The Ministry of Public Health will ask the Centre for Covid-19 Situation (CCSA) to drop the mask rule in public places and lower the national Covid-19 alert to Level 2 next week.
Kiattiphum Wongrajit, permanent secretary for public health, said if the operations centre agrees with the ministry's recommendation, the final decision will rest with the CCSA's executive board, which is chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
While no decision on the matter has been taken, Prayut did not wear a face mask during media interviews on Thursday -- instead, he spoke from a podium behind a plastic shield. Other ministers, meanwhile, had their masks on.
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the CCSA will also consider another proposal submitted by Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt to allow the capital's residents to ditch face masks in public places and parks.
