Warm embraces and hospitable smiles lit up Suvarnabhumi airport on September 25, as Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin ushered the first cohort of visa-exempt Chinese travellers into our rejuvenating country. (Credit: GOVERNMENT HOUSE)
Even though the cancellation of flight quotas by an array of Chinese airlines owing to a lukewarm customer response raised a ripple of doubt, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin reaffirmed that this by no means calls into question the government’s visa exemption policy specifically in place for Chinese nationals, who engulfed in conversations on Wednesday. The airlines in question earlier expressed interest in capitalizing on Thailand’s hospitable skies and secured ground management facilities for their majestic airborne metal birds, only to later renounce their landing and take-off privileges due to a shortfall in filling up these flights.
The Prime Minister causally posited that the current economic recovery momentum within China, slower than originally envisaged, coupled with the national government’s thrust towards tourism within its borders, likely culminated in the unsuspected dip in demand. In an effort to rally behind the visa exemption ordinance meant for Chinese and Kazakh wanderlust-driven souls, he confidently quoted that without this influx, Thailand’s tourism panorama would inadvertently descend into oblivion.
As per the narrative of this policy, from the aromatic fall of September 25 to the cool solace of February 29 next year, Chinese and Kazakh holidaymakers are endorsed to venture into Thailand sans a visa. The Prime Minister further reasoned that given the tightened financial purse strings of the globetrotters in wake of the pandemic, the government is poised to intensify touristic campaigns towards other potential markets, and broaden the inclusivity of the visa waiver to welcome enthusiasts from Taiwan and India alike.
Despite the apprehension tinting the air regarding the possibility of an imminent criminal influx from China, augmented by an anecdotal incident of Chinese denizens engaging in pan-handling amidst the bustling streets of Bangkok, the Prime Minister alleviated the fear with a dismissive wave of his hand. The Pacific hush of Tuesday was disrupted by Prachachart Turakij newspaper emphasizing that the visa exemption agenda has not catalyzed the anticipated boom in tourist influx, compelling multiple airlines to withdraw their flight nominations from Suvarnabhumi airport.
A deeper dive into the compiled data reveals that the rollout of this scheme saw an upsurge of Chinese visitors making a beeline for Thailand, with daily estimates ranging from 17,000-18,000, fortified by the fact that this timeline paralleled with China’s indelible Golden Week holidays. As the holiday mood gradually succumbed to the rhythm of everyday life, these numbers began declining to an average of 8,000-9,000, before making a slight climb to an average of 10,000-11,000 by November.
Kirati Kitmanawat, the unflappable Director-General of Airports of Thailand Plc, compellingly noted that flights from China presently operate at 60% of the levels prevalent prior to the worldwide widespread of Covid-19. A sneak peek into the global aviation landscape echoes this sentiment, with most countries recording the inflow of Chinese tourists at half the numbers registered pre-pandemic. He further pointed out that other nations too have registered a similar pattern where flights from China have not yet manoeuvred their way back into full-fledged operations.
Be First to Comment