A E C Could Bring Infectious Diseases, Warns Thai Expert

[catmac]

"A E C Could Bring Infectious Diseases, Warns Thai Expert"

Amongst others: 'open market', 'competition', 'zero tariff import duty'

Hit the nail on the head, Rubi.

This is just the latest shot in the battle to sabotage all that is worthwhile in the AEC. Remember the first? When the beer cartels demanded that the reduced import duties on beer should be replaced by a "health tax" on imported beers only, real Thai beers would be exempt as they are so pure!

[kevvy]

Best tell him that Thailand has a tourist industry too that is rumoured to bring in over 20 million visitors a year.

Think of the diseases all those dirty foreigners are bringing in.

are you a foreigner or were you born here. just want to know

[kjun12]

Best tell him that Thailand has a tourist industry too that is rumoured to bring in over 20 million visitors a year.

Think of the diseases all those dirty foreigners are bringing in.

Right on. You got it right!

[Ricardo]

Please remind me what A.E.C. stands for

Asian/ASEAN Economic Community ?

[DocN]

All he is doing is spreading 'foot-in-mouth' disease.

isn't rather another body- part in another body- part...??? One that leaves the brain without oxygen?!

[Payboy]

If stupidity were an infectious disease, Thailand would be ground zero.

[Bluespunk]

This guy could be a right wing little englander. Heard this tripe (or racist ranting of a similar bent) throughout the late 70s to the present about joining the EEC. Yes there are problems when you join an economic block but they tend to involve some loss of sovereignty and taking on the economic woes of the weaker members, not however the type of nonsense this moron is spewing out. Amazing how fear of losing control and having your cozy little world shaken up brings out the racist in some people. Going to have to face up to the fact that the opportunities offered by large markets come at a cost mate.

[oldsailor35]

Hope that those corrupt government officials don't stop "laundering" their dirty money

[oldsailor35]

Best tell him that Thailand has a tourist industry too that is rumoured to bring in over 20 million visitors a year.

Think of the diseases all those dirty foreigners are bringing in.

Nah ! don't be cruel, don't tell him that, he might have a heart attack, or worse ban all tourists.

[oldsailor35]

Xenophobia at work

And, is it my imagination, or is it only seeming to be getting worse? The big wide world is dawning on Thailand with Asean or the ICJ, and some really don't appear to know how to react, other than to make veiled xenophobic statements. Who was that idiot senator who said that the Thai's should check the makeup of the judges at the ICJ to see if they had any "connection" to Cambodia.

Judging by some of the stupidly inane remarks from senior officials, i seriously doubt that many Thais over the age of 50 had any education whatsoever. Apart from 'screwing' the system that is !

[oldsailor35]

Xenophobia at work

No, it is a legitimate concern. The professor's comments are taken out of context. Please understand that an influx of people does indeed bring with it an increased likelihood of new disease carriers. The western EU nations saw it when the former east bloc countries gained access to the EU. North Americans saw it with the increased flow of visitors from Latin America. Aboriginal peoples experienced it when Europeans visited with their smallpox and strains of influenza. It is seen in North America when Chinese merchant vessels dump their bilge water introducing foreign species, and organisms. One of the large unspoken fears in public health is the increased danger of cross border traffic that will introduce new strains and variants from Vietnam and China.

Perhaps you did not know that there are thousands of migrant workers in Thailand from Myanmar, Lao and Cambodia ?

Edited January 11, 2013 by oldsailor35

[oldsailor35]

Best tell him that Thailand has a tourist industry too that is rumoured to bring in over 20 million visitors a year.

Think of the diseases all those dirty foreigners are bringing in.

are you a foreigner or were you born here. just want to know

Just a bit of "tongue in cheek" in my estimation !

[geriatrickid]

23 million tourists.

Maybe 1 million workers.

There is already plenty of "worker" and tourist flow around Thailand's borders - 150,000 Cambodians at least.

You can't compare the historical events you listed as they bear no similarity.

I'm sure all the diseases are here given the extremes of transient intimacies

The demographics are considerably different now than they will be once the onstacles to entry are reduced. Many of the foreign asian travelers are "middle class" and have benefit from vaccination and programs in their countries. Once the entry requirements change, the likelihood of entry of people from higher risk groups, i.e. non vaccinated people will increase.

What you are unaware of is that the current situation is barely manageable. The refugee camps on the Burma border have benefit from international medical assistance and vaccination programs. However, Burmese worker camps often report outbreaks of contagious illness. These are not reported in the media as the information is not released for public safety reasons. There have been a number of outbreaks of GI related illnesses at resorts, but again this is not reported. This should not come as a surprise because it is a common occurrence at some western resorts and on cruise ships now. The migrant workers for the most part are kept away from the Thai population and are easier to track than if it was a general entry. One of the pressing issues for public health in Thailand as it is for countries in the west is the influx of illegal immigrants. These people often are infectious disease carriers. It is not politically correct to make mention of this aspect of the risk profile. Thailand is not equipped like China is to quarantine a population segment. There is also resistance to disease outbreak control measures such as the culling of livestock. When the avian flu was rampaging in Vietnam, farmers in Vietnam and Thailand made a fuss when the authorities were culling poultry. Remember SARS? Asia did not handle the outbreak very well and Thailand was caught flat footed. To date, it has still not implemented a proper disaster response plan.

However, do you know who some of the biggest health risks are right now? Westerners. Vaccination rates for many common diseases such as mumps, whooping cough, measles etc have decliend because many westerners have assumed there is no risk since the number of cases was small. The fake link to autism didn't help matters as many parents fell for the elaborate fraud that saw a physician try to make the claim, which has since been disproven and the research exposed as unreliable and bogus. Germany has had epidemics of syphilis in the past 5 years and the UK has had spikes in STIs, tuberculosis and various illnesses associated with the Indian subcontinent and Africa. Polio is still present in the Indian subcontinent and is a continual threat to its ASEAN neighbours.

[rubl]

Well, luckily India is not part of ASEAN and a major influx of unwashed not in-occulated Asean brothers and sisters doesn't seem too likely

http://en.wikipedia....N_member_states

[atyclb]

And the rest of ASEAN will be worrying about Thais spreading HIV.

Not to mention spreading "ineptitude"

[Tanaka]

Xenophobia at work

Na, just another Thai expert.

[noitom]

This article shows a whole number of strange thoughts. Like f.e. Thailand is somehow isolated from the rest of the world!

Dude...what are you thinking? You are not like the Native Americans, suddenly confronted with the outside world.

WE ARE HERE! For quiet some time already!

We come from Europe, America, Asia, Australia...what is wrong with you?

Thais perceive themselves to be isolated from the rest of the world - that's what Thainess is all about. So the newspaper can write in Thai speak and they will intuitively know that non-Thais here or abroad are not to be taken seriously and really don't exist in their minds.

[whybother]

With the EU teetering on the brink of total economic collapse, it's ironic that so many TV posters are cheerleaders for the AEC (globalist claptrap). Remember that the EU monstrosity started out innocently enough as an "economic community". Rest assured that the agenda here is the same -- start out with very little power and harmless and gradually morph into a huge tax-gobbling bureaucracy, spawning inflation, etc.

Theo AEC is nothing like the EU. There will be no central administration or financial controls here.

Sent from my HTC phone.

[whybother]

23 million tourists.

Maybe 1 million workers.

There is already plenty of "worker" and tourist flow around Thailand's borders - 150,000 Cambodians at least.

You can't compare the historical events you listed as they bear no similarity.

I'm sure all the diseases are here given the extremes of transient intimacies

The demographics are considerably different now than they will be once the onstacles to entry are reduced. Many of the foreign asian travelers are "middle class" and have benefit from vaccination and programs in their countries. Once the entry requirements change, the likelihood of entry of people from higher risk groups, i.e. non vaccinated people will increase.

What you are unaware of is that the current situation is barely manageable. The refugee camps on the Burma border have benefit from international medical assistance and vaccination programs. However, Burmese worker camps often report outbreaks of contagious illness. These are not reported in the media as the information is not released for public safety reasons. There have been a number of outbreaks of GI related illnesses at resorts, but again this is not reported. This should not come as a surprise because it is a common occurrence at some western resorts and on cruise ships now. The migrant workers for the most part are kept away from the Thai population and are easier to track than if it was a general entry. One of the pressing issues for public health in Thailand as it is for countries in the west is the influx of illegal immigrants. These people often are infectious disease carriers. It is not politically correct to make mention of this aspect of the risk profile. Thailand is not equipped like China is to quarantine a population segment. There is also resistance to disease outbreak control measures such as the culling of livestock. When the avian flu was rampaging in Vietnam, farmers in Vietnam and Thailand made a fuss when the authorities were culling poultry. Remember SARS? Asia did not handle the outbreak very well and Thailand was caught flat footed. To date, it has still not implemented a proper disaster response plan.

However, do you know who some of the biggest health risks are right now? Westerners. Vaccination rates for many common diseases such as mumps, whooping cough, measles etc have decliend because many westerners have assumed there is no risk since the number of cases was small. The fake link to autism didn't help matters as many parents fell for the elaborate fraud that saw a physician try to make the claim, which has since been disproven and the research exposed as unreliable and bogus. Germany has had epidemics of syphilis in the past 5 years and the UK has had spikes in STIs, tuberculosis and various illnesses associated with the Indian subcontinent and Africa. Polio is still present in the Indian subcontinent and is a continual threat to its ASEAN neighbours.

The AEC won't allow the free movement of people. There will still be border controls. There will still be work permit requirements. What it does is reduce tariffs, reduce restrictions on ASEAN businesses doing business, and recognise ASEAN qualifications.

Sent from my HTC phone.

[Robby nz]

For once I agree with Gerry that hthe Dr has a valid point.

To compare the tourists who mostly come from advanced countries which have vacination programes against a lot of the diseases and obviosly have the money for medical care with poor migrant workers from countries which do not is really not on.

The migrant worker who comes here to get Baht rather than spend them is far more likely to carry a communical disease.

[siampolee]

Ye gods not again.,

Those damed foreigners have brought in yet another disease to ultra hygienic Thailand which has infected that renowned virologist Dr Prasert Thongcharoen with Verbal Diarrhea.

[vegasphl]

Geriactrickid says Foreigners go to Thailand for Sex. That is SHOCKING!!! SHOCKING I say.

[siampolee]

Geriactrickid says Foreigners go to Thailand for Sex. That is SHOCKING!!! SHOCKING I say.

Perchance the voice of experience uttering such gems of wisdom one is inclined to ask ?

[Markaew]

This ASEAN thing isn't such a good idea, we could lose out, think of ways to restrict it

Isn't that what this OP is all about? The government is thinking of ways to restrict the AEC using diseases as an excuse. And yes, Thailand WILL lose out because of their superiority complex. With the implementation of the AEC Thais will quickly discover that Thailand and Thais are not the supreme beings they think they are. This OP is just the beginning. The government will come up with more and more reasons to restrict the AEC and protect themselves from reality.

[Markaew]

Geriactrickid says Foreigners go to Thailand for Sex. That is SHOCKING!!! SHOCKING I say.

Perchance the voice of experience uttering such gems of wisdom one is inclined to ask ?

Why are you laughing? Didn't you know Thailand is a family destination now?

[arthurboy]

The mode of transmission and spread of communicable diseases are complex too say the least.

Consider cyclical outbreaks, climate changes, mutated disease variations, poor or non existent immunisation programmes in many countries and changes in vector modalities and demographics and you will always have the potential for intermittent - possibly catastrophic - endemics of whatever disease.

Let's assume that, in his original interview, he did consider the other variables noted above, but the Nation chose to omit them, what does that say about this 'newspaper's' editorial intent?

But if not, then Dr. Virus' comments are facile and - as already pointed out by another poster - xenophobic.

For a man who purports to be a 'renowned expert', he should know better than to make the simplistic and idiotic claim that 'Thailand will be at risk from outbreaks of infectious disease when it enters the AEC' as if this is the only factor in the mix.

[geriatrickid]

Wow some of the attacks on the professor emeritus (Mahidol University) have been rather harsh. I don't suppose anyone actually knows this distinguished gentleman's background? I had a chuckle at the "Thai" related insults. Does it change anything that he graduated from a German medical school and is internationally renowned? He was one of the principal investigators in the HIV vaccine research in Thailand. If he was such a boob, do you think the US CDC and US Army Medical Corps would have tossed millions of dollars his way? A quick search of citatations shows he is frequently cited in respect to Dengue. Of particular importance was his experience with SARS. The near catastrophic results that arose from the SARS epidemic most likely is the reason why he is expressing caution. The gentleman doesn't need me to defend him as his international recognition and important role within the WHO speaks for itself, but I do wish some of you people could be more respectful. This is a guy that has worked decades to keep us safe and to make our lives better.

[siampolee]

'renowned expert virologist Dr Prasert Thongcharoen..

An expert knows very little about a great deal

A specialist knows a great deal about very little.

So what is the true nature of this man one asks?

[jacko45k]

Best tell him that Thailand has a tourist industry too that is rumoured to bring in over 20 million visitors a year.

Think of the diseases all those dirty foreigners are bringing in.

They take a few out with them too........trust me!

[arthurboy]

Wow some of the attacks on the professor emeritus (Mahidol University) have been rather harsh. I don't suppose anyone actually knows this distinguished gentleman's background? I had a chuckle at the "Thai" related insults. Does it change anything that he graduated from a German medical school and is internationally renowned? He was one of the principal investigators in the HIV vaccine research in Thailand. If he was such a boob, do you think the US CDC and US Army Medical Corps would have tossed millions of dollars his way? A quick search of citatations shows he is frequently cited in respect to Dengue. Of particular importance was his experience with SARS. The near catastrophic results that arose from the SARS epidemic most likely is the reason why he is expressing caution. The gentleman doesn't need me to defend him as his international recognition and important role within the WHO speaks for itself, but I do wish some of you people could be more respectful. This is a guy that has worked decades to keep us safe and to make our lives better.

It's not his reputation that is in question. It's his remarks, or at least the Nation's reporting of them, that have been deemed dubious.

As I mentioned previously, if his words have been reported out of context by the Nation, then this is a case of - yet again - shoddy journalism. But if not, I can safely assume that a man with his professional experience fully understands the import of such comments and their impact on the general population.

As a world renowned virologist, he of all people should be aware that throw away remarks of this nature only serve to stoke the fires of ignorance, and so do nothing to educate or inform the public in a rational and useful manner.