Thai authorities said Thursday that they will not impose any special measures towards travelers from China, which means that all arrivals from the world’s most populous country will be allowed to enter the kingdom without having to undergo pre-departure Covid testing.
China has seen a spike in Covid-19 infections, and its hospitals and crematoriums have been overrun since Beijing eased restrictions last month. As concerns about the increase in cases grew, several countries, including the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom, imposed new rules requiring passengers from China to show negative Covid tests.
However, Thai authorities stated that all countries should be treated equally.
Thailand continues to require that all arrivals be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 before entering the country, while encouraging Thai citizens to take the fourth dose of vaccination.
Tourism officials in Thailand had anticipated at least five million Chinese would visit the country this year—roughly half the number recorded before the coronavirus pandemic.
In 2019, before the Covid outbreak, Thailand saw 39.9 million international tourists, with over 11 million visitors from China, nearly a third of the total.
According to tourism officials, the return of Chinese tourists would be a further boost to Thailand’s economy and vital tourism sector.
