BANGKOK – Thailand has prohibited movement of horses for 90 days after an African Horse Sickness (AHS) outbreak has killed nearly 200 horses.
It is still unknown how the AHS or African plague outbreak has occurred for the first time in Thailand. AHS deaths have been reported in Nakhon Ratchasima, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chon Buri and Phetchaburi provinces in the past weeks.
The Ministry of Agriculture on Wednesday instructed the Livestock Department and the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department to seek solutions to the viral disease.
Horse farms and owners have been invited to a meeting with related government agencies on Friday.
Some horse farm owners suspect zebras imported from Africa are the most likely source of the virus.
They called on livestock officials to trace the origin of AHS and listing AHS on the animal disease act to pave the way for strict enforcement of animal health regulations. Many farms have threatened to file a lawsuit against the Livestock Department for failing to prevent the disease.
Livestock officials have said they are looking into the use of vaccine to prevent the viral disease by consulting experts and international organizations.(TNA)
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