Chinese tourists arriving in Thailand will be treated like other foreign visitors and are not required to undergo rapid antigen COVID-19 tests upon arrival, but they must show a vaccination certificate and are advised to take out health insurance coverage before departure for Thailand.

These are part of a set of measures to be proposed by a technical sub-committee of Thailand’s national communicable diseases committee, to cope with an anticipated increase inarrivals of Chinese tourists, after the Chinese Government eased travel restrictions on their citizens and foreign visitorsto visit China from January 8th.

Dr. Tares Krassanairawiwong, director-general of the Disease Control Department, said today (Saturday) that Professor Emeritus Dr. Somwang Danchaivijitr, chair of the technical sub-committee, has emphasised that any measures to be adopted must be based on the principle of equal treatment,without discrimination against Chinese tourists, but with the emphasis on health, the economy and social security.

Dr. Tares said that the measures to be applied to Chinese tourists will be similar to those to be introduced for foreign tourists visiting China, such as the need for RT-PCR tests 48 hours before boarding a plane.

Thailand’s public health system must be prepared to cope with an increase in the number of people arriving from China, expected to reach five million next year, especially in provinces most frequented by tourists.

Publicity campaigns should be launched to advise tourists to wear face masks in public and to wash their hands frequentlywith sanitising gel.

In the meantime, Dr. Tares said Thai authorities must advise tourism-related business operators to make sure that their staff have received at least four doses of vaccine dose, adding that everyone should have least four shots.

As a precautionary measure, he said that health officials will randomly test foreign arrivals.

He assured that the technical sub-committee also considered plans which are in line with the European CDC guidelines, adding that, if there is any change in situation regarding COVID, the committee will review the measures.