Hours for Drinking Alcohol Extended as Covid Restrictions Eased

On Thursday, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration announced that it will reduce the number of Covid-19 control areas (orange) and redesignate them as close surveillance (yellow) areas. Furthermore, effective Jan 24, alcohol drinking hours will also be extended in approved food service establishments.

Taweesilp Visanuyothin, a spokesman for the CCSA, also said on Thursday that from next Monday the number of orange zones will be reduced from 69 to 44, with 25 becoming close surveillance areas (yellow).

Currently, there are no yellow zones.

The changes are also the result of improvements in the country’s Omicron Covid-19 situation, he explained.

Eight provinces and parts of eighteen other provinces (Including areas in Chiang Rai) will remain in the tourism pilot (blue) zone program. Phuket, Kanchanaburi, Krabi, Chon Buri, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Phangnga are the eight tourism pilot provinces.

Orange zones can accommodate up to 500 attendees, while yellow zones can accommodate up to 1,000 people. Disease control measures should be in place in both zones.

In orange zones, restaurants are not allowed to serve alcohol.

The consumption of alcohol at eateries that meet disease control standards will be extended from 9 pm to 11 pm. The extension applies to blue and yellow zones.

Markets and convenience stores can open as usual in all zones.

In orange zones, exhibition and convention centres, shopping malls and hotels can hold events with no more than 1,000 attendees. There is no such restriction in the other two zones.

Source: Bangkok Post