The cabinet has approved a 45-day extension of the state of emergency for the eighth time to mid-January.
The approval was a formality after a meeting of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, had approved it on Nov 18 and submitted the proposal to the cabinet for final approval.
The latest extension is from Dec 1 this year to Jan 15 next year, according to Anucha Burapachaisri.
He said the extension was longer than the previous 30-day periods so it covered the New Year holidays where many people travel and the risk of an outbreak was high.
Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman of the centre, said last week that apart from the need to keep the situation under control during the holidays, the BWF World Tour badminton event would be held during the period where several foreign athletes would join.
The state of emergency in connection with Covid-19, first declared on March 26, will have been in place nine months and 21 days when the latest extension ends next year.