China
- Tourism News
Flights from China over Chinese New Year average 34 daily
The skies above Thailand will be full of Chinese flights this week, with 240 scheduled flights over the Chinese New Year. The Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai) announced that during the holiday period from January 19 to 25, an average of 34 flights per day are expected to arrive in Thailand from China. This is expected to bring a significant…
- Tourism News
China gives green light to Chinese tour groups
China has lifted its restriction on group tours travelling to Thailand and 19 other countries. The reopening of tour groups officially started yesterday, marking a significant step towards normalising international travel for Chinese tourists. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism in China made the announcement yesterday. This move will officially allow tour agencies and online travel companies to begin booking…
- World News
Thailand to extradite alleged Malaysian scammer to China
A Thai court ordered a wanted alleged Malaysian scammer to be extradited to China to face charges related to fraud on Wednesday. Both Malaysia and China requested the repatriation of Tedy Teow Wooi Huat, the founder of the Mobility Beyond Imagination Group (MBI), after he was allegedly linked to numerous scams, reports the Straits Times. Penang-born Teow attended a virtual…
- China News
Millions of Chinese head home to countryside despite Xi’s Covid worries
Millions of Chinese residents are headed back home for the Chinese New Year despite President Xi Jinping’s worries about Covid spreading through rural areas. Xi said he was “concerned” about the countryside’s ability to handle a surge in Covid infections, but China’s transport authorities are predicting more than two billion trips will be made this month and into next month.…
- Phuket News
Five airlines launch direct flights between Phuket and China this week
Five airlines are launching direct flights between China and Phuket in southern Thailand this week. The services will connect Phuket to Shanghai, Nanjing, and Chengdu. Today, Phuket will welcome three direct flights from Shanghai on Spring Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, and Juneyao Airlines. All three services will fly daily. Juneyao Airlines’ inaugural daily direct service from Nanjing will also land on…
- China News
Beijing doctor says hospital discourages writing Covid-19 on death certificates
An unnamed Beijing doctor says he and others are being discouraged from writing Covid-19 on death certificates. According to Reuters, the doctor says he saw a printed notice in the emergency department that said “try not to” write Covid-induced respiratory failure on patients’ death certificates. Instead, he says he was told to name any underlying diseases that the patients had…
- China News
China’s population drops for the first time in 6 decades
According to official data, China, the world’s most populous nation, saw a shrink in its population last year for the first time in over 60 years. This decline is attributed to the nation’s plummeting birth rates, which have reached record lows as China’s workforce ages, leading to concerns of a demographic crisis. The population stood at 1,411,750,000 at the end…
- Thailand News
Thailand is most searched travel destination for Chinese New Year
Online searches for flights to Thailand during the approaching Chinese New Year holidays beat searches for flights to all other countries in the region, according to travel marketing company Sojern. China’s borders are open for the first time in three years and Chinese travellers are looking to get away to celebrate the upcoming two-week Chinese New Year – or Lunar…
- China News
China’s air travel regulator to allow airlines to fly more routes to US
China’s air travel regulator is gearing up to allow more routes to the United States after the country lifted its strict anti-virus travel restrictions this month. According to The Korea Times, China Central Television reported on its website that the US and Chinese airlines are among around 40 carriers that have submitted applications covering about 700 flights per week involving 34…
- China News
China defends its Covid death reporting rates while allegedly banning photos, videos of Tibetan cemeteries
China is defending itself against World Health Organisation (WHO) claims that its reported Covid-19 death rates are inaccurate. Chinese health officials say that it is ‘not necessary’ to dwell on the exact number of Covid-related deaths in the country. But, a news report by Radio Free Asia says that the government is allegedly banning photos and videos of cemeteries in Tibet.…
- Tourism News
Daily direct flights between Phuket and Shanghai to takeoff next week
Daily flights between Phuket in southern Thailand and Shanghai in China will takeoff next Wednesday, January 18, operated by Shanghai’s Juneyao Airlines. The inaugural flight will be the first direct service between Phuket and mainland China in almost three years. China reopened its borders yesterday, and given that China was once Thailand’s top tourism market, Thailand braced itself for an…
- Crime News
Immigration police arrest two Chinese fraudsters illegally living in Thailand
In two separate but similar cases, Immigration Police arrested two Chinese fraudsters posing as businessmen and illegally living in Thailand. Collectively, the pair scammed victims of over 2 billion baht. Case 1 Police arrested a 44 year old Chinese national named Changguan (pseudonym) who allegedly scammed hundreds of victims of over 1.4 billion baht by persuading them to invest in…
- Tourism News
Chinese tourists trickling in after reopening
With a back and forth over Covid-19 restrictions, as China opens its doors for its citizens to travel outbound again, the wave of the coveted Chinese tourist demographic has been nothing more than a trickle. The first arrivals in three years on a direct flight from China to Thailand landed in Bangkok on January 8, with 200 enthusiastic travellers. After Covid…
- Tourism News
Tourism Authority of Thailand plans first roadshow in China after pandemic
Now that China has lifted travel restrictions for its citizens, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is once again tapping into the Chinese tourism market. TAT is planning a roadshow in China during the third week of February. This will be the first roadshow after the Covid-19 pandemic, according to TAT’s Regional Director of East Asia Chuwit Sirivejkul. The roadshow…
- World News
Despite China risk, Malaysia will not change Covid rules
Thailand has implemented new blanket Covid-19 restrictions from today in an effort to fight an infection spike without offending China, which just opened to international travel despite a massive coronavirus outbreak. Malaysia went in another direction, declaring that they would make no changes to their entry procedures despite the increased risk of Covid in travellers from China. The Minister of…
- Hot News
Dell plans to stop using Chinese-made chips by 2024
US computer maker Dell is planning to stop using Chinese-made chips in its computers by 2024. Amid economic tensions between the two countries, the company is also telling its suppliers to reduce the amount of other Chinese-made components in its products. According to Nikkei Asia, the world’s third-largest computer maker told suppliers as early as last year to cut down…
- Covid-19 News
Four new measures adopted for all foreign tourists arriving in Thailand
Thailand has adopted four new Covid-19 measures for all foreign tourists arriving in the kingdom. The Public Health Ministry adopted the measures in response to the Chinese government’s decision to ease travel restrictions on their citizens starting January 8. According to Thai PBS World, the new measures include: All visitors must have received at least two doses of the Covid-19…
- Thailand Travel
Thailand to reintroduce Covid-19 vaccine requirement for all visitors
Anyone wishing to gain entry into Thailand will soon be required to show proof of receiving at least two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine prior to their arrival. The measure will apply to all arrivals in the kingdom regardless of nationality. The Ministry of Public Health is planning to reintroduce the old entry requirement amid concerns that Chinese tourists will import…
- World News
Over a quarter of travellers from China test positive in Taiwan
Thailand may want to rethink its pandemic prevention strategy for Chinese tourists after news broke this week that more than a quarter of passengers from China landing in Taiwan tested positive for Covid-19. The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) in Taiwan reported that over a quarter of the 500 plus travellers who arrived in Taiwan from China returned positive Covid…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand’s public health minister says Chinese tourists won’t be discriminated against
Thailand’s Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, says the country’s plans to re-introduce Covid-19 related measures won’t discriminate against Chinese travellers. He then went on to say that the measures won’t discriminate against any particular country. But, the government is expected to finalise measures that would apply to visitors arriving from Covid-plagued countries, which include China. “Relevant officials agree to give…
- Covid-19 News
Airlines up in arms over increase in Covid measures due to influx of Chinese travellers
Worldwide airline lobby group International Air Transport Association (IATA) is up in arms over global plans to re-introduce Covid-19 restrictions for passengers arriving from China. The IATA says such measures represent a “knee-jerk” reaction to China’s recent lifting of Covid restrictions. Such a reintroduction of measures for travellers is being criticised by the IATA as it says science should supersede politics.…
- Covid-19 News
VIDEO: The WHO accuses China of massaging Covid data
The World Health Organization (WHO) accused China of not being transparent about the true impact of the coronavirus outbreak in the Chinese mainland or about its death toll. The WHO believes Beijing is massaging data since it removed its strict restrictions and mass-testing last month. Mike Ryan, the WHO’s emergencies director, said… “We believe that the current numbers being published…
- Thailand video news
Lights out & Unfiltered | GMT
In today’s episode, Thailand prepares measures to prevent influx of Covid-19, Pattaya set to welcome Chinese tourists, Thais can apply for a digital ID next week, Man lying on a roadside for 6 days survives accident, and Unfiltered!
- World News
Malaysia responds to China’s lifted Covid restrictions with plans to tighten borders
Malaysia is responding to China’s recently lifted Covid-19 restrictions with plans to tighten its borders. The Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, announced the country’s plans as fears mount over another Covid wave due to China. According to the Straits Times, the Cabinet is choosing to prioritise health over the economy. “We will control and tighten (our borders) even more, including (travellers) from…
- China News
China threatens retaliation over restrictions on Chinese tourists
China is striking back as governments around the world are making policies for Chinese tourists entering their countries. A massive Covid-19 wave has been surging through the mainland, but January 8 reopening plans are still in place allowing a huge tourism demographic of Chinese tourists to flock to holiday destinations worldwide. But not only that! China is threatening countermeasures against…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand prepares measures to prevent influx of Covid-19 cases from China
As China prepares to open the floodgates on Sunday, Thai government officials are discussing measures to prevent Covid-19 outbreaks from the upcoming influx of Chinese tourists, given the prevalence of the virus in the People’s Republic of China at present. The virus spread rapidly in China after Beijing dropped three-year-long stringent Covid measures last month. Then, Beijing dropped mandatory quarantine…
- World News
Indian tourists cancel Thailand trips after govt impose Covid test
The Thai Hotels Association last night reported that tourists from India are cancelling trips to Thailand in their droves after their government insisted that returning travellers produce a negative Covid-19 test before reentering the country. The new mandate has come as a shock to Indian holidaymakers as the rest of the world contemplates what to do with returning Chinese tourists.…
- World News
Thai baht and Singapore dollar battle for strongest regional currency
China is reopening its borders, pushing economists to predict that an influx of Chinese tourists to Thailand will propel the Thai baht into Southeast Asia’s reigning currency in 2023. But the baht has one regional competitor: the trusty Singapore dollar. Thailand’s economy heavily depends on tourism revenue. In 2019, Chinese tourists made up over 40% of the 40 million tourist…
- Economy News
Electric vehicles to hit the accelerator this year, says FTI
The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) predicts a bold future for Thailand’s electric vehicle (EV) industry, unlike the International Monetary Fund which believes the kingdom is heading for a recession. The FTI reckons the EV industry will hit the accelerator this year and sell between 25,000, to 35,000 cars, reports Bangkok Post. But, to achieve that target the EV industry…
- World News
IMF predicts a recession in Thailand
The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts Thailand and Southeast Asian countries will suffer from recession this year along with the rest of the world. Kristalina Georgieva believes a third of the global economy will be in recession this year, including Thailand, and Vietnam. The 69 year old Bulgarian economist reckons 2023 will be “tougher” than last year…
- China News
Chinese tourists banned from entering Morocco
Thailand may have stretched out its welcoming arms to China but the same can’t be said of other countries, especially Morocco which has banned all mainland tourists from entering the African country. Thailand Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn on Saturday was quoted as saying that his ministry was “very pleased to learn that China will implement new border control…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand should impose restrictions on Chinese tourists, says Pheu Thai MP
News that China is opening its borders to foreigners and relaxing Covid-19 restrictions was widely welcomed by Thailand yesterday as it looks to further boost its tourist economy. Today, MPs are warning that Thailand should tread lightly and impose restrictions on potential Covid-carrying Chinese tourists otherwise the kingdom could face another potential catastrophic pandemic. Former Deputy Prime Minister Chaturon Chaisang,…
- Tourism News
Chinese tourists may bring growing pains to the Thai travel industry
While people in the tourism and entertainment sector are celebrating China’s announcement to reopen and allow outgoing travel, others have raised fears about the potential problems that could come with an influx of Chinese tourists. Some fear an overwhelming surge of Chinese tourists flooding Thailand’s hotspots. Others worry that the healthcare systems in Thailand could be overburdened by the influx…
- Crime News
Thai police arrest gang of Chinese visa overstayers in Bangkok
Thailand’s Immigration Police arrested a gang of Chinese visa overstayers in the Chatuchak district of Bangkok yesterday. On Monday, North Bangkok District Court issued a search warrant for a property in Soi Sermsuk to investigate a group of “suspicious aliens.” Officers from the Immigration Bureau searched the property yesterday and found that seven Chinese nationals were staying there. All seven…
- China News
China plans to cut mandatory quarantine for foreign travellers
China is reportedly planning to cut mandatory quarantines for foreign travellers as early as next month. According to Bloomberg News, two anonymous sources say that officials are considering a “0+3” policy, which means that arrivals into the country won’t be required to spend time in a quarantine hotel or an isolation facility. China will continue to ease Covid-19 restrictions, according to its ambassador to…
- China News
China releases first Covid fatality rates after loosening restrictions
China is reporting its first fatality rates after the recent loosening of Covid restrictions. According to CNBC, three people died over the weekend after contracting Covid-19 marking the first fatalities since the last report in May. All three were aged 87 to 91 and lived in Beijing. Last Sunday alone, Beijing reported more than 26,000 infections, both symptomatic and asymptomatic.…
- China News
Covid deaths in China could surpass one million as restrictions lifted
Covid-19 deaths in China could surpass one million, especially after the country lifted health measures just before the holidays. The recent loosening of some of the world’s strictest regulations surrounding the virus has many fearing that virus variants may spread across the country’s 1.4 billion population during next month’s Lunar New Year holiday. Despite the fears, China’s national health authority has…
