Bird flu threatens Indonesia, Thailand

cctv.com 01-26-2004 10:39

Indonesia has become the latest country to confirm an outbreak of bird flu. Meanwhile in Thailand, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said his country could solve the problem within 30 days.

Indonesia announced an outbreak of bird flu on Sunday after previously insisting it was free of the virus. An Agriculture Ministry official said almost 2 million chickens had died of a combination of avian flu and Newcastle disease since August. The official said the virus had not been proven to have infected humans.

In Thailand, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra talked to worried farmers in Suphan Buri province on Sunday.

Shinawatra said, "I think we can solve the problems in Thailand within 30 days, but for negotiations with our trading partner, it will probably take a bit longer than that, but not much."

Thaksin also promised compensation, a suspension of farmers' debts, and help with starting up again once the epidemic was defeated. Thailand has invited senior health and agriculture officials from Asian countries and international agencies fighting the outbreak to a meeting on Wednesday.

Bangkok had also been accused of covering up the outbreak for weeks before it finally admitted bird flu cases in Thailand on Friday. Japan and the European Union, Thailand's biggest customers, have banned poultry imports from Thailand. But some Thais might be worrying more about the country's tourism, a far more valuable industry to the country, as tourists are likely to be deterred by the epidemic.

Editor:Xiao  Source:CCTV.com