

[Enoon]

8 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Was it disinfectant i wonder?

Ordinary water I expect.

 

But such an "auspicious" flight really deserved the magnificence of a "Golden Shower".

 

????

 

 

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, Enoon said:

Ordinary water I expect.

 

But such an "auspicious" flight really deserved the magnificence of a "Golden Shower".

 

????

 

 

Yet to follow, prices negotiable.