The chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Trade of Thailand expects more than 5 million Chinese people to visit Thailand next year as the Chinese government announced to lift its COVID-19 control.
Sanan Angubolkul, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Trade of Thailand, shared his view as China planned to lift its mandatory quarantine on its visitors on Jan 8, 2023.
He said that the decision of China would have positive impacts on Thailand and all sectors of the Thai economy. Chinese tourists would increasingly travel abroad and Thailand was their top destination and also was in its winter, Mr Sanan said.
However, the private sector was concerned about Thailand’s readiness to welcome the visitors. Although the Thai economy was picking up in the late third quarter and the fourth quarter of this year, the Thai tourism sector including hotels had not been fully restored, he said.
“If tourists from countries are visiting Thailand but Thai people are not fully ready, there can be problems. The government must urgently work out solutions and create the readiness,” Mr Sanan said. (TNA)