FROM Monday, international passengers will be allowed to transit Thailand, said the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT).
Reports in Bangkok Post said CAAT has also authorised some restrictions to be eased on domestic flights.
As part of the government's Covid-19 containment measures, international passengers had been banned from transiting at Thai airports or using them to transfer to other flights.
Transport Minister, Saksayam Chidchob said the changes to the transit and transfer flight policies were made following calls from airlines for Covid-19 relief measures.
He said CAAT's decision to allow airlines to transit Thai airports was in line with a resolution reached by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) last Monday to relax a range of Covid-19 control measures, Saksayam said.
The aviation authority has also told operators of domestic flights they can resume serving in-flight meals and drinks, as well as selling souvenirs from Thursday.
However, passengers and flight attendants are still required to follow Covid-19 control protocols, which include the mandatory wearing of face masks throughout flights, except while eating or drinking.
The serving of in-flight meals, beverages and souvenir sales were prohibited on Dec 30 as part of the government's efforts to respond to the Covid-19 situation at the time under its "fourth announcement".
It was cancelled when the fifth announcement was issued and signed by CAAT director-general Suttipong Kongpool.
The government on Friday reported 45 new Covid-19 cases - 37 local infections and eight imported - raising the total to 25,809.
The number of daily new cases in the kingdom has come back down to two digits since Feb 20, following the surge that was sparked in Samut Sakhon in mid-December.
Samut Sakhon provincial authorities have recently been reporting effective disease-control measures in high-risk areas, including the Central Shrimp Market, the epicentre of the new wave, which has been closed for over two months.
Some officials believe the market could even reopen by Monday but the CCSA has yet to make a final decision.
The Post said deputy governor Teerapat Kutchamath visited the market and insisted it was ready to reopen on Monday. Plans are already in place for merit-making to take place tomorrow, ahead of the anticipated reopening.
The Department of Disease Control reported on Friday that 32 cases had been confirmed at hospitals and five through proactive testing in communities.
The eight imported cases were quarantined arrivals from Germany, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the UK (a Thai schoolgirl aged 6), France (2), Kuwait and the Netherlands.
Of the 25,809 total cases, 24,952 (96.6 per cent) have recovered and 774 remain in hospital.