New Year countdown celebrations will be allowed to take place in Bangkok, though people will be required to wear face masks in areas where crowds gather.

Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt said on Wednesday the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will ramp up its Covid-19 control measures during the New Year festival, with clear safety rules that revellers will be expected to follow.

Venues and event organisers who wish to hold a public New Year celebration are required to seek permission from City Hall, but to date, only Central World has applied to hold a large party on Dec 31, he said.

He also said more vaccination sites would be opened to ensure those who wish to get a booster shot before the New Year can do so.

Meanwhile, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Thailand is seeing an uptick in Covid-19 infections, particularly in tourism provinces.

In October, the government said it aimed to administer at least 2 million booster doses of Covid-19 vaccines by year-end. But with just two weeks to go, only 800,000 doses have been given.