The Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) will allow certified restaurants to serve alcoholic beverages until midnight, instead of 11 pm, from 1st May.
Spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin announced the change after the CCSA meeting chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha at Government House.
CCSA Spokesperson Taweesilp Visanuyothin said restaurants that meet Safety and Health Administration (SHA) Plus, COVID 2 Plus, or COVID Free Setting standards will be permitted to sell alcoholic drinks until midnight starting May 1. Currently, certified restaurants are allowed to sell alcohol until 11 PM.
The CCSA spokesperson noted that night entertainment venues – such as nightclubs, bars, and karaoke parlors – will remain closed. However, operators can transform these venues into restaurants to serve alcohol after they receive approval from their local communicable disease committee.
The CCSA has also adjusted the color-coded disease control categories applied to different provinces. Thai provinces are now designated as either belonging to the yellow category for high surveillance or the blue tourism category. There are currently 65 yellow provinces and 12 blue provinces, with Rayong and Songkhla, recently added to the blue zone list. The zone adjustment will take effect on May 1, 2022.
The CCSA also reduced home quarantine for Covid-19 cases and people in close contact with them from seven days to five days, followed by five days for self-health observation and distancing from others.