Footage shows tourists returning to bars on Thailand’s Khaosan Road on December 27 despite fears of the Omicron Covid-19 variant spreading through the country.

Holidaymakers have been visiting the country under a one-day quarantine ‘test and go’ scheme but it was temporarily stopped this month following the spread of the new mutation in Europe.

Hundreds of Omicron cold cases have since emerged in Thailand but the government has allowed restaurants and bars to stay open.

Holidaymakers were yesterday December 27 seen enjoying the sunny weather while visiting pubs on the famous backpacker street Khaosan Road in the centre of the capital.

It came as health officials have warned that there could be up to 30,000 cases a day of Omicron by early 2022.

However, permanent health secretary Kiattiphum Wongrajit said the government was prepared for the rise as the fatality rate would be lower than the Delta variant.

He said: ‘We have more than enough hospital beds. We have been through Delta, which was deadlier.’