With the May Day holiday approaching, China's outbound travel market continues to heat up, and overseas travel safety has become a hot spot. Recently, Chinese embassies and consulates in New Zealand, Brunei, Switzerland, Mauritius, Maldives, Songkhla and Thailand have issued reminders to remind Chinese citizens to pay attention to travel safety.
New Zealand
On April 19, the WeChat public account of the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand released the "Embassy and Consulates in New Zealand Reminds Tourists to Travel Safely, Civilized and Healthy":
With the May Day holiday approaching, China's outbound travel demand will be further released, superimposed with New Zealand's local public holiday travel demand. In order to further protect the rights and interests of Chinese tourists, the embassy and consulates in New Zealand remind recent Chinese tourists to improve their awareness of self-protection, understand New Zealand's laws and regulations and customs in advance, pay attention to personal and property safety, and travel safely, civilized and healthy.
1. Familiar with the entry declaration process
Please check the rules for what you want to bring into New Zealand in advance. New Zealand prohibits the entry of any animal and plant products and other items that may endanger biosecurity, and some of the more common ephedrine-containing drugs such as Contec cold capsules and Lianhua Qingwen capsules are on the new prohibited list. The new customs also has certain requirements for the entry of cigarettes and other items. The Consulate General reminds visiting new visitors to carefully check their luggage before entering the country, and if they are not sure whether the items they are carrying are prohibited, it is recommended to declare them truthfully.
2. Comprehensively enhance security awareness
New Zealand's autumn and winter are coming, and participating in field activities must do a good job of cold and warmth; Skating, skiing, mountaineering, hiking, adventure and water activities should be done according to your ability and under the guidance of professionals; When staying in hotels and homestays, you should pay attention to check the location of safety exits, escape routes and fire fighting facilities; When traveling to areas where there is no communication signal or communication signal is weak, please inform family and friends of your itinerary information in advance to avoid unnecessary worries caused by loss of contact; Take good care of personal belongings and do not leave luggage and valuables in unattended vehicles; Important travel documents such as passports should be carried with you, photocopied and kept separately from other belongings; When you go out in the evening, pay attention to walking together and taking care of each other.
Third, pay attention to weather and road conditions
Parts of New Zealand have recently been hit by torrential rains and flooding and Cyclone Gabriel, causing extensive road damage and restoration work underway. The Consulate General reminds travel agencies and self-driving tourists to pay attention to the weather forecast, keep abreast of the road conditions of tourist destinations, and make itinerary planning. For the travel delay caused by the construction detour, the travel agency should adjust the plan in time and do a good job in follow-up services. Driving habits in New Zealand are different from those in China, so please follow the new traffic laws, drive cautiously and carefully, and avoid drunk driving, speeding and fatigue driving.
4. Epidemic prevention and control must not be relaxed
At present, New Zealand is experiencing a new round of new crown epidemic spread, with an average daily new cases of more than 1,000, of which superinfection accounts for a considerable proportion. The Consulate General reminds tourists to maintain good hygiene habits, wear masks scientifically, wash hands frequently, ventilate frequently, keep a distance in social situations, and do a good job of cleaning and disinfection; Comply with New Zealand's epidemic prevention restrictions, have a positive nucleic acid or antigen test result, must self-isolate for 7 days, and must wear a mask when going to hospitals, nursing homes and other specific occasions.
Brunei
On April 14, the WeChat public account of the Chinese Embassy in Brunei released a warm reminder to Chinese citizens to pay attention to travel safety:
With the resumption of the pilot tour of Chinese citizens to Brunei, many compatriots will travel and sightseeing in the near future. In order to ensure the safety and health of your travel with your family, the Chinese Embassy in Brunei would like to remind you as follows:
Brunei is an Islamic country, and the Malay people, who make up the majority of the population, practice Islam, strictly abide by the canonical rules and advocate etiquette. Chinese citizens in Brunei must abide by local laws and regulations, respect local customs and religious beliefs, behave in a civilized manner, and display a good image of Chinese citizens.
1. Comply with entry and exit regulations
Before traveling, please be sure to understand the latest entry policy regulations, fill in the electronic arrival card on the imm.gov.bn website in advance according to the requirements of the French side, prepare visas and related materials, cooperate with the immigration bureau and customs officials when entering and exiting the country, patiently communicate and explain, if there are communication barriers, you can ask accompanying passengers or airline staff to assist.
2. Comply with local laws and regulations
According to Brunei law, non-Muslim visitors over the age of 17 are allowed to bring up to 60ml of perfume, 250ml of fragrance, two bottles of spirits (no more than 1 litre each) and 12 cans of beer (330ml each) into Brunei, which must be declared to Customs upon entry and declared that it is for personal use only and is not subject to tax. Non-Muslim visitors over the age of 17 are allowed to bring no more than 200 cigarettes and cigars under 60 grams into Brunei, and must declare to customs upon entry, declaring that they are for personal use only and paying a duty of 0.5 yuan per cigarette on the spot.
3. Keep your personal belongings safe
The source is requested to keep important identity documents such as passports safe. It is recommended to leave a travel schedule for family or friends before going abroad and agree on contact information. Please specify the address and telephone number of your family or friends in detail on the "Emergency Information" page of your passport so that the relevant authorities can contact them in time in case of emergency. Always bring a copy of your passport, visa, ID card and spare passport photo, in case your passport is lost or damaged, you can use it to replace your identity document.
Try not to carry valuables or large amounts of cash with you when you go out, and do not store large amounts of cash in your place of residence.
4. Pay attention to personal and traffic safety
Visitors are requested to raise their safety awareness and ensure safe travel. If you join a tour group, please choose a regular travel agency with tourism business qualifications, and do not trust all kinds of advertisements on the Internet. If you are traveling independently, it is recommended to make a thorough plan in advance and make proper arrangements to ensure safety.
Brunei vehicles go left-hand drive, contrary to domestic driving habits, and locals travel mainly by motor vehicles, there are basically no sidewalks and non-motorized lanes on the road, the speed is faster, and you must be more careful when walking. If taking a taxi, write down your license plate and driver's license number, and keep your belongings safe during the ride. If you do not have driving experience in right-hand drive vehicles, try not to rush to rent a car in Brunei, if you really need to rent a car, you should hold a Brunei driver's license or an International Driver's Permit, only holding a Chinese driver's license to drive in Brunei is not protected by Brunei law, once an accident occurs, you will bear the corresponding risks and responsibilities. Be careful not to mortgage important documents such as passports to merchants to avoid affecting subsequent trips.
Please wear a life jacket when participating in wading activities and follow the guidance and training of professionals. There are rip currents and many jellyfish on the coast of Brunei, please do not swim in the sea to avoid endangering personal safety.
5. Respect local religious customs
Brunei is an Islamic country, and the following points should be noted in Brunei:
1. When pointing to people or objects, you cannot use the index finger, but gently clench the four fingers together into a fist, and the thumb is tightly attached to the index finger; For formal occasions, you should not cross your legs or legs. The left hand is considered unclean and the right hand is used when picking up and dropping off items.
2. Gifts and souvenirs given to Malays should avoid human and animal motifs as much as possible.
3. Visitors should pay attention to dress when visiting the mosque. Women should cover their heads, shoulders, and knees, and some mosques offer simple robes and shawls to visitors. Also, remove your shoes before entering the mosque, do not pass by prayer worshippers, and do not touch the Quran. Permission must be obtained to take photographs, especially indoors. Mosques are usually closed on Thursdays, Fridays, and prayer times.
4. Do not drink alcohol in public places (including restaurants), nor offer, recommend or sell alcoholic beverages to Muslims. All closed public and workplace areas in Brunei are completely smoke-free, and smoking is also prohibited on sidewalks near commercial premises, 6 meters outside non-smoking buildings, public transportation, and hotel rooms.
5. During Ramadan, Muslims are required to observe prayer and rest times, and abstain from eating or drinking from sunrise to sunset every day. If you are a non-Muslim, you must always pay attention to respect this religious practice, and refrain from eating, drinking, or smoking in public places or in front of Muslims; Do not provide Muslims with food and beverages that can be consumed on-site during fasting periods. During Ramadan, restaurants will not be able to serve food for on-site consumption (i.e. in-store dining) during fasting periods, and some restaurants can offer takeaway services. In addition, every Friday throughout the year from 12 noon to 2 p.m. for Muslims to go to the mosque for prayer time, all commercial activities are closed.
6. Do a good job in epidemic prevention and control
The current epidemic situation is not over, please continue to do personal protection. If you have fever, cough, muscle aches and other symptoms, please go to the hospital in time. Before returning to China, please take relevant tests according to the latest epidemic prevention and control requirements, and declare your health status to China Customs in advance.
Switzerland
On April 13, the WeChat public account of the Chinese Embassy in Switzerland released the "Embassy and Consulates in Switzerland Remind Chinese Tourists to Travel Safely During the May Day Holiday":
With the May Day holiday approaching, the Chinese Embassy in Switzerland and the Consulate General in Zurich wish Chinese tourists to Switzerland and Liechtenstein a happy trip, and would like to remind the following about safe, civilized and healthy travel:
First, do your homework before you go, and be prepared. Before going abroad, please carefully read the security reminders and practical information published on the website of the Chinese Embassy and Consulates General in Switzerland, WeChat public account, Chinese consular service network, etc. It is recommended to download the "Chinese Consul" APP and register with your real name, prepare passports, visa copies, ID photos, and keep emergency contact information such as relatives, banks, embassies and consulates, etc., in case of emergency.
2. Respect local laws and travel in a civilized manner. Please take the initiative to understand the relevant laws and regulations of Switzerland and Liechtenstein, especially the regulations on the quantity and variety of goods to be carried in and out of the country (including between Switzerland and EU countries), especially the regulations on medicines, food, liquids, cash, tax refunds, etc., to avoid unnecessary losses and troubles. Civilized tourism, proper behavior, showing a good image of Chinese tourists.
3. Strengthen security precautions and heighten vigilance. Enhance awareness of self-security precautions and protect personal and property safety. Keep your personal belongings within sight, keep important items within sight and controllable by your hands, and take care of your personal belongings in places where people are crowded such as attractions, shopping malls, restaurants, etc. Be cautious about talking to strangers, don't be greedy for small and cheap, and avoid showing off your wealth.
Fourth, choose projects carefully and do what you can. Please pay attention to driving safety, obey traffic rules, and yield to pedestrians. When engaging in dangerous outdoor activities such as skiing, rock climbing, and paragliding, please pay attention to weather changes in advance, choose sports according to your physical condition, and follow the guidance of professionals.
5. Be calm and calm in case of an accident, and call for help in time. After encountering an emergency, please seek help nearby, call the police and contact the embassy or consulate in time to ensure personal safety and minimize damage. The Chinese Embassy and Consulates General in Switzerland will provide you with necessary consular assistance within the scope of its duties.
Mauritius
On April 12, the WeChat public account of the Chinese Embassy in Mauritius issued the Notice on Reminding Chinese Citizens Coming to Mao to Strengthen Security Precautions:
The Chinese Embassy in Mauritius would like to remind overseas Chinese and Chinese tourists to strengthen their awareness of risk avoidance and effectively strengthen security precautions.
First, do your homework before leaving. Visitors to Mauritius need to hold a valid passport (valid for more than half a year), round-trip air tickets and hotel orders, please check well in advance to ensure a smooth travel itinerary; Understand the weather, hygiene, traffic and social security situation of the destination in advance, assess the travel risk, and master the necessary rescue knowledge. It is recommended to purchase overseas travel accident insurance before traveling.
2. Raise awareness of prevention. Please attach great importance to personal and property safety, use your card as much as possible, and avoid carrying a large amount of cash. When staying at the hotel, you should leave cash and valuables in the room safe or carry them with you, and pay attention to close all doors and windows when sleeping at night and leaving the room. Travel in groups whenever possible and avoid walking on remote streets or alleys at night. In the event of a robbery, please make your own safety a priority, and then quickly call the police and contact the embassy.
3. Proceed with caution in water projects. When participating in sea sports such as snorkeling and deep fishing, pay attention to weather changes, assess physical condition, and follow the instructions of the program organizer. It is recommended to choose to enter the water after mastering the essentials of diving and familiarizing yourself with the use of equipment, accompanied by a professional. Minors must be accompanied by a parent.
4. Pay attention to the custody of certificates. Please keep personal communication open during the trip and stay in touch with your family, guides, etc. At present, there is no direct flight to China, and the airline in the transit place does not accept my travel certificate, please be sure to keep your passport and keep a copy in case you need it.
5. Pay attention to traffic safety. Maoqiu is a right-hand drive left-hand country, renting a vehicle must have a driver's license (if there is a translation is better), choose a car rental company with operating qualifications and a good reputation and purchase insurance, and know the route and road conditions to the destination in advance. Never drive without a license, drink driving, fatigue driving, speeding. Drivers or passengers should wear seat belts at all times. Local residents have a strong awareness of traffic rules, most of the road interchanges are roundabouts, vehicles in the roundabout have the right to drive, and vehicles outside the roundabout should pay attention to avoidance. Most of the ordinary roads are narrow, there are no sidewalks, and some sections have no street lights, so you should pay attention to avoid pedestrians when driving, and try to avoid driving at night.
6. Abide by the regulations on civilized tourism. Please abide by local laws and regulations, respect local cultural traditions, customs and taboos, religious beliefs, abide by the relevant regulations of scenic spots, show the good quality and civilized image of Chinese tourists, and do not participate in illegal activities.
Maldives
On April 11, the WeChat public account of Happy Ping An Ma Dai Bank released the "Embassy in Maldives Reminds Chinese Citizens in Malaysia to Enhance Water Safety Awareness":
Recently, Chinese tourists in Malaysia drowned. In order to enhance the safety awareness of Chinese citizens coming to Malaysia and prevent the occurrence of water-related safety accidents, the Chinese Embassy in the Maldives would like to issue a safety reminder of the "Five Musts and Five Don'ts" for Chinese citizens coming to Malaysia:
The first is to comply with and obey the safety reminders and guidelines of the hotel staff.
The second is to warm up fully before wading activities.
The third is to keep an eye out and avoid passing boats at all times when wading in the water.
The fourth is to be vigilant and avoid undercurrents when wading in the water.
Fifth, it is necessary to wear life jackets correctly when wading in the water.
Sixth, do not engage in wading activities at night.
Seventh, do not engage in wading activities when you are full, drunk or unwell.
Eighth, do not engage in wading activities alone.
The ninth is not to overdraw your physical strength when wading in the water.
Tenth, do not cross the breakwater or safety cordon during wading activities.
Thai Songkhla
On April 18, the Consular Express WeChat public account released the "Consular Reminder of the Consular Office of the Consulate General in Songkhla Phuket on Renting a Car for Self-driving":
The three provinces of Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi under the jurisdiction of the Consulate General in Songkhla have beautiful natural scenery and rich tourism resources, and have long been favored by Chinese tourists. Since the beginning of this year, tens of thousands of Chinese tourists have visited the three provinces, and some tourists have chosen to rent motor vehicles to travel by car.
There are many winding roads in Phuket Sanfu, the road conditions are complicated, and the risk of self-driving is high. Data show that Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi provinces died a total of 102 people and injured 7,791 people due to road traffic accidents in the first quarter of 2023, that is, an average of at least one death and 86 injuries per day.
In the first quarter of this year, the Consular Office has received hundreds of calls from Chinese tourists and handled more than 100 insurance cases, including more than 30% of the cases involving illegal penalties for renting and driving motor vehicles (especially motorcycles), accident handling, injury medical treatment, compensation disputes, etc. In view of this, the Consul would like to remind the following:
According to Thai law, driving a motor vehicle such as a car or motorcycle in Thailand requires a Thai driver's license or an International Driver's Permit (sometimes an International Driver's Permit is not recognized).
It is illegal to drive locally only with a Chinese driver's license and an "International Driver's Permit" and "translation" purchased online. If Chinese citizens really need to drive themselves during a long-term stay in the local area, please go to the transportation department to apply for a local driver's license.
Thai road traffic for the left side of the car, and the Chinese mainland is the opposite, most of the lanes are narrower, the speed is generally fast, especially motorcycles often mixed with cars to grab the road, the driving technology requirements are higher, please fully evaluate your driving skills after carefully deciding to drive.
Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi have many mountainous areas, undulating terrain, most of the roads are built in the mountains, the narrow slopes of the road are steep and sharp, and it is easy to occur overspeed rollover cliff accidents. Remember to pay attention, slow down, drive cautiously, avoid motorcycles, avoid fatigue driving, and strictly prohibit drunk driving.
Do not believe the blind recommendation of some "Internet celebrities", put an end to driving without a license, abide by local laws, and avoid claims and disputes.
Thai law stipulates that you must purchase local traffic safety insurance to drive your car, but there is no limit to the company, type of insurance and amount insured. Usually the formal car rental company bears the cost of vehicle insurance, but in order to save costs, most of them only buy the most basic compulsory insurance, and the claim amount after the accident is very low (the premium is only 645 baht per year, the death benefit is up to 300,000 baht, and the injury compensation is up to 60,000 baht). If the accident is caused by the other party, the additional claim against the perpetrator must be realized through civil litigation, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and the actual economic ability of the owner of the car causing the accident has a greater impact on the outcome of the claim. It is strongly recommended that tourists purchase overseas personal accident insurance before going abroad, and check with the car dealer when renting a car whether the car is insured and the insurance terms are available.
Driving without a license is not protected by law, and in the event of an accident, it will bear the corresponding risks and responsibilities. It is strongly recommended that everyone carefully choose to rent a car for self-driving, do not drive without a license, do not covet convenience or seek momentary stimulation that will cause personal injury or economic loss, because of small mistakes.
Your passport is an important document to prove your nationality and identity when traveling abroad, so be sure to keep and use it properly to avoid losing it. Moreover, passports or other important documents should not be used as collateral to merchants, so as not to be fraudulently used for illegal acts such as telecommunications fraud, or to be blackmailed by merchants with documents to claim high compensation, which will affect subsequent trips.
It is recommended to keep a record of the vehicle before renting a car and when returning the car, and take photos or videos as evidence to prevent being blackmailed by the merchant or demanding high compensation.
Disputes between tourists and car dealers or merchants regarding the rental of vehicles should be resolved through negotiation in accordance with the signed rental contract, insurance terms, etc., and if the dispute is too large, they can seek help from the tourist police or solve it through legal channels.
Some tips and contact numbers have been abridged, please pay attention to the official websites of Chinese embassies and consulates in various countries and WeChat public accounts for details.
(Source: Consular Express WeChat public account of Chinese embassies and consulates in New Zealand, Brunei, Switzerland, Mauritius, Maldives and other countries; Editor: Yang Shuo)