Thaksin: Wipe Out Bird Flu Or Face Sack

[george]

Thaksin: Wipe out bird flu or face sack

Thai premier gives his ministers a month to solve problem after crisis meeting to save Thailand's stricken poultry trade

BANGKOK - Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday ordered his ministers to wipe out bird flu by the end of October and warned that they would be sacked if they failed.

The orders came at an emergency meeting with provincial governors, who were summoned to Bangkok a day after Thai authorities and international experts confirmed a probable case of human-to-human transmission of the virus.

While the case appeared to be an isolated one, it prompted Mr Thaksin to crack the whip in an effort to put an end to the outbreak, which has killed 10 people in Thailand this year and another 20 others in Vietnam.

'The government will wage a war on bird flu... because it is a big problem that sparks fear both domestically and internationally,' he said.

'By Oct 31, we must be able to declare there is no more bird flu in Thailand.'

The Premier, who had declared 'wars' in the past on drug trafficking, corruption and software piracy, ordered the governors to launch a house-to-house census of chickens, assume every dead fowl was a bird flu fatality, and cull birds ruthlessly wherever the deadly H5N1 virus was detected.

Confidence in Thai poultry, tourism and food safety would be damaged if the campaign failed, he warned.

'Should there be a Cabinet reshuffle, a few people, including the deputy prime minister, agricultural minister and health minister... will be moved out.'

But deputy prime minister Chaturon Chaisang said yesterday the problem would probably take three to five years to bring under control.

He told a radio station. 'There are no fences along borders of countries in Asia to block migrating birds. As long as the disease persists in China, Vietnam and Malaysia, Thailand won't be able to get rid of bird flu and vice versa.'

Migratory wildfowl are thought to spread the virus. Among the measures the Thai authorities have taken are a ban on raising chickens and ducks in open air farms, providing more testing and isolation facilities for government hospitals.

But some economists believe Thailand's poultry industry, which last year was the world's fifth largest exporter of chicken and chicken products, would never fully recover from the bird flu outbreak.

A Thai woman who died on Sept 20 from the H5N1 strain in Nonthaburi province was probably infected by her daughter, the Thai Health Ministry and World Health Organisation said on Tuesday.

Her death was the first case on record of probable human-to-human transmission. For the virus to become a public health threat, it must be passed from person to person, not from bird to person.

'The hope is this is an isolated cluster,' Dr Robert Webster, an influenza virologist at St Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, told the Washington Post.

'If it goes to a second round from this family, then we are in trouble.'

--Straits Times 2004-09-30

[Darth Bangkok]

"'The government will wage a war on bird flu... because it is a big problem that sparks fear both domestically and internationally,' he said."

who beleives this is the real reason? why wasn't anything substantial done earlier if this was true? his friends at CP must be crying in his ear more often now. I remember at the start of all this CP was saying that they would be immune to all this because of the way they raise chickens at their factories. but now that the whole industry is stigmatized, it must be affecting them too. so now will there be action, only at the last minute, when the worst fear has been confirmed (human to human transmission)? things usually only happen in crises here.

[Lioneric]

CEO style!, we don't sack people because of natural disaster,then in florida have to keep changing mayor because of that.

It's not wise to use power to deal with all this thing, In China and Hong Kong during the SARS dieseas, the goverment work hand in hand with local officer and resident to make sure they get finanacial and moral support to deal with this thing and not in the other way around to make it worst.

Virus is not like computer where we can used PCcilin to clean it up or reformat to whole ministers.

[sriracha john]

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday ordered his ministers to wipe out bird flu by the end of October and warned that they would be sacked if they failed.

'Should there be a Cabinet reshuffle, a few people, including the deputy prime minister, agricultural minister and health minister... will be moved out.'

But deputy prime minister Chaturon Chaisang said yesterday the problem would probably take three to five years to bring under control.

I guess it's so long to you then, Khun Chaturon, as well as to the voice of reason.

You and your practical reality have no business here in Thailand.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday ordered his ministers to wipe out bird flu by the end of October and warned that they would be sacked if they failed.

'Should there be a Cabinet reshuffle, a few people, including the deputy prime minister, agricultural minister and health minister... will be moved out.'

But deputy prime minister Chaturon Chaisang said yesterday the problem would probably take three to five years to bring under control.

I guess it's so long to you then, Khun Chaturon, as well as to the voice of reason.

You and your practical reality have no business here in Thailand.

Which country CEO said " the buck stops here " and had a notice on his desk to that effect ?

[ayakiawe]

Oh this is great, all free range organically grown chickens for Thailand!

Just the way it was for the last 3000 years until recently!

You really are a good man mr toxin

We sould start by feeding all the cockroaches to the Thai chickens!

[Donno]

I can recall that it takes around 2 years to be totally free of the bird flu and that after about 2 months after the govt admitted Thailand had cases of bird flu they gave the all clear - what a joke. It cannot be cleaned up in 1 month as Taksin is demanding. It is a long term thing so it looks like he will be going through a few ministers.

[george]

Update:

PM declares war against avian flu

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday declared a war against an avian influenza, reiterating the disease must be eliminated by the end of next month.

The premier convened a meeting of ministers and senior officials of ministries and departments concerned to inform them of the government’s policy on the sweeping elimination of the bird flu disease.

Among them are Deputy Prime Minister Jaturaon Chaisaeng, Public Health Minister Sudarat Keyurapun, Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, and Interior Minister Pokin Palakul.

Mr. Thaksin said the government would from now on attempt to solve the country’s problems by x-raying their causes in every inch of areas nationawide.

In particular, the avian flu, which is currently of great concern, must be eliminated because the outbreak of disease, if allowed to go unabated, would cause fears among people both locally and overseas, and would finally affect the country.

He said the existing disease remained spread in the country and a new one was expected to come in an advent of the winter season.

So, it was necessary for all parties concerned to accelerating eliminating the disease within 30 days or before the end of October.

“October 1-30 is considered a very short period. So, we have to make a war against the avian flu. All ministries and departments concerned must work together to get rid of the disease. They deserve praise altogether if they manage to eliminate it and must take the blame altogether if they fail.”

The premier said the government was ready to set aside a budget to support their efforts to battle against the bird flu. But initially, they could disburse local budget first and seek for central budget later.

“I want all officials concerned to inspect chickens in every house of all villages nationwide. Should chickens be found dead, suppose they succumb to the avian flu and check-up must be made immediately. Should it be proven the bird flu, such areas must be quarantined.’’

Mr. Thaksin said he was confident the avian flu outbreak would be contained by the end of next month if all parties cooperated in the battle against the disease nationwide.

-- TNA 2004-09-30

[Darknight]

Thailand, The HUB of "the war on..."

[sriracha john]

Thailand, The HUB of "the war on..."

....practicality.

Same as the failure to eliminate drugs...Southern strife...corruption...the failure to eliminate bird flu within 30 days is just as impractical.

"Dr. Kumara Rai, the acting Thailand representative of the WHO, said “eradicating the virus in one month, I’m sorry to say, is almost impossible.”

[george]

Breaking News just in:

Thailand Tackles Bird Flu Epidemic

BANGKOK, Thailand - Millions of volunteers led by emergency teams fanned out across Thailand on Thursday in a new drive to fight bird flu after the prime minister gave officials 30 days to eradicate the epidemic.

In China, local officials have been put on "high alert" against bird flu and ordered to step up disinfection and surveillance of poultry after Thailand reported possible human-to-human transmission of the disease.

China's Agriculture Ministry told officials to stockpile vaccines, warning that "the epidemic, still haunting some Asian countries, poses a risk to China," the official China Daily newspaper reported. Officials were told to disinfect farms, slaughterhouses, markets, refrigerator warehouses and shipping, the report said.

The bird flu scare grew after Thailand reported that its latest bird flu victim likely contracting the virus from her daughter, the first probable case of human-to-human transmission in the country.

Ten people have died of bird flu in Thailand and 20 in Vietnam, while more than 100 million chickens and poultry have died or been culled to stop it since a severe strain of the virus spread across large swaths of Asia early this year.

On Thursday, Thai Agriculture Minister Somsak Thepsutin said his nation's offensive against the disease "begins from this minute."

Somsak told reporters that livestock officials are directing "millions of volunteers and officials ... to X-ray every spot nationwide, to cull the sick chickens and properly bury them."

He said Thailand had faced setbacks in fighting bird flu, or avian influenza, blaming rural villagers for ignoring government rules that require them to inform officials when they have found dead chickens and provide complete health records when they enter hospitals.

"When a small number of chickens die, people think, 'never mind' and keep the information to themselves," Somsak said. "But from now on, volunteers will go into every village and report every single case to officials."

The anti-bird flu drive began after Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra declared a national war against the disease on Wednesday. He gave ministers until Oct. 31 to wipe out the disease or face the sack.

But Dr. Kumara Rai, the acting Thailand representative of the WHO, said "eradicating the virus in one month, I'm sorry to say, is almost impossible."

Thai health officials on Tuesday confirmed that a 26-year-old woman, Pranee Sodchuen, died of bird flu on Sept. 20, probably after catching it while taking care of her daughter Sakuntala.

The 11-year-old, who is believed to have been ill with the disease, died Sept. 12 but was cremated before tests to confirm the disease could be conducted.

Pranee's 32-year-old sister, who also tended to Sakuntala in the hospital, was diagnosed with bird flu Monday and is now in an isolation ward.

International health experts have said that the likely transmission of the virus from Sakuntala to Pranee appeared to be an isolated "dead-end" incident, rather than the start of a major outbreak.

Scientists fear that if the virus mutates enough to mix with the human influenza virus it could easily pass between humans and trigger a global pandemic.

China said in March that it had defeated the disease after killing 9 million chickens and other poultry in a sweeping anti-disease effort. A new outbreak was reported in July, when the government said tests showed chickens had died of the disease on a farm in the eastern province of Anhui.

The China Daily cited official concern at seasonal migrations of wild birds that might carry the virus, but said the government order didn't give any steps to be taken with them.

--AP 2004-09-30

[eljeque]

Thaksin: Wipe out bird flu or face sack

******** This means that they have to go to bed early.

Thai premier gives his ministers a month to solve problem after crisis meeting to save Thailand's stricken poultry trade

******* Save CPF exports, and local sales as well. I do not eat pork or seafood, and find that on occasion it is a bit of a headache to get beef in the dishes that I want. I have always been willing to substitute chicken for beef, but now some restaurants do not carry chicken.

This could be because the PM felt insulted when the Sedish PM would not accept chicken for the jets.

The orders came at an emergency meeting with provincial governors, who were summoned to Bangkok a day after Thai authorities and international experts confirmed a probable case of human-to-human transmission of the virus.

******* How does one confirm a probable? See above sentence.

While the case appeared to be an isolated one, it prompted Mr Thaksin to crack the whip in an effort to put an end to the outbreak, which has killed 10 people in Thailand this year and another 20 others in Vietnam.

'The government will wage a war on bird flu... because it is a big problem that sparks fear both domestically and internationally,' he said.

'By Oct 31, we must be able to declare there is no more bird flu in Thailand.'

********** ONe way or another, the PM is going to say that the bird <deleted> has been eradicated in one month. Exactly "how eradicated" it is, will be the big question. Mostly eradicated? NO deaths eradicated? None in Bangkok eradicated?

The Premier, who had declared 'wars' in the past on drug trafficking, corruption and software piracy, ordered the governors to launch a house-to-house census of chickens, assume every dead fowl was a bird flu fatality, and cull birds ruthlessly wherever the deadly H5N1 virus was detected.

********** Lets see exactly how CPF takes to a government scientist stating that 10 million of their birds must be destroyed.

Confidence in Thai poultry, tourism and food safety would be damaged if the campaign failed, he warned.

'Should there be a Cabinet reshuffle, a few people, including the deputy prime minister, agricultural minister and health minister... will be moved out.'

************* I wish the true father of the country would give the same ultimatum to the PM.

But deputy prime minister Chaturon Chaisang said yesterday the problem would probably take three to five years to bring under control.

He told a radio station. 'There are no fences along borders of countries in Asia to block migrating birds. As long as the disease persists in China, Vietnam and Malaysia, Thailand won't be able to get rid of bird flu and vice versa.'

***********If the leaders of the above named nations, including Burma, Cambodia and Laos get together and declare eradicatrion in one month, then the border issue would become moot.

Migratory wildfowl are thought to spread the virus. Among the measures the Thai authorities have taken are a ban on raising chickens and ducks in open air farms, providing more testing and isolation facilities for government hospitals.

But some economists believe Thailand's poultry industry, which last year was the world's fifth largest exporter of chicken and chicken products, would never fully recover from the bird flu outbreak.

A Thai woman who died on Sept 20 from the H5N1 strain in Nonthaburi province was probably infected by her daughter, the Thai Health Ministry and World Health Organisation said on Tuesday.

Her death was the first case on record of probable human-to-human transmission. For the virus to become a public health threat, it must be passed from person to person, not from bird to person.

'The hope is this is an isolated cluster,' Dr Robert Webster, an influenza virologist at St Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, told the Washington Post.

'If it goes to a second round from this family, then we are in trouble.'

***********My gf frind worked for CPF. The showrooms are lovely, as are the show henhouses, show this and show that. But what goes on in the real places where the chickens for the table live was vile.

[RamTodatry]

Here is the latest from the New York Times:

Experts Confront Obstacles in Containing Virulent Bird Flu

By KEITH BRADSHER

and LAWRENCE K. ALTMAN

Published: September 30, 2004

BANGKOK, Sept. 29 - With Thai and international experts confirming the first

probable human-to-human transmission of a virulent strain of avian influenza in

this country, public health officials around the world are facing major hurdles

as they try to prepare for a possible pandemic.

Advertisement

Scientists say they cannot predict how quickly, if at all, the strain may

develop the ability to spread easily among people, and whether it will remain as

lethal as it has proven so far.

The strain, A(H5N1), has killed 30 of the 42 Southeast Asians it infected in the

past year, and millions of chickens and wild birds, across wide areas of Asia,

and has infected some pigs, household cats and even zoo tigers. A handful of

cases of human-to-human transmission may have occurred during bird flu outbreaks

in Hong Kong in 1997 and in Europe a year ago, but neither resulted in a

pandemic.

Still, public health experts say it would be irresponsible not to prepare for a

worst-case situation. The so-called Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 to 1919 killed

at least 20 million people, and that was before the development of the modern

transportation system, with its fleets of jumbo jets linking remote areas of the

world - and taking microbes with them. By comparison, AIDS has killed an

estimated 22 million since 1981, according to the United Nations.

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization held a meeting in Geneva of

representatives of the drug industry to demand that they speed vaccine

production. In the United States, scientists with the federal Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta are racing to complete a genetic

sequence of the virus from this case to determine if it has acquired any

mammalian influenza genetic material, which could make it more transmissible,

and the government has ordered two million doses of experimental vaccine.

Health officials would normally look to vaccines and antiviral drugs to control

a pandemic, but in this case, those tools have yet to be fully developed and

tested. Conventional flu vaccines are not believed to provide any protection

against A(H5N1) avian influenza.

Human trials of the new vaccine ordered by the United States government are not

expected to begin until the end of this year, at best.

Washington, like the governments in Australia, Japan, New Zealand and a few

other countries, is also stockpiling the only antiviral medicine that may work

against the strain, Tamiflu, but there have been too few human cases to document

its effectiveness.

The symptoms of human bird flu appear to be indistinguishable from severe cases

of conventional flu, with fevers, sneezing, coughing and aches. Scientists have

yet to determine why the A(H5N1) strain is so lethal.

Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and

Infectious Diseases, said the United States government was "doing everything

that is technically and feasible to be done at this time - essentially, loading

up and stockpiling Tamiflu to the extent of almost exhausting the manufacturer's

capabilities."

But the absence of a tested vaccine and the scarcity of the antiviral underline

what many health officials say is a chronic mismatch of public health needs and

private control of production of vaccines and drugs.

"The market has failed here to drive companies into research, and we believe

that's something public health should be looking at much more closely in the

future," said Klaus St๖hr, the W.H.O.'s top influenza expert, before Wednesday's

meeting.

Only two large vaccine manufacturers, Aventis Pasteur, based in Swiftwater, Pa.,

and the Chiron Corporation, based in Emeryville, Calif., are braving a thicket

of patent issues and financial concerns to try to use advanced genetic

techniques to develop vaccines against so-called bird flu. And they have

proceeded only with National Institute of Health contracts to do so.

Other drug makers have given several reasons for not making vaccines: that

production is expensive and investment may not be recouped if there is no

pandemic, and that intellectual property rights on new techniques used to make

the vaccine remain unsettled. The standard method for making flu vaccines -

growing virus in chicken embryos - does not work because the A(H5N1) virus is so

deadly that it kills the developing chicks before they can grow enough virus to

be worth harvesting. The new techniques alter the strain's genetics so it can be

grown in the fertilized eggs.

Drug makers also worry that they could be exposed to considerable liability if

they put out a new vaccine without lengthy safety tests first.

Because the clinical trials have not been done, "nobody can go into full-scale

production now, nobody," Dr. St๖hr said.

When vaccines are not available, doctors can turn only to the antiviral Tamiflu.

But it is expensive and may work only if it is given in the first two days after

the onset of symptoms.

Tamiflu is made only by Roche Holding, a Swiss company, at a single small

factory in Europe, although the company has said in recent months that it plans

to build another production line in the United States. Some public health

experts are strongly critical of Roche for not increasing production of Tamiflu

sooner, saying the company should have expanded production early this year, when

avian influenza started becoming a problem across much of Asia.

"You're dealing with very conservative Swiss bankers - to me, they don't see the

opportunity yet," said Arnold Monto, a University of Michigan influenza expert,

pointing out that Tamiflu not used for an avian influenza pandemic could be used

instead to make human influenza less severe.

A Roche spokesman, in an e-mail message responding to questions, said the

company had been supplying Tamiflu at levels demanded by the market and was now

increasing its manufacturing capacity, but declined to provide details. The

company recommends that governments hold enough Tamiflu in stockpiles to treat a

quarter of their population - which would translate into more than 70 million

people in the United States - but notes that few countries have shown much

interest in such stockpiles, at least until recently.

Stockpiles are expensive because the drug is costly: $68 at retail for a 10-capsule

treatment course for one adult.

Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, director of the C.D.C., said that the federal

government had bought enough Tamiflu to treat one million Americans, but added

that if the manufacturing capacity were greater, "we would certainly want to

have a supply that was closer to 100 million than to a million."

Drawing on lessons from past pandemics, Dr. Fauci, the federal official, said

that an avian influenza pandemic might start with an initial wave of cases in

one region of the world, but that the epidemic, if it occurred, might not become

a global problem until the next year, giving vaccine and pharmaceutical

manufacturers more time to respond.

But it is not clear when the confusion may be resolved over the patents on the

reverse genetics process used to grow the new vaccine. Several universities and

an American company, MedImmune Inc., based in Gaithersburg, Md., hold the

patents and have allowed research using the techniques. But no deal has been

reached on how much money vaccine makers would have to pay before beginning

production.

Distributing limited stocks of vaccine and antivirals could also be difficult in

a pandemic, officials warn.

"It will be a very difficult decision to take by governments to decide who is

going to receive the vaccine, who is going to receive the antivirals - or even

more importantly, who is not going to receive the vaccine or the antivirals,"

said Dr. St๖hr. "A simple question would be, if we vaccinate health care workers,

would the nurse also be allowed to vaccinate his child? Would the nurse take the

antivirals or would he take it home? There will be limited resources and all

this has to be thought through now."

Research at Hong Kong University has found that the virus is more active at

cooler temperatures, suggesting that the slow spread of the disease this summer

may not mean it will move as slowly this coming winter. "It is kind of a warning,"

said Malik Peiris, the leader of the research team, "that we should be prepared

particularly for bigger problems in the months ahead."

Keith Bradsher reported from Bangkok for this article, and Lawrence K. Altman

from Bangkok and New York.

Copyright 2004 The New York Times Company

[sriracha john]

The strain, A(H5N1), has killed 30 of the 42 Southeast Asians it infected in the

past year.

71% mortality rate.....WOW!

[RamTodatry]

Here is an update from the BBC:

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/asia...fic/3695856.stm

Published: 2004/09/28 12:06:22 GMT

Fears mount over Asian bird flu

A Thai woman who recently died of bird flu probably caught the disease from her

daughter, the government has said.

If true, she would be the first person in the latest outbreak to get bird flu

from another human rather than birds.

A case of human-to-human infection would renew fears that bird flu may one day

combine with human flu to create a more deadly version of the disease.

But officials said this was likely to be an isolated case, and the WHO said it

posed no "significant" public risk.

Klaus Stohr, head of the WHO's global influenza programme, said the latest case

was possibly another example of a "non-sustained, inefficient, dead-end-street,

human-to-human transmission".

But he said the WHO was still concerned in case the case was the beginning of a

more widespread transmission.

Family struck

Pranee Thongchan, 26, died of the H5N1 bird flu virus on 20 September, shortly

after her daughter is believed to have died of the same illness, Thailand's

Ministry of Public Health said.

H5N1 BIRD FLU VIRUS

Principally an avian disease, first seen in humans in Hong Kong, 1997

Almost all human cases thought to be contracted from birds

Isolated cases of human-to-human transmission in Hong Kong and Vietnam, but none confirmed

The daughter, Sakuntala, was cremated before tests were conducted, so it will

never be known for certain that she had the virus.

A statement from the Public Health Ministry said Pranee Thongchan: "either

contracted the virus from the environment in the village where the chickens died,

or from the sick daughter who she was taking care of very closely at the

hospital for a long period of time".

Pranee's sister, Pranom - who also looked after Sakuntala in hospital - was

confirmed as suffering from bird flu on Monday, and is now recovering in

hospital.

The ministry statement stressed that the family's case was an isolated one.

"This probable human-to-human transmission of avian influenza was related to a

single index case and was limited within a family," it said.

To reassure those who fear a human-to-human link could lead to a new virulent

strain of the virus, the statement added: "There is no evidence to suggest that

the virus has mutated or re-assorted."

This is not the first suspected case of human-to-human transmission of bird flu.

In previous epidemics - such as that in Hong Kong in 1997 and an outbreak in

several parts of Asia last year - officials were unable to rule out the

possibility that a very small number of victims had contracted the disease from

other humans.

'Crisis of global importance'

At least nine other people have died from bird flu in Thailand so far this year

- and a further 19 in Vietnam - but all are thought to have contracted the

disease from poultry.

Tens of millions of chickens and other poultry have already been killed by the

disease, or culled in an attempt to stop the disease spreading.

Two UN agencies warned on Monday that bird flu was set to remain a serious

threat to animal and human life worldwide for some time to come.

Bird flu was a "crisis of global importance", the UN Food and Agriculture

Organization (FAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said in a

joint statement.

They stressed that the virus continued to circulate in East Asia and urged

governments to take more action.

While stressing that culling was the best way to tackle the problem, they added

that vaccination against bird flu could be used as a complementary measure.

The BBC's science correspondent, Richard Black, says the warning by the UN-affiliated bodies is unusually stark.

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/asia...fic/3695856.stm

Published: 2004/09/28 12:06:22 GMT

ฉ BBC MMIV

[ovenman]

I have a better idea: how about Mr. Big himself resigns if his ministers can't eradicate Thailand of bird flu in thirty days?

[pokie]

Oh! no will this mean that the war on coruption will have to wait 30 days

[Deadcert]

and so he avoids and responsibility.

Him and Blair should get together !!!!

[Robby nz]

Know this is deadly serious stuff but can't help thinking that if bird flu can be contracted by pigs does that mean that pigs will finaly be able to fly?

Might even be apropriate given the unlikelyhood of eradication in 30 days.

[thaiwing]

Vietnam confirmed the first case of this human to human virus, back in february this year, with an outcome of the whole world watching the cull and control process for fear of a continued health threat or collapse of poultry farming, financial doom for marketeers all around the globe and mainly the health implications to us. all that was known at the beginning of this mess, yet thailand made a "shove em in a sack" show to the world for fear of loss in pocket.

I live within an community that has had little or no eduction for the process of poultry/culling control at this time. I have seen chickens and roosters passed onto another farm or children walking about with a chicken held like a cuddly puppy - without a worry as to the effect of this virus or the outcome of the original stock held on the farm - possible transmit to human of which we can all see the final outcome to date.

Thaksin is right to kick ass as of this moment, many farners, industrialists and low income restaurants are suffering in a big way with this ongoing problem, control from a previous statment - thaksins ministers with an "ALL CLEAR" to the world.

Ministers with kickable asses have only themselves to blame for the incompetance within their own departments or passing on the appropriate world knowledge available to them for control. Not one chicken within my location is placed in quaranteen, netted enclosure to protect or further spread. but as usual money is the worrying factor towards the control. you now have a major problem on your hands thailand.

someone within the World Organisation for Animal Health stated that "Laos and Cambodia lack the essentials needed to control an outbreak, including sufficient numbers of veterinarians", etc. Ok so its hard to stop fly overs coming across to thailand. at least educate to a higher degree to help control

The world is watching your progress with an economic outcome that will affect hundreds of thousands within this industry. Now that your first human to human is confirmed you gotta move within the time period stated by thaksin or you will loose much within the coming years. Its all about mass production culling local style to control this and ministers should have educated ALL towards helping the goal of erradication. I wish you luck

[george]

Update:

Thailand needs years to eliminate bird flu virus, health experts say

BANGKOK: -- Senior health officials said on Thursday that Thailand would need 2-5 years to eliminate bird flu that has hit the kingdom twice this year, and has already killed as many as 10 people.

Dr. Charal Trinvuthipong, the outgoing Acting Permanent-Secretary for Public Health and the Director-General of Disease Control, who retired from the two posts yesterday, told TNA that bird flu has become a latest world health threat facing a number of countries, not only Thailand.

He called for all responsible ministries to step up their efforts in fighting an the ongoing outbreak.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday said bird flu would be eliminated from the kingdom within 30 days.

However, Dr. Charal clarified that the prime minister meant to contain the spread, not to make the virus disappear.

Thailand reported the first spread of bird flu virus early this year, and had culled over 40 million chickens. Eight people died from contracting the virus before it was contained.

The virus, however, returned two months ago, affecting several provinces nationwide, including some parts of the capital city of Bangkok.

At least two deaths were officially declared bird-flu victims during the past few weeks, while state doctors have not yet confirmed what had killed some other patients who were closely monitored with bird flu-like symptoms at the time of their deaths.

''Bird flu has become a local disease for Thailand, and it will not be that easy to get rid of it. Look at New Zealand, which is far more developed than Thailand. It took that country 2-3 years to eliminate the virus from their homeland. For Italy, it took five years to succeed the same thing,'' said Dr. Charal.

He leveled public fears that the outbreak could be worsened in the approaching winter, saying the Ministry of Public Health has prepared to cope with both SARS and bir-flu viruses.

Meanwhile, Dr. Prasert Thongcharoen, a Thai adviser to the World Health Organisation (WHO), said to contain the bird flu spread, the government must look into two areas -- the bird flu outbreak in chickens and in humans.

''It is not clear what the prime minister means --whether he wants to get rid of the virus in birds or in humans. I think it is possible to succeed within 30 days if we want to contain the virus in people. But it will difinitely take longer to eliminate bird flu virus in fowls. Other countries took 2-3 years to successfully eliminate bird flu,''he noted.

He said if Thailand considers to vaccinate its population against human flu as a precaution, like the United States, it needs to prioritize risk groups.

''We need to consider who need to be vaccinated against human flu first -- the general public or government officials--because the human flu vaccine is expensive -- 300-400 baht per dose. And no company can supply us with the vaccine in such a huge lot at a short notice,'' he said

Washington reportedly uses over 200 doses of human flu vaccine a year to protect its population from influenza-like diseases.

WHO has suspected a probable case of human-to-human transmission of bird flu in Thailand's northern province of Kampaengphet, as a mother died two weeks ago shortly after visited her bird-flu stricken daughter in a hospital bed.

--TNA 2004-10-01

[stumonster]

The virus, however, returned two months ago,

yeah right

[Darth Bangkok]

what do experts know?

30 days and counting.

[sriracha john]

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday said bird flu would be eliminated from the kingdom within 30 days.

However, Dr. Charal clarified that the prime minister meant to contain the spread, not to make the virus disappear.

Let the inevitable backpedalling begin... same as when Thaksin said that he would categorically eliminate drugs from Thailand by last December, and then only later on "clarified" that he didn't mean eliminate, only control.

[Crushdepth]

It's not possible to eradicate bird flu. They might be able to control it in food animals by growing indoors and separating farmed stock from wild birds but how likely is that (gai bahn anyone ?) Whatever happens, its in the wild populations and here to stay. Get used to it.

[george]

WHO praises Thailand for bird flu monitoring efforts

BANGKOK: --The World Health Organization (WHO) has praised Thailand for its dedcated attempts and sincerity in containing avian flu.

Public Health Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan told TNA that WHO representative, Dr. Kumara Rai, applauded Thailand for its attempts to control bird flu outbreaks through the implementation of monitoring measures across the country.

This, he said, reflected the sincerity of the Thai kingdom in containing the disease.

The WHO representative also praised the Thai government's transparency in reporting the development of the bird flu situation in the kingdom, including a case of suspected transmission of the avian flu virus between human and human, saying the information is useful for WHO to conduct further studies on the case.

Dr. Rai referred to a recent case in which a mother who looked after her daughter, a suspected bird flu patient in a hospital in the country's northern province of Kampaengphet, and then died from influenza-like symtoms just days after the death of her daughter.

The WHO official expressed the complement to Thailand when he met and held talks with Mrs. Sudarat here today.

Dr. Rai reiterated that the possibility of the human-to-human transmission of the virus in Thailand was now limited to only one family, and had not caused worry among the international community.

--TNA 2004-10-02

[george]

ADMIN COMMENT:

The Thai Government is bullshitting or have no communication. I have been on the phone today with a member living in Isaan, and the Puyai Baan (Village Chief) there had no idea about any flu or any check ups or controls.

I also called another member of the forum in Isaan, he double checked with his Village Chief, and same answer:

No idea! No instructions from the Government.

I have been providing you forum members with news about this "Bird flu", and I feel ashamed when checking up the facts! I am spending hours everyday to pick up headlines that I believe have interest to our members and readers.

Utter bullshit from the govt!

/George

[sriracha john]

Thank you for your efforts, George, to get the real information out. While reading the "WHO praises Thailand for bird flu monitoring efforts" post, I was thinking BS also. Why do they need Sudarat (the most corrupt b*tch in Thailand) to speak for the WHO? It also reminded me of Jakob The Liar govt. spokesman who had come out and said that the USA had apologized to Thailand for including them on their list of human rights abusers.... only to take it back 2 days later when it was revealed that the USA had NOT apologized. The Thai govt. is not above telling bold face lies in order to improve it's international image. Another case was Thaksin lying and denying it in the beginning and hoodwinking the WHO to agree with him when bird flu first broke out. The govt. is so infantile that it fails to see to the harm done to it's credibility when it comes out with lies for the whole world to read about.

[Goat Roper]

The Premier, who had declared 'wars' in the past on drug trafficking, corruption and software piracy, ordered the governors to launch a house-to-house census of chickens,

House-to-house census of chickens , another grandiose statement.

[Goat Roper]

ADMIN COMMENT:

The Thai Government is bullshitting or have no communication. I have been on the phone today with a member living in Isaan, and the Puyai Baan (Village Chief) there had no idea about any flu or any check ups or controls.

I also called another member of the forum in Isaan, he double checked with his Village Chief, and same answer:

No idea! No instructions from the Government.

I have been providing you forum members with news about this "Bird flu", and I feel ashamed when checking up the facts! I am spending hours everyday to pick up headlines that I believe have interest to our members and readers.

Utter bullshit from the govt!

/George

George, let me personally thank you for this posting, I am very familiar with this in my working career here in Thailand. I have witnessed this close up several times during projects I have worked on here in LOS.