First group of Chinese tourists with special visa to arrive in Thailand

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The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) confirmed that the first group of Chinese tourists under the Special Tourist Visa (STV) scheme and arrived at Thailand's Suvarnabhumi Airport on Tuesday and they will enter a 14-day quarantine. After they complete quarantine and test negative for Covid-19, they are allowed to travel freely upon installation of the Thai government's Covid-19 tracing platform. The tourists departing from Shanghai, China and arriving in Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) will only be in Thailand for 30 days. Tuesday's flight is reported to include 41 people who have applied for their visa through the new STV, Special Tourist Visa. Additional tourists are expected to arrive on Oct 26, when another group lands in Phuket. The later arrival in Phuket was to coincide with the end of this years Vegetarian Festival celebrations. Phiphat says the Oct 26 arrivals are also coming from very low risk areas.

Phiphat says that in total, 400 international tourists, primarily Chinese, will arrive in Thailand by early November. All will be tested and whisked off for 14 day quarantine on arrival, in addition to having to endure copious amounts of paperwork before they even get here. A plan to admit Chinese tourists earlier this month hit a small snag when it emerged not a single one had applied for the government’s newly aunched Special Tourist Visa.