Places of entertainment will be allowed to remain open all night for the New Year celebrations, until 6am on Jan 1, the Interior Ministry announced on Monday.
Spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul said the temporary extension of the closing time was aimed at promoting tourism and New Year celebrations. It would be formally announced in a new ministerial regulation on opening hours.
From this Friday, entertainment venues in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Koh Samui (in Surat Thani province) and Phuket, along with such venues in registered hotels nationwide, will be regularly able to stay open until 4am.
Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul had already signed the new regulation, which would soon be published in the Royal Gazette, she said.