Battling swine fever, Laos grateful for Thai help

Department of Livestock Development director-general Sorawit Thanito said on Sunday his counterpart in the Lao Department of Livestock and Fisheries had sent a letter expressing gratitude for the supplies being used to stem the epidemic identified early this month.

Sorawit’s department sent 100 pig-grappling poles, 30 spray backpacks, 10 large sprayers and 200 litres of disinfection liquid.

The department on June 22 suspened imports of pigs and wild boars, dead or alive, from Laos for 90 days.

That came in response to a June 20 report by the Office International des Epizooties that nearly 2,000 pigs were affected, nearly half of which had died, in the sub-districts Samakkhixay, Dine Dak, Phonengam, Kaenghang, Nalachang, Houava and Nahong Gnai.

All locales are less than 200 kilometres from Ubon Ratchathani province across the Thai border, prompting concern for the health of farm pigs across the Thai Northeast.

Sorawit said it was the first appearance of African swine fever in Laos.