After more than two years of severe hardships brought about by Covid-19 outbreaks, tourism-related businesses are seeing a glimpse of hope after the government agreed on Friday to abandon the pre-registration process for foreign visitors and the requirement for face masks to be worn in public.
Vendors of alcoholic beverages and hotel and retail operators are calling for the further relaxation of nightlife entertainment rules and an extension of opening hours until 2-4am as pubs, bars and karaoke lounges struggle to survive.
Operators of night entertainment venues will reiterate their demand for the reopening of their businesses on Thursday, as the Public Health Ministry proposes to designate certain provinces as "green zones" where nightlife activities can resume.
'Lisa' Manoban, the Thai member of South Korea's superstar K-pop group Blackpink, has become a brand ambassador for a famous Scotch whisky company, reigniting discussion over the controversial Alcoholic Beverage Control Act.
Restaurants in Pattaya and Chiang Mai want selling hours for alcohol extended until midnight or 1am during the Songkran holiday period to shore up their flagging business, suffering under Covid restrictions.