Going to Thailand next week? You have chosen the right time!!
This period is the best time to visit the Land of Smiles due to its climatic conditions and the Valentine’s Day coming round the corner!
However, if you are thinking of taking a step back due to the wide spread panic regarding the new Coronavirus; we assure you that this is no reason for you to give your vacation a second thought.
Here’s why!
What is this new Coronavirus? And why is it causing world-wide Panic?
Novel Coronavirus or Wuhan Coronavirus or The 2019-nCov is a new type of Coronavirus which is like our normal cold virus. It was first reported from Wuhan, China, on 31st December 2019. This has been identified as a zoonotic virus (meaning – transmitted from animals) as the initial cases were reported from the large seafood and animal market in Wuhan.
This mainly affects people with low immunity system caused due to previous illness or old age. The wide spread panic is just due to the fear of the unknown. Psychologically it’s proven that the anxiety levels for foreign threats is higher than the known threats. Hence, there is no need to hit your alarm buttons!
Here is some more information for you to be assured that Thailand is a safe haven!
Thailand being the dream destination for vacationers sees an enormous amount of people traveling throughout the year, from all around the world!
The cases reported till date in Thailand are 25 in total (as of 4th Feb’2020). And there has not been any causalities.
Among the 25 Coronavirus cases,
- 9 fully recovered and discharge
- 3 Thai taxi drivers affected due to close contact with Chinese passengers
- Rest are Chinese tourists, currently under observation
Do note, all the cases reported till date have a history of contact with Chinese people. Even in India, the 3 cases reported till now are all due to their travel to the Wuhan city. All of them have been tested and confirmed to be in stable condition.
Neither the Thailand Government nor the Indian Government has exercised any restrictions on their tourism. Also, major tourist places like Krabi, Koh Samui and Pattaya are on high guard and do not have any outbreak of this virus till date. They are going the extra mile and trying to maintain an aseptic environment.
Refer the below twitter posts!
Good to see both the BTS & Airport Rail Link releasing photos to show that they disinfect the carriages before use each day. The BTS also has hand sanitizer at the security checkpoint you can use. However, it is still advisable to wear masks on trains #ไวรัสโคโรน่า #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/y8GCxlEoci
— Richard Barrow (@RichardBarrow) January 26, 2020
Ever since lists started circulating of places to avoid the #coronavirus in #Bangkok, all of the shopping malls have started doing damage control by posting photos of their staff disinfecting everything and security handing out masks #ไวรัสโคโรน่าสายพันธุ์ใหม่2019 #ไวรัสโคโรน่า pic.twitter.com/sp3edV9Tax
— Richard Barrow (@RichardBarrow) January 28, 2020
Not only this, according to the Thailand Immigration Department, 90% of the Chinese tourists have already returned home. Here are some numbers released by them (as of 5th Feb’2020)
- 940,961 Chinese arrived in Thailand from 1-31 January
- 806,519 have left before 2nd February
All you have to worry about now is your Itinerary. Start packing your bags and not your worries!
Here are some Myth-Busters regarding the Novel Coronavirus:-
Thailand Authorities are on their highest vigil to ensure you are safe and have a carefree and wonderful time.
Even The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has assured visitors that Thailand is open for Tourism and Travel and that all the safety measures are being followed.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha has assured the public and tourists that Thailand is “100% under control” and that this is being treated as a National Agenda.
The Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn has released statements assuring everyone that Thailand is under tight security and that everything is under control.
The Department of Airports (DOA) has implemented passengers’ surveillance and screening with thermal scans and handheld thermometers at all its commercial airports.
Though there have been no medications invented yet; Thai doctors have been able to successfully treat the Novel Coronavirus using a combination of flu and HIV drugs leading to a speedy recovery.
No wonder Thailand ranks 6th, out of 195 countries in the World, for Health Care according to the Global Health Security Index, Ministry of Health (as of Sep’19).
All these measures are being taken for your safety so that you enjoy your much-awaited vacation without any worry! All you have to do as Precautionary Measures are follow these basic and simple steps recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO)
All you have to do now is buckle your seat belts, leave your worries behind and fly away to have an unforgettable holiday!