Thailand will no longer have a curfew starting next month after lifting the nighttime ban being enforced in the last remaining six provinces.

The country will also allow travellers to enter the country by land and sea, change the Covid-19 testing method for air travellers and allow tourists to visit more provinces.

These measures will begin in December, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

The decision to open the country more was made even as a new coronavirus variant had been found in South Africa and Hong Kong. The news prompted Britain to ban flights from six southern African countries.

CCSA spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin did not mention the new variant in the briefing after the meeting.

Thailand will also add Kanchanaburi, Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani to the list of provinces tourists can visit, in addition to Bangkok, Krabi, Phuket and Phangnga, starting Dec 1.

But the CCSA still kept all night entertainment venues closed at least until mid-January, despite pleas from operators to allow them to open next month for the New Year holidays.