BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand on Wednesday said it would reopen most schools including those the capital Bangkok from next week, in response to localised declines in new coronavirus infections.
The education ministry ordered schools closed in 28 provinces at the beginning of January. It will restart classes in all but one of those from Monday, Education Minister Natthapol Teepsuwan told reporters.
The move follows an easing of some curbs last week in Bangkok, including on some sports and leisure activities, but bars and night entertainment venues remain closed.
The announcement comes despite the country reporting on Wednesday its second-highest number of new daily coronavirus cases, with 819 infections.
The majority of those came as a result of mass testing in Samut Sakhon province, the epicentre of the most recent outbreak. Its schools will remain closed.
Thailand has reported a total of 15,465 cases, more than two thirds of those since mid-December. It has recorded 76 coronavirus-related fatalities.
(Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng and; Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Martin Petty)
