Celebrate that you’ve survived another year a full hour past midnight. 

 

Responding to public pressure, health authorities announced at about noon today the “good news” that restaurants can serve booze to customers nationwide until 1am on New Year’s Eve. 

 

“Due to the demands of business owners and the public, we’ve decided to allow people to be able to drink alcohol until 1am,” said Taweesilp Wissanuyothin of the Covid-19 task force.

 

The only venues eligible to do so, however, are restaurants that have “open space” with “good air flow,” Taweesilp said. Drinkers, too, should strictly practice social distancing, he added optimistically.

 

Currently, people in the capital city can drink at restaurants until 11pm. Bars are expected to (legally) come online again starting Jan. 16.