Picture: Sanook
Thailand's health minister and DPM Anutin Charnvirakul faced the press yesterday to tell the Thai people - and any foreigner tourists who have come to the country - that New Year drinks can only be consumed on ONE night.
That's December 31st. Only to 1 am - then it's time to go home.
He reckoned that having this strict measure would help control things.
New Year was being billed as a big celebration a couple of months ago and major stars were lined up. It was hoped tourists would be flooding in by now.
But as predicted by countless skeptics online this has proved to be completely untrue.
Not only are there few tourists but the Thai people have shown in polls there is little appetite to celebrate amid the continuing state of the pandemic.
Anutin was at pains to point out that people who do venture out as well as all operators and organisers must follow all the protocols.
In related news he said that more Omicron cases were being found because of the testing regimens now in place.
He encouraged Thais and people living in the country to get booster shots - these are being ramped up, reported Sanook.
And he reiterated that getting fake vaccine ID was a crime and damaged families as well.
He promised to come down hard on violators with the full force of the law.