Governor of Phuket cancels plan to allow all night drinking on New Year’s Eve

Plans to allow the sale of alcohol throughout the night during New Year’s Eve on the southern island have been scrapped. Governor Narong Woonciew had recently issued an order confirming that the sale of alcohol would be extended from 11 pm on December 31 until 6 am on January 1. However, a notice posted last night by the Phuket Info Centre says this has now been canceled.

Restaurants in Phuket with the correct licenses are currently allowed to sell alcohol until 11 pm. For New Year’s Eve, this will now be extended to 1 am.

For venues hoping to recoup some of the heavy losses endured since the start of the pandemic, the development will come as a blow. There has been no official reason given for the change in ruling.

However, the announcement follows the CCSA’s Friday announcement that New Year’s Eve alcohol sales can be extended until 1 am throughout the country. It also follows confirmation from the central government that the Test & Go entry scheme is being suspended.

The sandbox entry scheme has also been suspended for all destinations, with the exception of Phuket. However, travelers already registered and approved to enter Thailand under the Thailand Pass Test & Go and Sandbox programs will still be able to enter until January 10. For now, those not yet registered can only enter Thailand via alternative quarantine or the Phuket sandbox. The decision has been taken amid growing concerns over the Omicron variant and will be reviewed on January 4.

SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES