Dine-in restaurants across the country will likely this week be allowed to extend their opening times to midnight from what is currently 9pm.
Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul was responding to a call by the Thai Restaurant Association for an opening hours extension to 11pm from the current 9pm.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) is likely on Friday to allow a set of Covid-19 restrictions to be relaxed, he said.
Mr Anutin, however, stressed that alcoholic beverages will still be prohibited.
In a related development, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the easing of Covid-19 restrictions will be decided on a case-by-case basis and will depend on the situation in each area.
CCSA spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin said a meeting will be held today to discuss the proposed easing of Covid-19 restrictions on businesses and activities including restaurants, entertainment venues and schools.
The CCSA on Tuesday recorded 959 new Covid-19 cases, 844 of which were found in active case-finding in Samut Sakhon, seen as the epicentre of this current wave of the outbreak.
Of the 959 cases, 937 were local transmissions; and of the 844 new cases found in Samut Sakhon, 84 were Thai nationals and the rest were migrant workers.
Four more new cases were reported in Bangkok on Tuesday and 22 imported cases were reported at quarantine facilities.
