Monday’s CCSA meeting to announce further easing of restrictions

New Year is looming and Thailand still plods along under a long list of restrictions, both for daily life in the Kingdom but also for travellers trying to enter Thailand.

Tomorrow the CCSA will meet to debate an easing of guidelines at a time when the number of new Covid infections and deaths continue to drop, not swiftly but certainly steadily. Sunday’s report from the CCSA says that have been 3,787 new infections in the past 24 hours and 20 new Covid-related deaths. 51,616 people currently remain in care for the coronavirus.

The Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha will head up tomorrow’s meeting to consider a further relaxation of restrictions which are likely to include a reopening of the Thai/Malaysia border, fewer restrictions for new year, updates to the provincial colour codes and clearer guidelines for the serving of alcohol.

The meeting coincides with scheduled visits by the PM to Yala and Pattani, two of the main southern provinces where travel and trade across the Malaysian border are a key part of the southern economies.

Guidelines for New Year celebrations, the extended new year holiday and adjustments to the provincial colour-coding will be tabled for consideration.

There’s also talk of a revision of conditions for the Thailand Pass, to lessen the restrictions and paperwork, but health officials say that much of this will depend on the world’s, and Thailand’s, situation regarding the new Omicron variant of Covid 19.

Thailand has only confirmed 3 cases of the Omicron variant, the results for a fourth infected traveller will be released today. At this stage there have been no reports of community transmission of the new variant.