First Cases Of Bird Flu Confirmed In Thailand

[mrentoul]

Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Somsak Thep Suthin, whom the Democrats have threatened to hit with an impeachment motion, speaks out on bird flu:

''This is not a big matter,'' he said. ''The outbreak has affected only 134

villages of 70,000 nationwide, so there is nothing to worry about.''

Tell that to the countries which gathered for the international bird flu conference in Bangkok today!

[A. BOOZER]

Political language is the same worldwide, but do the speakers ever actually believe what they are saying, or are they all linked to a Worldwide Minister Of Misinformation?

[mrvietnam2001]

Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Somsak Thep Suthin, whom the Democrats have threatened to hit with an impeachment motion, speaks out on bird flu:

''This is not a big matter,'' he said. ''The outbreak has affected only 134

villages of 70,000 nationwide, so there is nothing to worry about.''

Tell that to the countries which gathered for the international bird flu conference in Bangkok today!

LOL!

That's almost as good as one I heard today from someone who said "there's ONLY been 500 Americans killed in Iraq".

Or the other one who told me he went to Vietnam ( 1968) to serve his country and defend MY freedom.

The idiocy is truly astounding somtimes.

Mr Vietnam

[p_brownstone]

Avian Flu H5N1. The threat of this is now seemingly growing so rapidly throughout S.E. Asia, that even if the Thai P.M. had actually realized that it was not Chicken Cholera, the spread of this was apparently inevitable. However, I am intrigued that Indonesia is suffering from this, surely this is not an airborn virus, can any forum member give any educated thoughts on this?

Although popularly called "chicken flu" this virus can infect any bird, including wild birds. Migratory birds can easily carry the virues anywhere - which makes much of the talk about quarantining areas fairly pointless. It is also a good idea to stay away from areas with large populations of pigeons too - tourist areas like Wats, Sanam Luang and the Grand Palace spring to mind.

[plachon]

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.

Atta boy! You're getting the idea now. As we frequently tired of telling you 6 months ago, this is no ordinary Lee Kuan Yew or Mahatir we're dealing with here, this is Mr Big who bought a country on the open market of a Thai election and now has free reign to do with it as he pleases, and doesn't intend a bit of bother over a few million chickens, ethnic/religious strife in the South and a few dissenters derail his plans. Ever get the feeling the long suffering Thai people have been kipperised?

[george]

Updated list + map over affected provinces:

Source: Bangkok Post 2004-01-29

[george]

Bird flu now spreads to 31 provinces in Thailand

BANGKOK - The bird flu ravaging Asia's poultry stocks has hit six more of Thailand's 76 provinces, bringing the number affected to 31, the government said Thursday as it continued to face charges of a cover-up.

"There are now 31 provinces declared as affected areas, including six new provinces," spokesman Jakrapob Penkair told reporters.

He said that culling had been completed in the worst-hit provinces of Suphan Buri and Kanchanaburi, which were the first to have confirmed outbreaks of the deadly H5N1 virus among chickens, but was continuing elsewhere.

Nearly 11 million chickens have been culled by government workers and troops in efforts to contain the disease, which has also hit two districts in Bangkok, the sprawling capital home to 10 million people.

The outbreak has now spread to Thailand's northern border with Laos and east into its agricultural zone, but authorities noted that only certain areas within the districts were declared "hot zones".

Health authorities echoed World Health Organisation (WHO) fears that the deadly viral strain could mutate with a human influenza virus to create a pathogen with the potential to kill millions of people.

Such a mutation "would be very dangerous... so we have to quickly cull all the (possible) carriers as soon as possible," Disease Control Department chief Charal Trinvuthipong said, urging workers culling chickens to wear protective gear.

Two Thai children have died of bird flu and one other boy is battling an infection while 10 suspected cases have been reported, of whom six have died. Charal said that one previously suspected case was cleared on Thursday.

Thailand's beleaguered government, battling allegations that it suppressed news of the outbreak in order to protect its lucrative poultry exporting industry, admitted Wednesday it had "screwed up" in handling the crisis.

But it denied a cover-up, with the government's spokesman saying the mishandling was due to inefficiency on the part of government agencies.

However, the efforts to restore confidence were undermined by a report that Thailand's biggest chicken exporter was aware of the outbreak months before it was confirmed last week.

"I think the industry overall knew full well what was happening, given the symptoms that could be seen," an executive with Thailand's biggest agri-business firm, Charoen Pokphand, told the Bangkok Post.

"(Charoen Pokphand) has been on alert about the bird flu problem for months and has been working hard to help our farmers contain any problems."

The unnamed executive said the company had promptly notified the authorities about the outbreak.

--AFP/The Nation 2004-01-29

[george]

PHUKET: Chicken ban aimed at easing ’flu fears

PHUKET: Although there has been no effect on tourist numbers and health authorities remain unconcerned, an outbreak of bird ’flu in 25 other provinces of Thailand has led Phuket Governor Udomsak Usawarangkura to ban the import of live chickens to the island as a precaution.

Properly processed birds may still be brought in and Phuket itself has the capacity to produce 15,000 birds for the table each day – more than enough to meet demand, which is falling anyway because of the ’flu outbreak.

The governor’s ban followed a meeting today with the Chief of the Phuket Provincial Health Office, Dr Wanchai Sattayawutthipong.

Dr Wanchai told the Gazette that Phuket has no bird ’flu problems and that people could continue to eat cooked chicken and eggs without fear.

“I still eat chicken – but it is very difficult to find now because many people have stopped eating it,” Dr Wanchai added.

Pattanapong Akevanich, Chairman of the Phuket Tourist Association (PTA), said that tourism had not been affected but added that if authorities failed to bring the outbreak under control within a week, the industry could feel the effects.

“We have meetings almost every day with the Phuket Provincial Office,” he said. “Most tourists understand that they still can eat chicken if it’s cooked properly,” K Pattanapong added.

--Phuket Gazette 2004-01-29

[mrentoul]

Ever get the feeling the long suffering Thai people have been kipperised?

Be that as it may, Thais still like him...and there's not much we can do about that.

[huski]

So how have things got so out of control? After strenuous denials, Indonesia has admitted the H5N1 virus has been spreading there since August. Thailand admits it had it in November. China says the disease was first detected this week.

In fact, the outbreak began as early as the first half of 2003, probably in China, health experts have told New Scientist. A combination of official cover-up and questionable farming practices allowed it to turn into the epidemic now under way.

Bird flu outbreak started a year ago

[plachon]

Ever get the feeling the long suffering Thai people have been kipperised?

Be that as it may, Thais still like him...and there's not much we can do about that.

That I don't dispute for one minute. Doesn't change the fact that he's subtly robbing the ordinary man blind (NOTE, not by trad corruption methods) and with each day that goes by owning a little bit more of LOS. And don't forget Joe Blow in the Philippines held lots of affection for the Marcoses, even while he was squirreling the millions into Swiss banks and for some inexplicable reason, a sizable number still fall for Imelda's crocodile tears when she goes out in her new pair of shoes each day.

[Guest IT Manager]

Well add Chiang Mai to the list.

My son asked today if we have to kill his newborn chicks. I said no unless one dies. I also suggested he tie the cat up, who has a fondness for fresh chook.

Why do I have to tell him that the man at the shop can't sell chicken so he has closed. How do I explain the lies of the Prime Minister, Taksin Shinawatra. How do I tell him that although his grandparents think Taksin is a good man, he is screwing Thailand for his own benefit. Call the spade a spade.

In the bar I discussed TRT or TYT as a few call it. Taksin yed Thailand. Or Taksin Rak Taksin.

Thai Rath have said it out loud now. Taksin has told a load of long term effect, bare faced lies. He won't talk to anyone smarter than he is (foreign journalists fall into this category). He is afraid the lies will catch him out. They have, I'm just happy the Thai people are working it out for themselves.

[mrentoul]

Thai Rath have said it out loud now.

Where was this? I would like to see this story!

[mrvietnam2001]

I also suggested he tie the cat up

Uhhh, as an experienced "Kat" person, you're better off tying the chickens up as you do that to Mr Kat and the little feline warrior will make you pay.

LOL!

Mr and Mrs Vietnam ( we have two Kitty Kats)

[mrentoul]

The city of Bangkok says chickens in quarantine areas will be culled selectively. Owners of expensive birds can get them registered and if they pass a medical they will be spared.

The Ministry of Agriculture backs the policy. Thammarong Prakobboon, the deputy

permanent secretary, denies practising a double standard: one for poor farmers (kill their stock instantly) and another for big companies (they can keep their stock if a vet says so).

But comments from a BMA man are revealing. Talord Charoonrat, deputy city clerk,

said the BMA could not kill poultry with health certification.

''How could we kill chickens raised safely on closed farms such as those from corporates such as CP and Saha Farm?'' Mr Talord said.

You didn't think a giant enterprise like CP would just sit back and wait for the men in white suits to arrive with their bags of lime?

You were right!

Farmers on small plots, though, don't have that kind of political or legal muscle. They have no choice but to watch as their lives are taken away.

[plachon]

Looking at it another way Mrentoul, this outbreak could be a cloud with a silver lining for Mr Big. He's been scratching his moonface for a way to force small farmers off their land and into the urban-industrial sector, ever since he got into office. He thought he'd come up with the ideal plan in the Assets to Capital scheme, where he could actually give the impression he was "helping" the small man in his field, while actually just doling his/her land out to the rich and TRT-connected. Now, with this crisis, the timetable for his wicked scheme can be accelerated considerably, so I think you can safely expect those Klong Toey des-resses you can see from your Post window will be filling up rapidly with the flotsam of Toxin's policies in the next couple of years. Meanwhile, Betagro, CP, Grampian Foods and all these other crooked agribusiness companies will be cleaning up everything but their act. Ah, what a beautiful world............

[george]

Bird flu detected near Phuket

BIRD flu has been found in a Thai province bordering the popular tourist resort of Phuket, officials said today.

This is the first time the deadly disease has been detected in the country's south after striking northern and central regions.

The finding means the virus has now been found in 32 of the country's 76 provinces, including Bangkok, which the city's deputy mayor has described as a "danger zone".

Warnings that wild birds are spreading the virus have prompted a pigeon culling campaign in the capital. Authorities planned to scatter rice laced with whisky to drug the birds before they are collected and disposed of, the Thai News Agency reported.

The city's numerous street food vendors have been warned to be cautious of birds on overhead cables from where their faeces can land on carts. Bird faeces are believed to be a main mode of transmission for the disease.

The latest province to be found to have bird flu is Phang Nga, 590km south of Bangkok, local governor Samacha Potavorn told The Associated Press. The region is popular with scuba divers heading to the Similan Islands and borders Phuket.

"We've found three birds infected, two chickens and a duck, from a villager's home," he said. "We had to announce this because in that area there are a lot of chicken farms."

Thailand only admitted a week ago that it had bird flu amid accusations of a cover up to protect its billion-dollar chicken industry. The country is the fourth largest chicken exporter in the world.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said his Government had made mistakes in handling the outbreak and pledged to take decisive action.

Thailand has killed 10.5 million birds and says it plans to continue the culling for weeks.

The country has confirmed two human deaths from bird flu, both children. Ten other people are suspected to have been infected, six of whom have died.

"The concern is that there may be additional cases," Dr Bjorn Melgaard, a WHO representative, said after meeting Thai health ministry officials.

Nearby Vietnam has confirmed eight deaths from the disease.

--AP 2004-01-30

[george]

Anger greets Thai minister at market bird flu cull

BANGKOK - Angry vendors slit a cockerel's throat as emotions ran high when Thailand's agriculture minister arrived at the world's biggest market on Friday to launch the slaughter of farmyard and exotic birds in a bid to halt bird flu. Fighting cocks at Bangkok's Chatuchak market were found this week to be suffering from the bird flu that has ravaged chicken farms across Asia.

"We're not letting them do this because there's no proof these cocks have bird flu," said Surat Booncheua, a 64-year old breeder of fighting cocks. "We're going to eat them. It's better than letting them suffocate in that pit."

The government ordered a cull of most birds, including parrots and macaws, housed in a warren of shops also selling turtles and cobras in one corner of the 10,000 stall market.

Surat stuck incense sticks in the cane baskets that held his 30 fighting cocks in preparation for a Buddhist monk to give a last blessing before the birds died.

Complaining that the government was offering compensation of just 20 baht for birds worth as much as 10,000 baht, he joined a crowd gathered around a lime-coated pit 4 m (13 feet) deep into which workers were throwing sacks of live chickens and ducks.

"I'm going to talk to the minister. We pay taxes, so he's our employee," Surat said. "I'm going to tell him we love our cocks as much as our children. We live with them and hug them."

Health officials say close contact with chickens allowed bird flu to jump to humans in the last few weeks, killing at least eight people, including two Thai boys. But the big fear is the virus will mutate and start spreading between humans.

"EVERYONE'S SUFFERING"

Surat met Agriculture Minister Somsak Thepsutin with his hands pressed together in front of his face in a traditional Thai greeting, but was pushed aside as journalists strained to listen.

"Everyone's suffering at the moment, but if we act slowly, things will get worse," Somsak told reporters, a plastic mask pulled down onto his chin.

"It's difficult to know what is being hidden around the country, so we really need the public to help," he said.

Newspapers and the opposition have accused the government of trying to cover up bird flu to protect an industry that produces one billion chickens a year and earns more than $1 billion from exports.

Since the government announced the outbreak last week, the European Union, Japan and other key customers have stopped buying poultry from the world's fourth biggest exporter of chicken.

Somsak said he was confident a mass cull of chickens to stem the spread of the disease was almost finished.

"On Sunday, we should have some good news. We'll rub out areas which have been red areas."

The latest government estimates show that almost 11 million chickens have been slaughtered in Thailand, which has declared "epidemic zones" in 29 of its 76 provinces.

Thailand's slaughter of chickens by burying them alive has been criticised by animal rights groups as inhumane. The Netherlands used cyanide gas in a bird flu outbreak last year.

Workers clad in blue plastic overalls and shower caps at Chatuchak market were hesitant.

"I don't want to do it," said council rubbish collector Monkol Naikaew as he grabbed a twitching sack. "As Buddhists we lose something by killing a living being."

As the minister departed, he said a meeting scheduled with Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra left him no time to talk to the cock owners. "But I understand how they feel," Somsak said. "I used to raise cocks in my house in the north of Thailand."

--Reuters 2004-01-30

[george]

Asia Races To Ward Off Human Outbreak Of Bird Flu

BANGKOK --China has ordered its officials to act quickly and honestly in telling people about the outbreak of bird flu, while Taiwan has instructed schools to send home any students with fevers as Asian countries scramble Friday to fend off a human outbreak of the disease.

But as nations culled tens of millions of chickens to curb the illness's spread, the World Health Organization warned that the disease could infect workers killing the birds unless they use masks, gloves and other protection.

Indonesia, which has for days insisted a large-scale slaughter was not necessary, has reversed that decision and ordered a mandatory mass cull of chickens in infected areas. It warned the outbreak could cost nearly US$1 billion in losses and leave over a million people unemployed.

A senior official in Vietnam - where authorities have reported 8 deaths from the illness - said a nationwide cull of all poultry may be needed to curb the disease's spread.

"We all know that it would be safer and we can eliminate the sources of the disease if a mass cull is carried out," Bui Quang Anh, director of the Veterinary Department at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, told Thanh Nien ( Young People) newspaper.

But television and newspaper images from across Asia of barehanded people, without goggles or masks, flinging chicken carcasses into mass graves or stuffing live ones into sacks have set off alarm bells within the U.N. health agency.

"They are trying to eliminate the animal reservoir, which is what we want, but if they are exposing themselves to the virus while they're doing that it might defeat the purpose," said Maria Cheng, a spokeswoman for WHO's infectious diseases unit.

"We see people with bare hands, their eyes, their nose and their mouth uncovered, where they are possibly breathing in virus," Cheng said, adding that the unsafe practices were "going on pretty much everywhere."

Experts recommend that cullers wear masks, goggles, gloves and other protective clothing.

Experts fear that the next global flu pandemic could be triggered by someone catching the bird flu sweeping Asian poultry farms while infected with a standard human variety of flu. The danger is that the two viruses could swap genes to produce a hybrid with the deadliness of the bird variety and the contagiousness of the human type.

In addition to the 8 deaths in Vietnam, the only other known bird flu deaths have been in Thailand where two have died.

Thai officials said Tuesday that bird flu has been found in poultry in Phang Nga province, bordering the popular tourist resort of Phuket, the first time the deadly disease has been detected in the country's south after striking northern and central regions. More than a third of the country has been infected.

Warnings that the virus is spread by wild birds has prompted a pigeon culling campaign in the Thai capital. Authorities plan to scatter rice laced with whisky to drug the birds before they are collected and disposed of, the Thai News Agency reported.

Bangkok's numerous street food vendors have been warned to be cautious of birds on overhead cables from where their feces can land on carts. Bird feces is believed to be a main mode of transmission for the disease.

Governments battling the disease include China, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Taiwan and Pakistan. However, the strain of bird flu striking Taiwan and Pakistan is different from the one hitting the other countries and is not considered a serious threat to humans.

China's government has been stung by criticism of its slow response to SARS last year and the order by Premier Wen Jiabao for officials to act quickly and honestly to educate the public about how to protect themselves from bird flu appeared on front pages of state newspapers Friday.

"In the bird flu-hit areas, the bird flu epidemic situation must be announced to the general public (in a) timely (way) and accurately," said Wen's order, issued Thursday. "Epidemic prevention and control measures and epidemic monitoring must be stepped up."

In Taiwan, schoolteachers will begin checking children's' temperatures and students with fevers will be ordered to stay home after the measure starts Feb. 10, when children return from the Lunar New Year holiday, said Shih Wen-yih, deputy director of Taiwan's Center for Disease Control. The policy applies to students in first grade through senior high school.

Most human cases have been traced to direct contact with sick birds and many victims have been children.

--Dow Jones 2004-01-30

[wombat]

I have not read that the parents of the boys that died from the bird flu were going to be paid the 1,000,000 baht promised if there should be a death caused by the virus. Of course this government is just all talk anyway.

The million is only for the dead, not for their families.

yup...all you have to do is collect it....

[Guest IT Manager]

Thai Rath have said it out loud now.

Where was this? I would like to see this story!

In yesterdays Post, in Dateline Bangkok. It may actually have been the day before.

[Guest IT Manager]

Personally, I believe a mass culling of Thai Rak Thai would be a better outcome... roll on the poll..

A note to Captain Moonface.. how do you get chicken-eggs off your face after you lie to the electorate? Answer.. you never really do.

Masked effectively

[A. BOOZER]

As a matter of interest, do Thai politicians have to declare business interests and shareholdings in corporates such as CP and Saha Farm? Am sure that would make interesting reading!

[george]

BREAKING NEWS:

Thais Mess Up Bird Flu Tests, Ask For U.s. Help

[mrentoul]

Bangkok, AFP - Thai officials on Friday reported four more suspected bird flu cases, including one death, and said the deadly virus had also been detected for the first time in the kingdom's south.

``Officials have taken two suspected cases off the list and added four new suspected cases, including one 62-year-old man who has already died in Nakhon Sawan,'' Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak told reporters.

Thailand now has 12 suspected bird flu cases, seven of whom have died. Two Thai children have been confirmed as dying of bird flu and one other boy is battling an infection.

The first detection of the deadly H5N1 virus was also made in chickens in the kingdom's south, with Phang Nga, nearly 800 kilometres (500 miles) south of Bangkok, listed as the 32nd province out of Thailand's 76 to be hit.

``One more affected spot in Takua Pha district in Phang Nga has been listed, so there are now 124 spots, lowered from 147 yesterday,'' Somkid said, referring to the precise locations in the provinces that have been declared ``hot zones''.

Nearly 11 million chickens have been culled by government workers and troops in efforts to contain the disease in Thailand, which has also hit two districts in Bangkok, the sprawling capital home to 10 million people.

The outbreak has spread as far north as Thailand's border with Laos and into its eastern agricultural zone.

The Thai government is facing continuing allegations from furious farmers, opposition MPs and activists that it covered-up the initial outbreak of the disease now ravaging poultry across Asia.

The government has denied any deliberate cover-up and said that the fault lay with inefficient government agencies and that heads would roll as a result.

AFP

[mrvietnam2001]

Surat said. "I'm going to tell him we love our cocks as much as our children. We live with them and hug them."

As the minister departed, he said a meeting scheduled with Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra

Obsessive compulsive?

Mr Vietnam

[A. BOOZER]

Does anybody want to buy KFC shares and franchises?

[george]

Does anybody want to buy KFC shares and franchises?

The chicken franchises must be cheap now?

Greg at Sunbelt, are u there?

[george]

WHO advises stockpiling of flu medicine

BANGKOK - Fears that the bird flu could become contagious among humans has prompted the World Health Organization to advise countries to consider stockpiling antiviral drugs.

INDEPTH: Avian flu

Bird flu fears prompt Health Canada to mull drug stockpiling

The virus has killed eight people in Vietnam and two in Thailand. It's highly contagious among birds, but there's no evidence it's contagious between people.

WHO officials are afraid that could change, if someone already suffering from the flu were also to become infected with the bird strain. In that case, there's a chance a hybrid could emerge that spreads as easily as the human flu with the deadly virulence of the avian flu.

A vaccine for humans won't be developed for months, and might not be widely available at first, said Klaus Stohr, WHO's chief flu expert. So countries need to consider stocking antiviral drugs, he said on Friday.

Health officials believe flu drugs Tamiflu and Relenza should work against the virus.

Canada has asked Roche Pharmaceuticals about the availability of Tamiflu. Others are also negotiating with drug companies. Japan has asked for 40 tonnes of Tamiflu.

The virus has been found in 10 countries so far, prompting the slaughter of millions of chickens and ducks.

Indonesia said on Friday the crisis could cost the country $916 million and a million jobs.

China announced on Friday the virus had been found in two more provinces.

--CBC News 2004-01-30

[george]

Follow up:

BIRD-FLU OFFENSIVE: Thaksin cooks up a PR plan

District chief commits suicide

and

Celebrities unite in bid to get chicken back on the menu

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will cook chicken dishes for the public at Sanam Luang next Saturday as part of the plan to promote the consumption of chicken across the country.

Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said that if domestic chicken consumption feel to zero, chicken farmers and all other parties involved in the trade would be affected. The government will help raise consumer confidence by organising fairs in provinces and in Bangkok next Saturday.

In Bangkok, artists and singers from the Grammy group and RS will stage a concert at Sanam Luang where Thaksin will cook chicken to show the public that chicken is safe to eat if well cooked.

Thaksin will also give reporters a treat of KFC chicken at Seri Centre today.

In the provinces, governors will join with the provincial chamber of commerce to organise fairs to allay fears of bird flu in chicken among consumers.

Somkid said he would meet with financial institutions on Monday to help support chicken traders.

The confidence-boosting effort came as government spokesman Jakrapob Penkair said yesterday the European Union (EU) would next week review its ban on Thai poultry.

"We are going to submit relevant information to the EU, as the review is scheduled for February 2 and 3," Jakrapob said. He added that the United Kingdom supports a lifting of the ban.

He expressed optimism that Thai poultry would soon be back on the European market.

The ban was imposed since last week amid the outbreak of bird flu in Thailand, where the mass culling of poultry in affected areas continues.

Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, who heads a committee tasked with handling the bird-flu crisis, repeated that the situation was "not very worrying" because the disease was not transmitted between humans. "The transmission is only among chickens, and from chickens to humans," he said.

Somkid added that government agencies would join to assure the public that fully cooked chicken was safe to eat. He said domestic consumption of chicken had slumped sharply since the bird-flu outbreak became known. "If we can restore public confidence, the adverse consequences can be reduced," he said.

Beautiful and pet birds free of disease, and registered with the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, would be spared, he said.

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

Suicide by district chief

A district chief in Sukhothai province - which has been hit hard by the bird-flu outbreak - committed suicide in his office yesterday, police said.

Khiri Mat District Chief Adisorn Apichoe, 47, was found in his office's toilet with a bullet wound to his right temple at about 6.30pm.

Adisorn had just returned from a meeting chaired by Sukhothai Governor Sukit Charoenrattanakul on measures to contain the epidemic. One of his staff told police that Adisorn looked "serious" when he returned at about 4.30pm and locked himself in his office.

At about 6pm, he asked a radio official to give an envelope to one of his assistants. Shortly afterwards, the sound of a gun shot was heard from his office.

In the envelope were a letter to his wife, who is a nurse in Sakon Nakhon province, a bank-account passbook and Bt30,000 in cash.

Sukhothai is among 29 provinces listed as part of a red zone for the bird-flu outbreak.

--The Nation 2004-01-31