39 mainland Chinese tourists were the first foreign travellers to arrive in Bangkok, Thailand, in about seven months, the Bangkok Post reported.

Must undergo a 14-day quarantine before they can continue with their holiday

According to the Associated Press (AP),the tourists from Shanghai had arrived under the country's Special Tourist Visa (STV) scheme at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Tuesday, Oct. 20.

This means they must undergo 14 days of quarantine at designated locations such as a hotel or hospital, and test negative for the virus twice, before they are allowed to proceed to their holiday destinations.

In addition, they must also show proof of long-term accommodation, have special insurance policies, download the Thai app for Covid-19 contact tracing, and test negative for the virus prior to their departure for Thailand.

The tourists must also commit to a stay of at least 30 days in Thailand, which includes their time spent in quarantine, Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Yuthasak Suparsorn told Xinhua. 

Thai protests not expected to affect tourism

Yuthasak added that he did not expect the ongoing protests to affect tourism, the Bangkok Post further reported.

Most of the Chinese tourists are expected to head to provincial areas, given that they have "expressed a desire to travel to the beaches once their quarantine is complete," The Nation Thailand quoted him as stating.

However, he also acknowledged a need to monitor the situation closely.

Two more groups of Chinese tourists to expected for Oct.

Yuthasak further stated that two more groups of Chinese tourists are expected for the month.

A second group of 100 people are expected to fly in from Guangzhou on Oct. 26 while a third group will fly in from Shanghai on Oct. 28, The Nation Thailand reported.

Both flights will land in Bangkok.

Special visas to bring in 1,200 tourists in each month

The special visa, officially rolled out by Thailand in October, allow tourists from "low risk" countries to enter for long stays of up to 270 days -- tourists who commit to a stay of at least 30 days are issued 90-day visas that can be renewed twice, AP reported.

The visas, offered till September next year, are expected to bring in 1,200 travelers to the country every month.

Previously, 120 tourists from Guangzhou had been expected to land in Phuket on Oct. 8.

However, the flight was delayed because locals feared that the tourists could cause a second wave of Covid-19 infections.

The Phuket governor said that there were concerns that foreign tourists coming to watch the annual Vegetarian Festival from Oct. 17 to Oct. 25 may bring the virus to city.

Thus far, Thailand has recorded 3,700 cases of Covid-19, and 59 deaths.

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Top image from Suvarnabhumi Airport Facebook