SAMUT PRAKAN, Jan 9 (TNA) – Three ministers have welcomed the first group of Chinese tourists, arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Monday as the government revokes the requirement for foreign arrivals to show proof of Covid -19 vaccination.
Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn and Saksayam Chidchob Transport Minister were present at the airport to welcome Chinese tourists after China reopened its border on Sunday. The first flight, carrying 286 passengers to Thailand arrived from Xiamen at around 1 p.m.
Later this afternoon, China Southern Airlines Flight CZ3081 from Guangzhou will also arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Starting on Jan 9, all foreign arrivals must show proof that they are vaccinated or provide a letter certifying that they recovered from Covid-19 within six months, according to the statement of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand.
In the latest development, the Public Health Minister said on Monday that the requirement for foreign arrivals to show proof of Covid -19 vaccination has been revoked after consideration by an academic committee under the Communicable Disease Act, citing sufficient immunisation in Thailand and globally.
Deputy governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand Thanet Phetsuwan said the TAT helped tourism operators in preparing for arrivals of Chinese tourists such as maintaining hotels’ sanitation and safety standards and solving labour shortage in the tourism industry.
The TAT expects that about 300,000 Chinese tourists are likely to arrive in the country in the first three months of this year and will reach five million for the whole year, generating an income of more than 200 billion baht for the country. (TNA)
