August 9, 2004

Thai Health Ministry Assigned Responsibility For Bird Flu

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has assigned the Ministry of Public Health as the government's agency responsible for addressing the bird flu problem in line with food-safety measures.

Minister of Public Health Sudarat Keyuraphan said that the Prime Minister has entrusted his ministry with the task of determining measures for all types of food, as well as prescribing effective working regulations for all related parties and organisations.

In addition, the Ministry of Interior has been asked to work with the Ministry of Public Health to strictly enforce the application of such measures to all food businesses.

At the same time, the Health Ministry will be holding a seminar on Monday in which it will announce the prohibition of antibiotics from being used in the poultry industry as part of its efforts to protect food from any chemical contamination.