The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, today (September 14) met with the Deputy Minister of Culture, Information and Tourism of Kyrgyzstan, Mrs Ainura Temirbekova, in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, to discuss ways to enhance cultural co-operation between the two places.
     
     Mr Lau said that Kyrgyzstan is recognised as an important country under the Belt and Road Initiative, and that it participated in the 10th Asia Cultural Co-operation Forum for the first time last year. Kyrgyzstan and the Hong Kong Museum of History also collaborated for the large-scale exhibition "Miles upon Miles: World Heritage along the Silk Road" in Hong Kong. Mr Lau said he looked forward to strengthening cultural bonds between the two places.
 
     In the afternoon, Mr Lau met with the Director of the State Agency for Youth Affairs, Physical Culture and Sport under the Government of the Kyrgyzstan, Mr Amankulov Kanat, to exchange views on the strategies and measures to promote sports development.
 
     During his visit to Bishkek, Mr Lau visited cultural and sports facilities, and also called on the Ambassador of China to Kyrgyzstan, Mr Xiao Qinghua. Mr Lau will leave for Almaty, Kazakhstan tonight.

        

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) today (September 14) announced that following similar arrangements it has with Australia, Korea, Germany and Singapore, Hong Kong will implement the mutual use of automated clearance services with Thailand. With effect from tomorrow (September 15), holders of a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) electronic passport can use the automated immigration clearance service in Thailand without prior enrolment and free of charge, while holders of a Thai passport can enrol for the e-Channel service in Hong Kong free of charge.

     An ImmD spokesperson said the implementation of the new arrangement would provide greater travel convenience for Hong Kong residents and Thai visitors, and would enhance trade, business and tourism links between the two places.

     The spokesperson added that holders of an HKSAR electronic passport with at least six months' validity (from the date of arrival in Thailand) who are at least 120 centimetres in height, have no adverse records in Thailand and intend to stay in Thailand as visitors for not more than 30 days may use the automatic channels at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Mueang International Airport for arrival and departure clearance.

     An eligible HKSAR passport holder may proceed to an automatic channel in an arrival or departure hall of the above-mentioned airports, place the bio-data page of his or her HKSAR electronic passport on the document reader and scan the barcode of his or her boarding pass. Upon entering the automatic channel, he or she may have a photo taken as per instructions and place his or her left or right index finger on the fingerprint scanner for identity verification. Upon completion, he or she may leave the automatic channel and present his or her HKSAR electronic passport to an immigration officer of Thailand for stamping.
 
     Meanwhile, holders of a Thai passport who are aged 11 or above, have made at least one visit to the HKSAR in the past 12 months prior to enrolment and have no adverse records in Hong Kong can take their Thai passports with a validity period of at least six months to an e-Channel Enrolment Office at the Immigration Headquarters, Hong Kong International Airport or the Macau Ferry Terminal for e-Channel service enrolment. The enrolment procedures include submission of an enrolment form, collection of fingerprints and photo-taking. Applicants aged under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or a guardian and the parent or guardian must produce his or her valid travel document. Enrolment is on a voluntary basis and free of charge. For detailed information, please visit the website of the ImmD at www.immd.gov.hk.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (September 14) reported three suspected cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and again urged the public to pay special attention to safety during travel, taking due consideration of the health risks in the places of visit. The cases are detailed below: 
 

 
     Separately, the CHP today reported that the suspected MERS case pending results yesterday (September 13), upon preliminary testing, tested negative for MERS Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

     "Travellers to the Middle East should avoid going to farms, barns or markets with camels; avoid contact with sick persons and animals, especially camels, birds or poultry; and avoid unnecessary visits to healthcare facilities. We strongly advise travel agents organising tours to the Middle East to abstain from arranging camel rides and activities involving direct contact with camels, which are known risk factors for acquiring MERS-CoV," a spokesman for the CHP said.    
 
     Locally, the CHP's surveillance with public and private hospitals, with practising doctors and at boundary control points is firmly in place. Inbound travellers and members of the public who recently visited the Middle East and developed fever or lower respiratory symptoms within 14 days will be classified as suspected MERS cases. They will be taken to public hospitals for isolation and management until their specimens test negative for MERS-CoV.

     Travellers to affected areas should maintain vigilance, adopt appropriate health precautions and take heed of personal, food and environmental hygiene. The public may visit the MERS pages of the CHP and its Travel Health Service, MERS statistics in affected areas, the CHP's Facebook Page and YouTube Channel, and the World Health Organization's latest news for more information and health advice. Tour leaders and tour guides operating overseas tours are advised to refer to the CHP's health advice on MERS.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (September 14) that the following four sports centres in Kwun Tong and Islands Districts, which will be designated as temporary shelters operated by respective District Offices of the Home Affairs Department, will be temporarily closed from 2pm tomorrow (September 15) until further notice.

Kwun Tong District
Arena of Lei Yue Mun Sports Centre *

Islands District
Praya Street Sports Centre
Mui Wo Sports Centre
Peng Chau Sports Centre

* Other facilities in Lei Yue Mun Sports Centre may also be temporarily closed at a later time if necessary.

     The Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Michelle Li, today (September 14) signed a Letter of Intent on Cultural Exchange and Co-operation with the Director of the Shanghai Museum, Mr Yang Zhigang, with the aim of strengthening co-operation between Hong Kong and Shanghai in preserving and showcasing cultural heritage.
      
     Under the five-year plan, the two sides will not only hold joint exhibitions but also share their expertise and experience in organising forums and exchange sessions. A collaborative scheme in heritage conservation will be set up to strengthen the training and mutual exchange of the professionals between the two sides. In addition, a mechanism will be established for exchanging information about major exhibitions to be co-organised with foreign museums. Both sides will also jointly publish and exchange educational materials and creative products.
 
     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has long held a good and close relationship with the Shanghai Museum. They jointly organised an exhibition entitled "Selection from the Guoyun Lou Collection of the Shanghai Museum" in 2003, which showcased 72 invaluable pieces of Chinese paintings from the collection of the Shanghai Museum. A series of gallery talks and sharing sessions by experts were also organised, allowing members of the public to appreciate the Chinese arts from different perspectives.