Wired｜Chinese passengers traveling to Thailand and Japan have personal experiences: there are welcome banners and nucleic acid tests

Since December 2022, China has continuously optimized and adjusted its epidemic prevention policies. The international community generally views it positively and believes that the strong recovery of China's economy will boost the stability and growth of the global economy.

With the optimization of epidemic prevention policies, the number of Chinese citizens traveling abroad is also in the process of orderly recovery and increase. At the same time, the international community shows a certain degree of difference in response to China.

In Southeast Asia, Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health Anutin personally went to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport to welcome Chinese tourists on January 9, 2023. He also stated on the spot that Thailand had canceled a previously announced According to the entry policy, international travelers will no longer be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Anutin pointed out that if tourists are diagnosed in Thailand, they can go to the hospital for treatment and there is no need to worry. If tourists intend to get vaccinated in Thailand, they can get vaccinated after paying the relevant fees.

In addition to being “greeted by the Vice Premier”, what kind of personal experience have the entry measures of various countries brought to Chinese passengers? The Paper recently contacted many compatriots who went to Thailand and Japan after the reopening.

On January 9, 2023 local time, in Bangkok, Thailand, Thai officials distributed garlands to Chinese tourists arriving at Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Visual China

Thailand: Enthusiasm and Touch

“As soon as we got off the plane, we saw the staff holding a banner at the door to welcome us. The banner said ‘China and Thailand are one family’. I was very touched when they said 'Welcome to the Chinese people'," Xiao Ai, who entered Thailand on January 9, told The Paper, "Then Thai officials came to hand us wreaths, bags and small gifts, which was very considerate. . Then they said in Chinese, "Hello, welcome to Thailand." I felt very happy. They really valued us Chinese tourists."

"My entry into Thailand was very smooth. , because I had a student visa at the time, and unlike those who got a visa on arrival, they filled out the form, and I went directly to pick up my luggage,” Xiao Ai told The Paper, “I was queuing up at the airport. There were quite a lot of people, and we waited in line for 20 to 30 minutes. After me, I gave all the information, tickets, and passports to the immigration staff. Then he looked at them for a long time without asking any questions. Finally, he He asked me what major I was studying, and then asked where I would live after leaving the airport. "I answered him in Thai and said that I was majoring in media and would go there after leaving the airport." The dormitory opposite the school, and then he asked, why do I know Thai? Because he may think that I am a student of the International College, and I said that I prefer to learn foreign languages, so I learned Thai and English. Finally, he He told me to stamp my customs clearance, handed me the documents, and told me to study hard, and then I left the airport."

"The documents I handed him were my student visa, Flight itinerary, and vaccination certificate, I didn’t prepare any nucleic acid certificate or insurance, and he didn’t ask me for anything else,” Xiao Ai said, “When you ask the airport staff about anything, they are very enthusiastic. I will answer you and show you the way.”

Da Liu, a Chinese tourist who entered Thailand on January 9, said in an interview with The Paper that his process was also very smooth.

“I went through customs in Shenzhen and took a flight to Hong Kong. Before boarding the plane, the customs at the Hong Kong Airport did not check my insurance, and there was no example of excessive management such as denying card insurance on the day. After landing in Thailand, I filled out the entry card. The fee for the visa on arrival was 2,000 baht. In addition, I gave the staff a tip of 200 baht. Afterwards, the Thai customs officer looked at my air ticket and hotel order, and I entered Thailand smoothly in a few minutes. ." Da Liu said.

Qing Mo, another Chinese tourist who entered Thailand on January 10, told The Paper that he took a flight to Thailand at Kunming Changshui International Airport. “No nucleic acid test is required, the customs only checks I received my return ticket, hotel reservation and COVID-19 insurance.” Qingmo said that he felt very good after landing in Thailand and the staff were very enthusiastic. Facing the gradually recovering tourism industry, Thai Finance Minister Akorn Dembidayabasi recently stated that although the world economy is facing downward pressure, positive factors such as the return of Chinese tourists are expected to push Thailand to achieve its economic growth target of 3.8% this year.

On January 12, 2023, a passenger taking a direct flight from mainland China to Japan arrived at the quarantine booth at Narita Airport in Chiba Prefecture and underwent a quantitative antigen test through the boarding gate. Visual China

Japan: Japanese people on the same flight also took nucleic acid tests after getting off the plane

At the same time, some countries have adopted targeted epidemic prevention measures for Chinese tourists entering their countries.

According to previous news released by Japanese officials, Japan will require passengers entering Japan from China from January 8, regardless of any vaccination, to take a nucleic acid test within 72 hours before leaving the country and present a Nucleic acid test certificate issued by a medical institution. Persons who have stayed in mainland China within 7 days before entering Japan and persons who have flown directly from mainland China to Japan must be tested when they arrive in Japan. If the test result is positive, they will be quarantined.

Xiao Chen, who arrived at Tokyo Narita Airport on January 12 and went to work in Japan, told The Paper that the nucleic acid negative certificate within 72 hours is best in English and Japanese, even if it is in Chinese If so, a declaration form is required. You can board the plane only if you have these.

When asked whether any staff issued relevant labels to Chinese tourists entering Japan after landing in Japan, Xiao Chen said that the staff only put a sticker on his sleeve. It says the same number as the number affixed on the passport during the nucleic acid test, "Because they want to take away our passports, residence cards and air tickets. When we come back, they will return the above documents to us with the number on their sleeves."

"After landing, you will need to take a nucleic acid test. The test method is to spit into a tube until a certain amount is spitted, and then wait for the test results. Those who are negative can enter the country, and those who are positive will be taken away. Go to the hotel for quarantine." Xiao Chen said that he was quarantined because the nucleic acid test result was positive. "If you have no symptoms, you will be tested for nucleic acid after 5 days of quarantine. If the result is negative, you can leave the quarantine hotel on the morning of the sixth day. . However, the attitude of the staff was very good. When I first learned that my result was positive, I was very depressed, and they were very patient in comforting me." Xiao Chen pointed out that from his own perspective. After getting on the bus to the room in the isolation hotel, the luggage was carried by the staff. "I am satisfied with their attitude. I just hope they can handle the positive passengers faster. I will wait for the nucleic acid results from 1:30 p.m.," he said. Entering the hotel room at 8 pm, the process was too tiring.”

Another Chinese tourist who entered Japan on January 11 told The Paper that he did the same thing immediately after landing. After taking a nucleic acid test, the results came out an hour later. "There were Japanese people on the same flight. They also had to take nucleic acid tests when they got off the plane, and they were also waiting for the results."

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on January 11 In response to relevant questions, he said that we have pointed out many times that a few countries have ignored scientific evidence and the actual epidemic situation in their own countries and insisted on adopting discriminatory entry restrictions on travelers from China. We once again call on relevant countries to proceed from the facts, formulate scientific and appropriate epidemic prevention measures, and all parties to work together to create favorable conditions for normal personnel exchanges, exchanges and cooperation.