The Thai Ministry of Interior said on Thursday it will grant a grace period to the foreigners in the country whose visa was issued on arrival and the validity will expire after March 26 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The move will allow those foreigners to remain in the country until April 30.

The announcement issued by the ministry also stipulated that expatriates with Thai permanent residency and are currently abroad and unable to return to Thailand to report themselves will be allowed a grace period until the COVID-19 situation improves.

Expatriates with Thai permanent residency and living abroad will not have their permanent residency canceled. they can return and report themselves in Thailand after the COVID-19 situation improves, said the announcement.

Also, foreigners who arrived in Thailand after March 23 with a border pass from a neighboring country will be allowed to stay up to seven days after the reopening of border crossings.

Thailand's Ministry of Public Health on Thursday reported 54 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total cases to 2,423 in the country.