Thaksin Apologises For Lying; Asia Agrees

[george]

Thaksin apologises for lying as Asia agrees bird flu plan

-Thaksin aplogizes for lying

- Asia agrees bird flu plan

- Travel advisory unnecessary

- List over all flu affected Thai provinces

BANGKOK: - Asian governments have agreed to create a regional

animal survey system and plug it into the health system to make it

easier to tackle diseases such as bird flu and SARS which cross

from animals to humans.

Experts met today to figure out how to halt the rapid spread of bird

flu through Asia, which has killed at least eight people and threatens

to develop into an epidemic worse than SARS.

Their task was huge now that the lethal virus has struck in the

world's most populous nation, China, the birthplace of Severe Acute

Respiratory Syndrome and home to a vast poultry industry.

"We agreed to create a regional veterinary surveillance network

and link it with existing human health surveillance mechanisms to

promote rapid, transparent and accurate exchange of information

and provide early warning," said Asian governments in a

statement on Wednesday.

"Areas of cooperation will include joint R and D initiatives to reduce

the hazards of animal disease outbreaks on human health, share

best practices, devise countermeasures and develop effective low

cost diagnostic test kits, vaccinations and anti-viral drugs," it said.

"As there is not yet evidence of human-to-human transmission,

we agreed that the disease does not pose a threat to the travel

and tourism industry and travel restrictions are unnecessary,"

said the statement, read out by Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart

Sathirathai.

THAKSIN WASN'T TELLING THE TRUTH

Thailand's prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, today admitted

to "mistakes and human errors" amid international accusations

that his government covered up an outbreak of bird flu.

"The current situation has reminded us that even when we were

so mindful of those past lessons, mistakes and human errors

could always be possible," he told a regional emergency bird flu

summit, alluding to last year's battle against Sars.

Mr Thaksin has denied opposition accusations of a cover-up,

saying confirmation of bird flu came only last Friday with the

death of the first of two boys to die of bird flu. Jakrapob

Penkair, the government's chief spokesman, blamed provincial

officials for what appeared to be a cover-up that so riled the EU

that it said publicly it did not trust the Thai government on bird

flu.

"What looks like a cover-up was a misinterpretation of

procedures," Mr Jakrapob told a news conference. "The most

appropriate word is screw up. Some agencies screwed up.

We found there was lots of confusion about the kinds of

information that needed to be reported upstairs."

For weeks, Thai farmers complained that their poultry were

dying of the same disease that had killed thousands of chickens

in neighbouring Vietnam. The Thai government initially claimed

the birds were suffering from chicken cholera, a disease not

harmful to humans.

Mr Thaksin has since admitted that officials suspected for weeks

the country was facing a bird flu outbreak, but had kept it quiet

to deter public panic.

Thailand has so far confirmed two human deaths from bird flu,

both children. Eleven other people in Thailand are suspected

to have been infected with the virus, six of whom have died.

AFFECTED THAI PROVINCES:

- Bangkok,

- Khon Kaen,

- Kalasin,

- Nong Khai,

- Sakon Nakhon,

- Lamphun,

- Lampang,

- Petchabun,

- Kamphaeng Phet,

- Chai Nat,

- Phichit,

- Phitsanulok,

- Sing Buri,

- Sukhothai,

- Uttaradit,

- Uthai Thani,

- Ratchaburi,

- Nakhon Pathom,

- Ang Thong.

(preliminary list)

WHO URGES "TRANSPARENCY"

International organisations have launched an urgent appeal for money and expertise to fight an all-out war on bird flu that will require killing

tens of millions of domestic birds in hopes of removing the breeding grounds of the virus.

"This is a serious global threat to human health," said World Health Organisation chief Lee Jong-Wook on Wednesday. "We must begin this

hard, costly work now."

The WHO says the near simultaneous eruption of the virus across Asia from Pakistan to Japan has no historical precedent.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, accused of covering up the outbreak for weeks, acknowledged "mistakes and human errors" and

called for a coordinated fight against the virus that threatens the region's economies and public health.

"Transparency and disclosure of information are essential to bring back confidence and trust to the general public," he told the meeting of 13

countries, the European Union and several international organisations.

The great fear is that the H5N1 avian flu virus might mate with human influenza and unleash a pandemic among people with no immunity to it.

So far, there is no evidence of people-to-people transmission. Humans that have been infected are believed to have caught the virus directly

from birds. Thailand has 11 suspected human cases, of whom six have died.

But experts say no matter how remote the possibility, every outbreak shortens the odds a little. The WHO underlined that by launching its joint

appeal along with the Food and Agricultural Organisation and the World Organisation for Animal Health.

CHINA OUTBREAK "UNDER CONTROL"

A birdflu outbreak in China was what experts dreaded most given the speed at which the virus spreads.

The U.S. government says nearly four out of five chickens in China, which accounts for 46 percent of world egg production, are raised on

household farms, making epidemics harder to control.

A Chinese government official said a confirmed outbreak of the H5N1 virus on a duck farm in the southern region of Guangxi was under

control and Beijing residents were urged not to panic on the last day of the Lunar New Year holiday.

But Julie Hall, a WHO coordinator in Beijing, said an outbreak in China was worrying. "It is very urgent that the matter is dealt with quickly."

The unusually large number of ducks dying from bird flu in southern China indicates the bug has become more virulent, which will put more

people at risk of contracting it, a Hong Kong scientists said on Wednesday.

"H5 viruses are generally less fatal to ducks, so it is uncommon for so many ducks to die. This means this particular H5N1 strain has become

more virulent," said virologist Leo Poon from the University of Hong Kong.

"This means it can cause extensive deaths in poultry and this may in turn increase the chance of more people contracting it."

The big hope for the Bangkok meeting is that the international cooperation, which helped douse last year's SARS epidemic albeit after nearly

800 deaths from China to Canada, can be reactivated swiftly.

But little appears to be available to fight the bird flu bug, a dilemma similar to the early stages of the fight against the SARS epidemic,

another disease that passed from animals to humans.

There are no vaccines for it because the bird flu virus has mutated since first crossing the species barrier in Hong Kong in 1997, killing six

people.

Seven of the eight dead were young children. No one knows why they are so vulnerable. No one is sure how it spreads, although wild birds

are the prime suspects.

PARTICULAR PROBLEMS

The two latest countries to declare outbreaks present particularly alarming problems.

China's huge population and humans living in close proximity to poultry and other livestock in farms across the south alarm epidemiologists,

who worry they will be cauldrons for the next big flu epidemic.

Laos, an impoverished, largely agricultural nation of about five million people, has what the WHO calls a "very poor public health

infrastructure".

"If the virus became embedded in Laos, we'll have very serious problems," World Health Organisation spokesman Peter Cordingley said.

The political dimension of the crisis is also acute for some countries, with small farmers who are dependent on poultry getting increasing

agitated and stock markets starting to take hits as investors fear a SARS-like impact.

SARS cost Asia $60 billion (33 billion pounds) last year, the Asian Development Bank says, and pummelled the airline and tourism

industries.

Indonesia confessed it did not have the money to pay farmers compensation for killing their birds and so could not follow the recommended

procedure of slaughtering all poultry on an infected farm and within a radius of up to five km (three miles) of it.

It will use vaccines, which are cheaper.

Souce: Reuters, thaivisa.com and Agencies 2004-01-28

[mrentoul]

Forgive me, George, but Thaksin has emphatically not apologised for lying. I suggest you change the header of the topic.

He acknowledged mistakes were made, but that's it. He didn't say he made them, and he certainly didn't say he lied.

I don't want to give the guy credit for a confession he didn't make.

I say again: he has not apologised for lying.

This bit is also dodgy:

There are no vaccines for it because the bird flu virus has mutated since first crossing the species barrier in Hong Kong in 1997, killing six

people.

Thailand is in the process of importing a vaccine - something it could have done sooner had it admitted bird flu in a timely manner - though I don't know what strain the vaccine is supposed to fix.

[PB7]

In my opinion lies are lies... they are not mistakes. Mistakes are accidental... these lies were no accident they were blatant and to anyone with any intelligence.... they were indefensible.

[mrentoul]

Quite right. Lies are lies, not mistakes - and he hasn't admitted telling lies nor personally making mistakes.

Yesterday he was blaming the media. Today it's officials.

Anyone but himself.

[virat]

1: I was in Thailand End Dec until end Jan, i went to a uni for agriculture North West BKK in the 2nd week Jan, at that point they had disinfection areas setup around the poultry farm.

Obviously they know then, and considering as it was only the 2nd week of Jan they must have been aware about this prior to Xmas,

Like SARS too little – too late.

Again I am facing a trip to BKK in April, last yr SARS , this yr Bird Flu, What will next yr bring?

As for Thaksin, is must be advised of such things.

Need I say more.

Not a lie, just ill advised.

[mrentoul]

(Posted elsewhere on this board)

Please look out for a story in tomorrow's Bangkok Post where Thaksin proposes cash hand-outs to kamnan and village heads - the core of Thailand's ''grassroots'' democratic system - at the same time as proposing to do away with elections for those posts.

He says they should be picked by provincial panels instead (no doubt stacked by Thai Rak Thai-appointees).

He was speaking at a seminar on the same day as he told an international audience at the bird flu conference of the need for more ''transparency'' (for which read openness and honesty). This man's gall knows no bounds.

[Dove]

Honorable samurai says that the leader who lied and misled his people should be given a vote of no confidence.

For a religious man the leader is telling too many lies.

For goodness sake people have died, the Thai people's lives are threatened with his lies, we cannot equate this in monetary terms.

Sorry is a word for a leader who had lack foresight to admit at the first instance that there is a crissis so that controls can be set up in the early stages to nip the problem in the bud. Why sack junior officials when the leader lacks common sense? This man has put money way ahead in his priorities over the safety and well being of the Thai people.

Life is priceless, will somebody please drive this into that head of his.

[ovenman]

Quite right. Lies are lies, not mistakes - and he hasn't admitted telling lies nor personally making mistakes.

Yesterday he was blaming the media. Today it's officials.

Anyone but himself.

If my recollection of the process is correct, Mr. Big will be blaming his wife before long and after that admit that an "honest mistake" was made...

[donmeurett]

At least the Man admitted he was wrong. thats more than I can say for other world leaders now and in the past.

dlm

[ovenman]

Could be my interpretation of the story is incorrect but it sounds to me like his big admission was that other people were wrong.

[mrentoul]

it sounds to me like his big admission was that other people were wrong.

Precisely.

[denny]

I SEE ON AUSSIE ABC NEWS THAT TAKSIN NO SPEAK ENGLISH, I ONLY SPEAK THAI, TAKSIN SPEAK WITH FORK TUNG, OR SHOULD IT BE SPELT WITH U C

[Sandstone Art]

Didn't you know that

Rule # 1 - Thaksin is always right.

Rule # 2 - If Thaksin is wrong, please kindly refer to Rule # 1

Thus for Rule # 3, if Thaksin is never wrong and always right, then it is other people that made those mistakes

[Dario]

What I do not understand as well is the following fact:

Last week (I guess, it was) some official from the WHO came to Thailand to investigate the situation and within one day (!) he declared that Thailand was free of bird flu disease.

I do not want to make any assumptions, but one doesn't have to be very smart to get the picture here...

[Guest chingy]

speaking to the international audience, he can't lie. after the audience goes home he will say those international audience don't know crap about Thailand, and then start fooling the people again. wait and see lol.

[LPCustom69]

If it turns out to be terrorist related, the WMD seekers may intervene! The perfect delivery system upon unsuspecting potential victims. I hope not!!

[george]

Bangkok meet can’t wipe the egg off prime minister’s face

BANGKOK: One foreign news agency called it “yet another reversal”. Another saw a “remorseful” act. Local observers looked upon it as a sign that junior officials’ heads will roll to help Thailand to regain credibility lost in the perceived birdflu coverup fiasco.

Whatever it was meant to be, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s opening speech at the emergency meeting of Asian ministers and international health experts here yesterday was a Uturn few had been prepared for.

“To contain a fastspreading virus, countries need to respond promptly, act with transparency, obtain reliable scientific data and share information and experiences with one another,” Thaksin told the international delegates.

“The public needs to be told, and be fully aware of the facts. In the meantime, the public also needs to be advised accurately on how to cope safely with the spread of the pandemic to protect themselves and to contain the disease. Transparency and disclosure of information are essential to bring back confidence and trust to the general public.”

About 10 days ago the local media and other whistle blowers had been told by the prime minister to stop their “fantasies” and “imagination” because false alarms about bird flu could destroy the Thai poultry industry.

“What is happening here is not bird flu,” Thaksin said during his weekly radio address to the nation on January 17.

“It’s absolutely not. We have checked and checked, with help from the World Health Organisation. Two types of disease are killing our chickens – one is diarrhoea and the other is a respiratory syndrome. Let me guarantee you that it’s not a disease that will transmit from animals to humans.

“Don't imagine that the number of chicken deaths is enormous. The number 20,000 in fact is the toll from various provinces. This means there could be just a few deaths in one province. It looks huge because we killed them and put them all together.”

Yesterday, it seemed certain officials would have to pay the price for making the CEO prime minister embarrass himself like that.

“The most appropriate word is a screw up. Some agencies screwed up in Thailand,” spokesman Jakrapob Penkair told reporters.

But punishing the head of the Livestock Department official, for example, could make the international scrutiny of Thailand more intense.

“Accused of inaction and a coverup, Thailand’s prime minister has demanded quick and decisive action to forestall a global bird flu pandemic,” Associated Press reported yesterday.

In an accompanying analytical piece, the agency said that apart from battling a birdflu epidemic: “Thailand also has its hands full with another serious problem – doubts over its credibility after it tried to cover up the outbreak.”

The coverup “may make it harder for Thailand to revive its billiondollar chicken export industry, the world’s fourth largest”.

Reuters described Thaksin as “contrite” for saying that bird flu “not only poses a grave economic threat, forcing the elimination of millions of chickens, but also poses a serious threat to public health.”

But that was probably the best he got from the foreign media. Australia’s national broadcaster, the ABC during its popular radio programme, AM, stung him with a report that raised the bitter question whether human casualties in Thailand could have been prevented had his government come clean from the very beginning.

“It [The Bangkok meeting] is reminiscent of Asia’s approach to Sars, but many countries, especially host nation Thailand, are in the dock for attempting to cover up the crisis in the first place,” AM said.

“It’s proof that even after the crisis passes, Thailand will have to work hard at restoring its credibility – a sovereign trading nation that can no longer be taken at its word.”

--The Nation 2004-01-29

[george]

BIRD FLU SNIPPETS: Compensation

Minister’s wife pledges to see Bt1m paid for death of Sukothai boy

Sukhothai MP Anongwan Thepsuthin, the wife of Agriculture Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, yesterday offered to follow up on whether the Thai Broiler Processing Exporters’ Association makes good on its pledge to pay Bt1million compensation to the second boy to die of bird flu.

Kanchai Nilchan, a sixyearold from Sukhothai, succumbed to the viral outbreak on Tuesday.

Traditional medicine: No known herbal remedy

Five herbs have properties that can treat human influenza types A and B, but there are no known traditional medicines to treat mutant avian viral strains, which can infect humans, a doctor said yesterday.

Dr Vichai Chokevivat, a practitioner of traditional medicines, said green tea, beetroot, plu khao, thongpanchang and fah talaijone could fight infection by H1N1, but bird flu is of the H5N1 viral strain.

Official statement: Tap water said to be fine

Water officials yesterday guaranteed the safety of Bangkok’s tap water, saying it was drinkable and free from birdflu virus contamination.

Metropolitan Waterworks Authority deputy governor Weera Sriphanworakul said the authority used water from the Chao Phya River and Mekong Dam and always monitored the canal from which it draws water to process for the city’s tapwater supply.

Opposition call: ‘Put lives ahead of money’

Abhisit Vejjajiva, deputy leader of the opposition Democrat Party, yesterday called on the government to put people’s lives ahead of economic considerations when dealing with the avianinfluenza epidemic.

“The government has not been straightforward, and the prime minister’s moodiness in reacting to criticism will not help dispel public doubts about the government’s transparency,” he said.

Carabao frontman: ‘I’ll save my roosters ’

Yuenyong Opakul, the frontman of songsforlife band Carabao and a keen cockfighting enthusiast, insisted yesterday that his prize roosters had not been infected with avian influenza.

“My roosters are safe and healthy. I love them like sons and will take them away if the authorities try to cull them,” he said.

Yuenyong said he and other breeders of fighting roosters had taken every precaution since November when an outbreak of avian cholera was reported to have hit poultry farms.

Nakhon si thammarat: Cull for lack of buyers

Even though the bird flu has not reached the South, about 100 poultry farmers in Nakhon Si Thammarat slaughtered all their roosters because they could not unload them on the market.

The farmers complained that they could no longer shoulder the cost of feeding their birds after failing to sell them. Some farmers even tried to give away their stock but villagers refused to take them for fear of catching avian flu.

About 100,000 chickens in Tambon Samphao and Tambon Khao Noi in Sichol district were destroyed, said Somchoke Kachasit.

[Artisi]

A cover-up is a cover-up: a lie is a lie: a cover-up is a lie: and a lie is a cover-up, so lets just cut through all the bull-shit or is it in this case chicken-shit and , and

as Thaksin is the boss, he is responsible for the actions of his subordinates, therefore he is at fault no if's but's or maybe's.

[somboon]

As has been said before (by myself and many others) lying is endemic in Thailand.

The general Thai populace have accepted it as the norm and think nothing of it.

They are brought up from children to accept the practice and to do it themselves as a way of life.

The Hon PM has really dug a hole this time though as the world at large (note the comments from EU spokes person) has focused on the fact that no one can never accept as the truth anything that he utters.

[SinCityGr8One]

Thaksin lost his credibility, or what was left of it. He must now do the most Honourable gesture and resign. Step down, Step down, Step down Thaksin. You must now save face and RESIGN! It is now lonely at the top, look around who do you see? No one but yourself to blame! GOOD BYE!

[george]

Updated list + map over affected provinces:

Source: Bangkok Post 2004-01-29

[pschef]

Just like to be clear, can we still eat chicken and eggs??

[george]

Just like to be clear, can we still eat chicken and eggs??

I don't think it will taste so good, so personally I'll avoid it 100% for a good while.

[sbk]

From the US Embassy:

AVIAN FLU FACT SHEET

US Department of State

January 29, 2004

------------------------

This Fact Sheet alerts Americans to the rapid spread of

the H5N1 Avian flu strain across Asia.  A number of

countries have reported incidences of Avian flu, commonly

referred to as bird flu.  Thailand and Vietnam have

reported several bird-human transmissions of the Avian flu

thought to have been caused by individuals' contact with

infected poultry populations.  Although several deaths

from the Avian flu have been reported, there has been no

known human-human transmission of the virus.  The Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World

Health Organization (WHO) are concerned about the

potential for human-human transmission of this highly

pathogenic flu strain.

At this time, CDC and the WHO have not issued any travel

alerts or advisories for Avian flu-infected areas.  CDC

advises travelers to countries in Asia with documented

H5N1 outbreaks to avoid poultry farms, contact with

animals in live food markets and any surfaces that appear

to be contaminated with feces from poultry or other

animals.  The WHO does not at present conclude that any

processed poultry products (whole refrigerated or frozen

carcasses and products derived from these) and eggs in or

arriving from areas currently experiencing outbreaks of

avian influenza H5N1 in poultry pose a risk to public

health.  The WHO continuously emphasizes the importance of

good hygiene practices during handling, including hand

washing, prevention of cross-contamination and thorough

cooking of poultry products. Americans who are planning

travel to a country with an incidence of the virus or who

are concerned about the Avian flu are advised to monitor

the CDC and the WHO web sites,

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/index.htm and

http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/, for

the latest information.

Additional country information can be obtained from the

Department of State's Consular Information Sheets at

http://travel.state.gov and from the Department of State's

toll-free number, 1-888-407-4747, or if calling from

overseas, 317-472-2328.

CDC Contact Information:

Public Inquiries:

English (888) 246-2675

Spanish (888) 246-2857

TTY (866) 874-2646

Mon-Fri 8am-11pm EST

Sat-Sun 10am-8pm EST

Address:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

1600 Clifton Rd.

Atlanta, GA 30333

USA  (404) 639-3311

WHO Liaison Office in Washington, DC

Contact Information:

Telephone: (202) 331-9081

Facsimile: (202) 331-9097

Address:

WHO Liaison Office

1775 K Street, N.W., Suite 430

Washington, D.C. 20006 USA

[Sandstone Art]

"The government yesterday paid Bt120,000 in compensation to the father of a six-year-old boy from Sukhothai, who died on Tuesday. The lad was the second confirmed bird-flu fatality. The man's wife is also believed to have died from the disease."

It was reported that the compensation will be One million baht before the Bird Flu was 'acknowledged' here right?

How things changed!

[francois]

I hate politicians ...

those who lie professionally to protect their power ... meaning, most of them!

if not all

in such a bad time, such liers should resign, it's too obvious that no interest for the people has been taken in consideration.

and what to eat now ?

eggs ... welll .. no thanks!

chicken ... no thanks!!

pork ... no thanks ..they did not tell us any precision about !

shrimps ... no thanks!

fish ... they said they will use the chiscken they killed to prepare food in fish breeding .... so, no thanks!!

well, we have some beef left ...

or some imported food .. expensive!

well, for vegeterain, still a nice menu, welcome to thai food

bon appetit

francois

[Axel]

francois, I was going to ask you, wherer the f... you are.

Welcome back and don't worry the flu too much. Perhaps eat your food not well- but overdone.

[DaveYo]

Today I just read in the Chicago Tribune here in USA, and there was a blistering ariticle of Thailand and of Thaskin trying to downplay the Avian Flu. Essentially, Thaskin tried to do it the Chinese way when they denied SARS was coming from their country. Anyway, right now, China is getting hit with the Avian Flu deep inside in the middle of their country, and at many other places and the Chinese now have made a mass order to cull all their chickens and even some other fowl animals.

Other countries are now turning away anything pertaining to chickens or some other fowl beasts to stem the spread of this virus. They are shutting down their borders.

The CDC said specifically culling all the birds in the country is the safest way to stop and contain this disease. Keeping any of them around is asking for disaster to strike and they are most worried if such mutates and jumps to humans in a wide spread manner. We are indeed sitting on a nuclear time bomb being this virus because they are still like two months away in coming out with the vaccine. Vietnam is now considering culling all their birds completely from this particular article dated yesterday.

Hmmmm, Thaskin is indeed facing an economic disaster here which will last for months not just 30 days as he is thinking.

Daveyoti

[DaveYo]

Also payment of 1M Baht to the kids family is peanuts!!!!!!!! That is an insult. They should pay 10M or more in Baht yearly to the estimated number of years that kid would have lived. You cannot replace a life PERIOD. Life to me is priceless and no one cannot put a dollar or cents or a Baht on life.

Daveyoti