(Bloomberg) --
Bangkok became the latest province in Thailand to temporarily ban alcohol sales in an effort to prevent social gatherings that can spread the novel coronavirus.
The restriction from April 10 to April 20 is the metropolitan region's latest effort to contain a surge in infections since early March. Alcohol is now proscribed for about 16 million people, as several others among the nation's 77 provinces have already imposed curbs. Thailand as a whole is under a state of emergency and partial lockdown through April.
“We ask that all of you cooperate,” Pongsakorn Kwanmuang, a spokesman for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, said in a briefing Thursday. “We're about to gain control over the spread of the virus.”
Read More: Thai Province Bans Booze Sales to Curb Virus, Others May Follow
Officials are trying to entrench social distancing to beat the pathogen that causes Covid-19, with roughly a quarter of Thailand's 69 million people under alcohol prohibitions. Even before the outbreak, majority-Buddhist Thailand imposed relatively strict rules that block sales of beer, wine and spirits during specific hours.
The government reported 54 additional novel coronavirus infections Thursday, among the smallest daily increases in recent weeks, taking the total to 2,423. Just over half the cases are in the capital.
The administration postponed a traditional New Year holiday -- known as Songkran -- due April 13 to April 15 until later in the year, but some people may still seek to celebrate.
Thai Beverage Pcl is the largest seller of alcoholic beverages in Thailand, with its array of spirit brands holding almost 80% of the domestic market, according to a report by Bloomberg Intelligence.
The company's share of the smaller beer market was 42% in 2018, while closely held Boon Rawd Brewery Co., best known for its Singha and Leo brands, had a 51% share.
©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
