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Dr Prat Boonyawongvirot, permanent secretary of the Public Health Ministry, said gastrointestinal diseases - including cholera, acute diarrhoea, foodborn illness, dysentery, typhoid and enteric fever - would be severe next year.

This is due to global warming, which has changed the environment and the behaviour of bacteria growing up. People also still eat halfcooked food in the belief that raw meat is more delicious than cooked meat.

Prat also blamed migrant workers for spreading the disease, as infections are difficult to control.

People including preschoolers need to take extra care of their health and avoid catching gastrointestinal diseases during festivals. They should clean their hands before eating and should stick to only cooked food.

According to the Disease Control Department, 1,190,277 patients suffered from gastrointestinal diseases last year and 42 of them died.

Diarrhoea was the most prevalent ailment with 1,074,262 patients and 33 deaths.

Most victims are children up to the age of five and the elderly.

Cholera claimed 230 patients and three deaths.