Despite The Spike In COVID In The Country Of Origin, Thailand Is Still Back At Chinese Tourists With Fruits And Tas Awards At The Airport

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JAKARTA - Chinese tourists returned to Thailand on Monday, January 9 after Beijing relaxed travel rules. Tourists were greeted at Bangkok's main airport by officials with flowers and gift bags. Thailand relies heavily on visitors from China before the pandemic as Chinese tourists account for about 30 percent of its tourists. Thailand's economy has been hit hard by COVID-19 and the current global decline, with officials now hoping Beijing's decision to reopen can help its recovery. 269 on-flight entrants from the city of Xiamen in southeastern China are asymptomatic with flowers and gift bags, containing hand sanitizers and face masks. "I am very happy and can't believe it," said University teacher Jiang Shanna, one of the first entrants. The 36-year-old man visited Thailand for a month to dive. This activity is supported because of the good weather. Jiang, who booked his flight two weeks ago panicked in the last minute about possible travel restrictions. "We are worried that the policy will be different from what we expected and we will be banned from flying," he said, adding that no ground staff at Xiamen airport was aware of Thailand's latest policy. China is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 infections. Local officials said 90 percent of people in Henan province, the country's third most populous province, were infected. Unlike many other countries - including the United States, Canada, Japan, and France - Thailand have decided not to require pre-departure COVID-19 tests for travelers from China. However, confusion arose over the weekend following mixed messages from Thailand's health ministry and civil aviation authority that appeared to imply that tourists would be asked to show vaccination records. Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said that migrants are not required to show vaccination records, or undergo tests. "The decision was decided not only for economic reasons, but also based on medical information," he told reporters at the airport. The Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Yuthasak Supasorn, said there had been discussions about entry requirements but the matter had been resolved. Thailand expects "at least five million" Chinese tourists by 2023, he said, but he warned that the number would be lower than before with just 15 Chinese flights a week - compared to about 400 pre-pandemics. Officials estimate around 20 million tourists will visit Thailand by 2023, far from 40 million pre-pandemic arrivals.