Crakdown On Lazy Brid Flu Officials

[george]

Thailand cracks down on inattentive officials to prevent bird flu spread

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's Ministry of Agricultulture has removed a provincial livestock and animal husbandry chief and publicly criticized his staff for delayed and inadequate response to an identified outbreak of avian influenza, which consequently spread to at least nine other areas before being belatedly contained.

Livestock Development Department director-general Yukol Limlaemthong said that Kamphaeng Phet provincial livestock chief Kamol Charoenkase was relieved of his field duties and recalled to the ministry in Bangkok last week, saying the transfer was a punishment due to his failure --and that of his local staff--to cull all poultry infected with the avian influenza virus (bird flu).

Their inattentiveness led to the spread of virus into 10 sub-districts altogether before the ministry was able to contain the outbreak.

In the wake of high level international health official visits and meeting earlier this week, the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives is on high alert over any possible recurrance of bird flu during the approaching winter season--and the seasonal migration of wild birds (mainly from China)that are thought to be carriers of the virus.

Agriculture and Co-operatives Minister Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan said Thursday that she had directed Livestock Development Department to adopt stricter surveillance and response measures to prevent the spread of avian flu virus should it re-appear.

Ministry officials have been instructed to keep up with bird flu surveillance in all risk areas, especially places where the bird flu outbreak has previously taken place.

"There have already been two rounds of bird flu so far this year," Khunying Sudarat said. "If there's another outbreak of bird flu that gets out of control, the Livestock Department will thoroughly examine the country's poultry once again."

Khunying Sudarat said that Thailand would not be free from the bird flu anytime soon. However, the threatened epidemic can be contained if residents, especially poultry producers and others who recognize the disease and its symptoms co-operate in closely watching to prevent opportunities for bird-to-human infection.

Asked about the latest development of Thailand's pledge to be the centre of controlling bird flu in Southeast Asia, Khunying Sudarat said that Thailand had been well supported by all neighbouring ASEAN countries- except Malaysia - of which agriculture and forestry ministers attending the recent meeting in the Philippines endorsed a regional plan to combat bird flu.

According to the Agriculture and Co-operatives Minister, the exports of Thai processed chicken have not been affected by the bird flu since the chicken- importing countries have full confidence in the safe production process of Thai manufacturers. 'Thailand, consequently, would be able to achieve its target of export the total of 280,000 tonnes of its frozen chicken products,' she said.

--TNA 2005-10-14

[Chang_paarp]

and from another thread...

THAI PM OFFERS EU IN CONTAINING BIRD FLU IN THE SEA REGION

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has indicated that José Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission has expressed approval in Thailand's offer to control bird flu in the South East Asian region. `Thailand has great expertise in this area,' European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told a joint news briefing, thanking him for his country's offer of help.

This is the expertise the Thais are offering the EU? It will fit in well in Turkey and a couple of other places.

[singa-traz]

and from another thread...

THAI PM OFFERS EU IN CONTAINING BIRD FLU IN THE SEA REGION

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has indicated that José Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission has expressed approval in Thailand's offer to control bird flu in the South East Asian region. `Thailand has great expertise in this area,' European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told a joint news briefing, thanking him for his country's offer of help.

This is the expertise the Thais are offering the EU? It will fit in well in Turkey and a couple of other places. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How many more Airbus did he commit/promise to buy to get this kind of quote ?

[Ned]

Thailand offering help to Turkey. Give me a break! Help to do what? Cover up the real situation and do basically nothing?! That's been the Thai response.

According to the BBC this morning (for what it's worth) Turkish poultry farmers have already substantially culled all their flocks.....even those birds in areas as yet with no reported cases of bird flu. Not only that but the Turkish government has paid out compensation to those farmers. One farmer interviewed said that he was glad to cull his flock in the interests of future safety. Perhaps the govt made him an offer too good to refuse, more than what he could have sold his birds on the market.....who knows eh.

I've lived in a northern village for a few years and I know that in the event of birds dying mysteriously no villager will risk reporting it for fear of having somebody come along and order him to cull his remaining chickens. They know better than to trust the authorities to hand over money later in the event of a cull.

Nobody here appears to show any concern whatsoever about the H5N1 threat.

[boppia]

I agree with Ned about villagers. They want to keep what they have. They won't tell. Another reason is that birds die off regularly from diseases. Before all this recent bird flu stuff started I myself saw birds falling ill and dying off twice. I'd bet a lot of villagers would see their birds as just getting something else.

It may also be possible that some of the birds out there appear perfectly healthy but are carriers of the virus. Who knows?