Thailand lifts mask rule, curbs on nightlife venue hours

BANGKOK • Thailand scrapped a mask mandate and allowed bars and pubs to remain open for longer hours as the country rolls back its remaining Covid-19 curbs amid a decline in new cases and a rebound in tourist arrivals.

The wearing of masks is now voluntary nationwide, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Thursday, ending a mandate first imposed in June last year.

People with chronic diseases should continue to wear masks during group activities to prevent infections, Mr Prayut said.

Pubs, karaoke outlets and other entertainment venues can resume their usual operating hours.

The nightlife venues in the main tourist destinations were allowed to reopen earlier this month but ordered to shut at midnight.

Thailand has accelerated the easing of curbs on travel and businesses in recent months after new Covid-19 cases fell to around 2,000 a day, from more than 20,000 in April.

Eateries are allowed to serve dine-in customers alcoholic beverages in accordance with the applicable laws and communicable disease control guidelines, said the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

"Through our strict health measures, the infections and deaths from Covid-19 have declined significantly, allowing the government to ease a number of measures and restrictions," Mr Prayut said.

"We hope that further relaxations will help people and businesses" to live their lives and carry out economic activities as close to normal as possible, he added.

Before the pandemic, the overall tourism-related sector accounted for about a fifth of Thailand's economy and jobs, with nearly 40 million overseas visitors arriving in 2019.

The total number of visitors has jumped to more than 1.6 million so far this year, almost quadrupling from the 427,869 arrivals for the whole of last year.

BLOOMBERG