Schools under the Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec) may move to online learning for a week when classes resume on Tuesday after the New Year holidays, the commission announced on Monday.

Amporn Pinasa, Obec director-general, said he had sent out letters to give them advice about compliance with Covid-19 measures to help bring infection numbers down during this period.

He said Education Minister Trinuch Thienthong was highly concerned over the recent spread of Covid-19 and its potential to further disrupt studies after the New Year holidays, and had urged schools under Obec to comply with all necessary measures to curb the spread of Covid-19.

"However, Obec will allow each education area and province to make their own decisions after the New Year holidays after we obtained a report that many schools in Bangkok have decided to run online courses due to students and their parents having only just returned from provinces,'' he said.

In Ubon Ratchathani, the provincial disease control committee has decided to implement online learning until Jan 17 while cinemas have been closed until the same day as Covid-19 cases especially of the Omicron variant are surging.

In Khon Kaen, the province had recorded 232 new cases as of Jan 1. As a result, all schools and nurseries are closed until Jan 14, while boarding schools can run on-site learning under specific conditions.