Mandatory mask-wearing will be limited to people with underlying illnesses, the elderly and pregnant women. The easing of pandemic restrictions will come into effect in mid-June, according to the permanent secretary for public health.
The compulsory wearing of face masks will still apply to people in poorly ventilated places and crowded areas, Dr Kiattiphum Wongrajit said in Surat Thani province on Tuesday.
The Covid-19 situation was improving faster than expected and the disease would become endemic in the country as planned, Dr Kiattiphum said, referring to the Public Health Ministry's plan to declare Covid-19 an endemic disease on July 1.
Local health officials will offer advice to people on how to safely live with Covid-19, he said.
The government made wearing a face mask in public mandatory early last year and also set a fine for violations, to help limit the spread of Covid, he added.
A recent survey found people had become more lenient with mask-wearing.
Thailand registered 36 more Covid-19 fatalities and 4,144 new cases during the previous 24 hours, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) announced on Tuesday.
