September 22, 2004

Thailand, Malaysia To Tighten Poultry Movement Across Border

Thai and Malaysian officials agreed Tuesday to tighten controls of poultry movement across their border to curb the spread of bird flu.

Malaysia, spared from the bird flu epidemic that swept much of Asia early this year, saw several outbreaks among poultry beginning in August.

It blamed the problem on fighting cocks smuggled over the border from Thailand, one of the countries worst-hit by the deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza.

"People on the border don't recognize the borders. They move from Thailand to Malaysia and Malaysia to Thailand, bringing their fighting cocks," said Abi Musa Asa'ari Mohamed Nor, secretary-general of Malaysia's agriculture ministry.

"The biggest immediate problem would be to coordinate to prevent the movement of birds between both countries," Abi Musa told reporters after a meeting at Thailand's agriculture ministry.

He said Malaysian officials are checking trucks to make sure they are not carrying birds across the border. Thai officials said their police, customs and agriculture officials are also making such checks.

"The border can be walked across, but both they (Malaysia) and we are going to try to spread the word with people in the area that there is this disease, and we have to be careful," said Yukol Limlamthong, director general of Thailand's livestock department.

Officials from both countries also agreed on an early warning system to immediately share information on any new outbreaks.

Bird flu hit Asia early this year, leading to the cull of tens of millions of poultry to control the H5N1 strain.

Experts from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization and other groups have warned that the virus cannot be easily or quickly eradicated, especially since there is evidence that it is spread by migratory birds.