Phuket students fall ill from spoiled milk

PHUKET CITY: Seven Phuket City schools have stopped serving UHT milk purchased under the government's "free milk for schoolchildren" program after 48 students at one school fell ill after drinking the milk yesterday.

Sixteen children from Piboonsawaddee School in Phuket City were hospitalized after drinking the milk, while a further 32 students became ill but did not require hospital treatment.

http://www.phuketgazette.net/news/index.as...8&display=1

Unbelievable. Amazing Thailand.

Lek: "Hey, mum. I'm just off to school now".

Mum: "OK, Lek. Make sure they don't poison you today. Hope to see you later."

The spoiled milk problem has been around for a while & my initial reaction was one of surprise that this problem still exists but upon reflection nothing should surprise me as to how far some will stoop to line their pockets. Amoral is a word that comes to mind.

When I was young back at school in the land of the long white cloud we used to receive free milk every day in a half pint glass bottle & there were times in the summer when the milk would spoil & some kids would throw up after which the caretaker would dutifully attempt to clean up but always leaving sawdust to sock up the residue vomit. In those days the milk was only pastuerized but UHT has a long shelf life even in warm conditions so this spoiled milk must have been well past its use by date.

No surprise there. At my school, the kids pick up a tub of pre-packaged fresh milk from the cafeteria. Then go to the 8 a.m. reveling or brainwashing for 30 - 45 odd minutes, then one full hour class, then they are allowed to drink the milk. By then it is not cold.