Governor cancels plan to allow all night drinking in Phuket on New Year’s Eve
The Phuket News is reporting that plans to allow the sale of alcohol throughout the night during New Year’s Eve on the southern island have been scrapped. Governor Narong Woonciew had recently issued an order confirming that the sale of alcohol would be extended from 11pm on December 31 until 6am on January 1. However, a notice posted last night by the Phuket Info Centre says this has now been cancelled.
Restaurants on Phuket with the correct licences are currently allowed to sell alcohol until 11pm. For New Year’s Eve, this will now be extended to 1am. For venues hoping to recoup some of the heavy losses endured since the start of the pandemic, the development will come as a blow. There has been no official reason given for the change in ruling. However, the announcement follows the CCSA’s Friday announcement that New Year’s Eve alcohol sales can be extended until 1am throughout the country. It also follows confirmation from the central government that the Test & Go entry scheme is being suspended.
The sandbox entry scheme has also been suspended for all destinations, with the exception of Phuket. However, travellers already registered and approved to enter Thailand under the Thailand Pass Test & Go and Sandbox programmes will still be able to enter until January 10. For now, those not yet registered can only enter Thailand via alternative quarantine or the Phuket sandbox. The decision has been taken amid growing concerns over the Omicron variant and will be reviewed on January 4.
SOURCE: The Phuket News
