The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration on Friday extended the closure of schools in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan to control Covid-19.
CCSA spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin said the four provinces were listed as dark red zones for maximum and strict Covid-19 control.
The Education Ministry's plans to start the new school term on June 14.
Schools will not reopen in the four provinces. Classes will be held online and on television education channels, he said.
Seventeen other provinces are defined as red zones of maximum Covid-19 control. They are Kanchanaburi, Chon Buri, Chachoengsao, Tak, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Narathiwat, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ayutthaya, Phetchaburi, Yala, Ranong, Rayong, Ratchaburi, Samut Sakhon, Songkhla and Surat Thani.
The management of schools in this zone must seek approval from their provincial communicable disease committee to reopen.
The other 56 provinces are orange zones of Covid-19 control and their local schools can reopen.
However, schools in red and orange zones are prohibited from organising any activity that would bring together more than 50 people. Schools in these two zones can organise a combination of onsite and online education to suit their needs, Dr Taweesilp said.
CCSA also extended the state of emergency nationwide for the 12th time, from June 1 to July 31, to help control the spread of Covid-19.
In addition, it approved disease control measures for the parliament session that will start on Saturday. They include making it mandatory for MPs and their staff to wear face masks and observe social distancing.
The Public Health Ministry would allocate 2,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine for inoculation of people working at the parliament from May 21 to 25, Dr Taweesilp said.
