Chiang Mai has recorded no Covid-19 infections among the 48,000 people who have visited the northern province since the country reopened on Nov 1, local authorities said.
Speaking at a meeting at City Hall, deputy Chiang Mai governor Ratthaphon Naradisorn said the province has welcomed 47,998 domestic and international visitors this month.
"No Covid cases have been reported, which sends a positive signal for both tourism and the economy," he said.
The province has launched two tourism sanitation models under its Charming Chiang Mai campaign. One is called Test and Go and the other, Sandbox. The former applies to both domestic travellers and visitors from 63 low-infection countries. They must go straight to certified SHA+ hotels upon arriving in Thailand but can continue their trips freely across the province.
Visitors from other countries fall into the Sandbox programme, meaning they are tested on arrival and their travel itineraries confined to the four districts of Mae Taeng, Mae Rim, Mueang and Doi Tao districts for the first seven days.
Moreover, the province has prepared control measures that will be rolled out if the pandemic spreads among visitors. Venues for treatment and quarantine have been proposed to the provincial disease control committee and the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).
Mr Ratthaphon said provincial authorities would accelerate a drive to vaccinate 100% of the local population within this month, up from 75% now. Chiang Mai is working to fully inoculate four key districts first, in line with its reopening plan.
Some 1,467 hotels have received the SHA standard while 445 have passed the SHA+ standard. In total, 244 have qualified for another designation dubbed Covid Free Setting. This month, 421 flights have touched down in the province, bringing 47,998 visitors.
Meanwhile, the CCSA reported that 65 of the 54,939 international passengers who have arrived at airports since the reopening have tested positive for Covid.
This number breaks down into 31 from the Test and Go group, 21 from the Sandbox group and 13 from quarantine hotels.
Most infections were found among Russians (12 cases), followed by British (10), Emiratis (five), Nigerians and Saudi Arabians (two each).