Govt orders food safety crackdown
The Public Health Ministry has ordered a crackdown on food safety after 169 orphans from Ang Thong's Wat Sa Kaew School were rushed to hospital on Saturday night with food poisoning.
Eight were still critically dehydrated yesterday. Public Health Minister Pinij Charusombat said restaurants, food stalls, fresh markets and vendors serving schools would be targeted in the crackdown. According to the Disease Control Department's Epidemiology Bureau, in the past four months 300,000 people have fallen ill and one has died from contaminated food or drink. A handful of the orphans from Wat Sa Kaew School were released last night, but 152 others were still in hospital, said Pinij. Health Department director-general Somyos Charoensak said the department had been working to improve hygiene at restaurants and food stalls. About 60 per cent of the 149,215 restaurants and food stalls nationwide had achieved its "Clean Food, Good Taste" standard. About half of the country's fresh markets - 822 out of 1,661 - have passed the hygienic standards test, and 33,733 of 34,946 schools have joined the government's scheme to promote healthy and clean canteens. About half of the country's fresh markets - 822 out of 1,661 - have passed the hygienic standards test, and 33,733 of 34,946 schools have joined the government's scheme to promote healthy and clean canteens.
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