January 23, 2007

Thailand imposes strict poultry movement controls

Thailand's Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry has ordered the Department of Livestock Development to strictly control the movement of poultry between the provinces and at the border checkpoints to prevent any outbreak of the bird flu virus.

According to The Thai News Agency, Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Thira Sutabutr was quoted as saying that the ministry has ordered strict monitoring of the movement of poultry between provinces and at border checkpoints.

As at the time of speaking, there was no report of the H5N1 bird flu virus found in the kingdom except in the northern province of Phitsanulok e more than 2,000 ducks were culled after the H5N1 virus was detected in the flock.

However, the Department of Livestock Development would carry on its preventive measures including monitoring poultry areas, testing whether the poultry died of bird flu, spraying disinfectants in at-risk areas and former outbreak areas, he said.