Livestock Development Department chief Sorawit Thaneeto has instructed the Animal Quarantine Station at the country’s largest international airport to dispatch an operations team, including sniffer dogs, to find, seize and properly dispose of smuggled pork products from China. As part of the department’s temporary 90-day ban on imports of pigs, pork meats and swine products from China, Thai officials were told to strictly scan for and suppress illegal pork imports from neighbouring countries via 89 border checkpoints in 25 provinces. If the situation remained risky, he would extend the temporary ban for 90 days at a time under his powers as the department’s director-general, said Sorawit. Labs at the National Institute of Animal Health and the Veterinary Research and Development Centre's regional centres were also prepared to inspect and confirm African swine fever infections in pigs. African swine fever does not affect humans, but causes haemorrhagic fever in pigs and wild boars that is nearly always fatal.

Source: The Nation Bangkok September 11, 2018 06:58 UTC