Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed the police, the military and local administration officials to ensure that certified eateries and converted pubs which serve alcohol close at 11pm, as the relaxed COVID-19 rules on the serving of alcohol has come into effect this week.
Government Spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said today that the prime minister wants authorities to monitor these venues closely and to make arrests and seize operating licenses if any of them break the 11pm rule. Those who fail to do their job properly may face disciplinary action.
Eateries which meet the Ministry of Tourism and Sports’ SHA Plus certification or the Public Health Ministry’s Thai Stop COVID 2 Plus standard in eight “sandbox” provinces and in 25 “high surveillance” provinces can, since yesterday (Monday), serve alcohol until 11pm, instead of 9pm.
The “sandbox”, or tourism pilot provinces, are currently Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Phuket, Kanchanaburi, Chon Buri, Krabi and Phang-nga.
According to the COVID-19 Information Centre today, 6,718 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours, including 152 foreign arrivals and 6,566 locally-acquired infections. 7,659 patients have recovered today and 81,532 are still being treated. Today’s death toll is 12.
113,749,513 doses of vaccines have been administered to date. These include 52,081,134 first doses, 48,234,726 second dose, 12,599,922 third doses and 833,731 fourth doses.
