Newin orders plans to deal with epidemic amid claims 50m chickens have died or been culled; officials to register all farms
In the face of mounting concern over
bird flu within the region, livestock officials from all over the country were ordered yesterday to urgently draft contingency plans to deal with poultry-disease epidemics.
Allegations of government lies and a cover-up continued, meanwhile, with a consumer group claiming more than 50 million chickens in Thailand have died or been slaughtered as the result of disease that might be bird flu.
Deputy Agriculture Minister Newin Chidchob, who has insisted Thailand is free of bird flu, called the urgent meeting of chief livestock officials. He advised them that they should move to register all poultry farms in their areas within two weeks, collect samples for lab tests, and prevent the movement of sick chickens.
He told officials from all pro-vinces to write contingency plans for dealing with an epidemic in the poultry industry and submit them by Monday.
Newin said all chickens at infected farms would be culled and that operators of the affected farms would be paid Bt40 in compensation for each bird killed as part of the prevention plan.
Farms found to be free of disease should be certified, he ordered.
Newin expressed confidence that the entire prevention process could be in place within 30 days.
Viroj Na Bangchang, president of the Consumer Force Association of Thailand, yesterday accused the government of covering up the deaths of as many as 50 million chickens from a fowl disease that may have been bird flu.
The figure is close to an estimate by the Kasikorn Research Centre, the research arm of Kasikornbank, which said that at least 40 million chickens had died of diarrhoea or changes in the weather.
"Why is the government saying that it's not the bird flu? Tens of millions of chickens have died. They have to tell the truth," Viroj said.
He claimed large numbers of dead chickens had been quietly disposed of this month to avoid public panic.
"It may affect tourism and chicken exports. We have to be willing to accept that," he said. "The truth must be told. I don't think the government is telling the truth."
Viroj submitted a petition to the House committee on consumer protection yesterday calling for action over the mass deaths of chickens.
Senator Somkiat Onwimon said yesterday a cover-up of the mysterious disease had continued for two months and that almost 20 provinces had been affected.
He called on the government to make it clear what type of disease caused the latest mass deaths of local chickens.
The bird flu, or avian influenza, can affect humans and has killed at least a dozen people in Asia. Millions of chickens in South Korea, Vietnam and Japan have been slaughtered to contain the epidemic.
Thailand is the world's fourth largest chicken exporter, according to government figures.
The Agriculture Ministry, which says changes in the weather cause mass deaths of chickens at this time of year, said on Wednesday the recent deaths were caused by diarrhoea and bronchitis.
In a related development, a senior Japanese executive yesterday expressed confidence in the Thai government's animal control measures.
Masatoshi Ito, president of Ajinomoto Frozen Foods, a major importer of Thai chicken products, said in Lop Buri yesterday the company would continue imports from Thailand despite concern over the bird flu.
He said the Japanese government has closely monitored the bird-flu situation in some provinces of Japan.
Vasit Taepaisitphongse, chief operating officer of Betagro Group, said the company ordered all chickens in its contract farms in Nakhon Sawan culled last November. The farm operators would get compensation but the amount was not disclosed.
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Herbal remedies being used to treat sick chicks
Small-time poultry raisers in Nakhon Phanom have used local wisdom to cure their sick chickens with a traditional herbal remedy.
Two local herbs - fa talai jone and krua khao hor - are being used to treat chickens suffering from respiratory problems due to changes in the weather, said Tuanjai Inkesa, owner of a small chicken farm in the northeastern province's Muang (city) district.
Feed mixed with greenish fluid from boiled herbs were given to the sick chickens, she said, and within three days they were well. Modern medicines can take five days or more to work, she added.
"Herbs are safer as there are no chemical contents," she said. "We also can save a lot of money as modern medicine is expensive."
Tuanjai said that she came up with the idea of treating sick chickens with the herbs last year after remembering that in the past the plants were used to treat ailing fighting cocks.
Several chicken raisers in Nakhon Phanom have begun using the herbal remedies on their birds, she said.
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