Thailand’s continual enforcement of the ban on unregulated pork imports, including for personal use, has been underscored by the detection and confiscation of illegal pork imports at major international airports. The canine unit, known as Inspector Beagle, plays a vital role in these inspections, seeking out any meat products potentially carrying viral strains of African Swine Fever (ASF).

 

Friday, October 13, saw Inspector Beagle uncover approximately 31 kilogrammes of pork sausages in the baggage of a passenger arriving at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport from the Philippines. The passenger had flown in on a Cebu Pacific Airlines flight, which landed in Bangkok at 11.05am. The potentially harmful pork products were seized upon detection.

 

This is not an isolated incident. The Department of Livestock Development’s (DLD) K9 Unit has reported another seizure of an unspecified amount of assorted meat products from a passenger coming in from Manila on an undisclosed day. Images reveal a large number of sausages, bacon, and beef that were confiscated.

 

The DLD’s reports consistently feature warnings about the prohibition of unregulated pork imports into Thailand, even for personal consumption. A poster, shared by the Phuket Info Center and available in five languages – Thai, English, Chinese, Lao, and Vietnamese – is a clear warning to travellers.

 

“Attention. Do not carry pork! ASF – African Swine Fever. Do not carry pork, sausages, bacon, or any other meat products into Thailand without permission from the DLD. Violators who bring these products into Thailand without permission could face prosecution.”

 

Violations could lead to charges under the Animal Epidemic Act B.E. 2558 (2015), although specific penalties or consequences for guilty individuals are not detailed.

 

By Mitch Connor

Caption: "Inspector Beagle" on the job | Photo taken from Bangkok Post

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-10-16

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

For goodness sake, how cheap is pork......and people are smuggling it in? Chop their hands off.

9 minutes ago, retarius said:

For goodness sake, how cheap is pork......and people are smuggling it in? Chop their hands off.

Not hard to believe that someone may miss that sausage recipe from back home that's not available in Thailand at any price.

 

Where is pork cheap? This is not about disease but about controlling pork prices

Hope there isn't a Cherry Ripe Inspector Beagle as about to import a couple of boxes.

Yet they do nothing about the African swines hanging around Sukhumvit Road.

12 hours ago, retarius said:

For goodness sake, how cheap is pork......and people are smuggling it in? Chop their hands off.

Pork in Thailand is expensive... cut the price and the imports will stop.

5 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Pork in Thailand is expensive... cut the price and the imports will stop.

Pork is cheap here, raising a pig is expensive