Thailand has received a group of tourists from China, its first such arrivals since commercial flights were banned in April to combat the coronavirus pandemic, with the visitors seemingly undeterred by escalating street demonstrations in Bangkok.
Thirty-nine tourists from Shanghai arrived on Tuesday night, the deputy director of the country’s main Suvarnabhumi Airport, Kittipong Kittikachorn, said in a statement.
Thai public television showed masked tourists exiting the airport, with officials in full protective equipment spraying their luggage with disinfectant.
Outside, some of the tourists donned face shields and put on rubber gloves as they prepared to board buses to their hotels.
Resistance against the ban
The arrivals come as anti-government protesters continue to defy a ban on gatherings after authorities declared a severe emergency in Bangkok.
The unrest has not impacted interest in the country, Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Yuthasak Supasorn has said.
“There have been no cancellations or any enquiries about it so far and people are following the news,” he said.
Student-led rallies, sometimes drawing 10,000 people, have occupied busy intersections for hours before peacefully dispersing. In one incident last week, a water cannon was used on demonstrators.
READ MORE: Thai PM reconvenes parliament as protesters ramp up pressure
It’s just completely insane for #Thaipolice to investigate four media outlets in #Thailand over covering #ThaiProtests, and also to censor #FreeYOUTH‘s social media account.
The people’s will should be respected, instead of repressed. This kind of censorship must be stopped. pic.twitter.com/O8vKKvpnWJ
— Joshua Wong 黃之鋒 (@joshuawongcf) October 19, 2020
14 day long quarantine
The tourism-reliant country could see just 6.7 million foreign visitors this year, the government says, less than a fifth of a record 39.8 million in 2019.
The government banned commercial flights in April to keep Covid-19 at bay, and new cases have mostly been Thais returning home.
The country has reported a total of 3,700 infections.
New tourist arrivals are on special 90-day visas and must quarantine for two weeks – seven days in their hotel rooms and seven days on their hotel grounds – and test negative three times before they can move around freely.
“Once they pass that, they will be able to move to other destinations (within Thailand),” Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said on Thai PBS television.
A second batch of 147 tourists from Guangzhou, China are due to arrive on October 26, with more due next month.
“Winter is coming so more tourists from European countries, United States, Korea and Japan would also like to come visit us around this time,” said Phiphat.
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