Alcohol Prohibition Extended in Bangkok Until the End of April

The City of Bangkok has extended its ban on sales of alcohol and alcoholic beverages until the end of the month, with the capital still the leading hotspot for coronavirus infections.

Sales of alcohol have been prohibited in the city since April 10, ostensibly to discourage social gatherings during Songkran, and the ban was set to end at midnight on Sunday.

Hours after the end of the ban, BMA spokesman Pongsakorn Kwanmuang announced on Monday it had been extended for another 10 days, until April 30.

The extension was necessary to help prevent the spread of the virus in the capital and bring the situation under control, the Bangkok Post reported.

His father, city governor Asawin, had indicated the ban would be renewed well before it was officially announced.

Alcohol ban in Northern Provinces

Some shops had already posted signs advising customers that no liquor sales were allowed until the end of the month. The Northern provinces of Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Nan and Phayao have also extended the alcohol ban until April 30th.

Thailand had 2,792 Covid-19 infection cases as of Monday morning, 1,440 of them detected in Bangkok. Monday’s figure is five lower than the 32 cases reported on Sunday.

Of the new cases, 16 had come into contact with a previously confirmed case, said Dr. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, a spokesman for the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration.

For the third consecutive day, there have been no additional virus deaths from Covid-19 reported. Keeping the Thailand’s accumulated death toll at 47.

Dr. Taweesilp also reported that an additional 71 people were recorded as recovered from the disease on Monday. Bringing the total recovered cases to 1,999,  746 remain in hospital.

Even more for the third day in a row, no new coronavirus cases have been reported in Phuket. Leaving the number of confirmed coronavirus cases at 192 with also zero deaths.

Of the total confirmed infections, 127 have recovered and been discharged, leaving 64 under treatment. One of the infected earlier died from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.

Of the 64 under treatment, three are in a serious condition and the others reported to be “satisfactory”.

Although it is an encouraging sign, the provincial public health office said testing for infections among people in high risk groups will continue.