Bangkok Airways to Temporarily Suspend Bangkok-Vientiane Flights Bangkok Airways has announced that it will suspend routes between Bangkok and Vientiane until further notice amid a drop in the number of passengers. The operation of PG943 Bangkok-Vientiane and PG944 Vientiane-Bangkok will be suspended from March 10, except for March 24, while PG949 Bangkok-Vientiane and PG940 Vientiane-Bangkok will not operate from March 29. “Bangkok Airways Public Company Limited announces a decrease in flight frequency as well as flight termination on certain domestic and international routes to be in line with current passenger demand,” the airline explained. “This also follows the airline’s expense reduction plans which were launched earlier this month due to the global economic slowdown combined with the COVID-19 epidemic,” the company added. Further information about affected flights can be found at Bangkok Airways’ website. ~The Laotian Times~
Coronavirus: Thailand requires Chinese tourists to show medical certificates
Thailand said all arriving Chinese tourists must provide medical certificates stating that they are healthy and free of infection from the novel coronavirus.
This measure is being implemented in the wake of the World Health Organisation's decision to call the virus outbreak a global health emergency, the government said in a release dated Feb 1.
Chinese visitors spent almost US$18 billion (S$24.5 billion) in Thailand last year, more than a quarter of all foreign-tourism receipts.
With China banning outbound group tours to fight the virus, Thailand's tourism industry - which makes up about 21 per cent of the economy - is taking a severe knock.
Reduced travel from China alone could result in 50 billion baht (S$2 billion) of lost tourism revenue, the Thai Tourism Ministry estimated.
The spread of the coronavirus beyond China has also affected domestic tourism in Thailand, which has recorded more infections than anywhere but China with 19 cases. Thailand announced its first case of human-to-human transmission on Jan 31.
Shopkeepers in Phuket said that had left Thai tourists wary of venturing out to join what should have been an annual festival on Walking Street in the heart of the town. ~The Straits Times~