Hotels caught relaxing Test & Go measures will be removed from Charming Chiang Mai programme
Hotels in Chiang Mai that fail to strictly adhere to Test & Go regulations will be removed from the province’s “Charming Chiang Mai” programme, deputy governor Worawit Chaisawat said on Tuesday.
His warning came after reports that some hotels in Chiang Mai had allowed visitors to leave their facilities to travel in the province even before their RT-PCR test results arrived, which would increase the risk of Covid-19 spreading.
“Furthermore, we have received complaints that some hotels under the Charming Chiang Mai programme failed to pick up tourists at the airport according to schedule, while others let their customers visit airport shops instead of remaining in the quarantine zone while awaiting transport,” he said.
“Hotel operators caught relaxing or violating disease control regulations will face punishment, from being issued a warning to being removed entirely from the programme,” Worawit said.
Like the Phuket Sandbox and other schemes launched to boost tourism, Charming Chiang Mai lets tourists choose between spending five days in Chiang Mai before flying back home or dividing their first 14 days between Chiang Mai and Phuket before being allowed to travel elsewhere in Thailand. During their time in Chiang Mai, visitors can travel in sealed routes to selected tourist attractions, including golf courses.
Visitors under the Charming Chiang Mai programme need to follow the regulations of the government’s Test & Go scheme, which include receiving a RT-PCR test upon arrival and again on the 5th or 6th day of their stay in Thailand.
As of Tuesday, the programme had 108 Chiang Mai hotels registered.