Thailand’s Department of Livestock Development today, January 11th, confirms the detection of African swine fever (ASF) in a surface swab sample collected from a slaughterhouse in the Nakhon Prathom province.


Director-General Sorawit Thanito told the Associated Press that the department discovered one case of the ASF out of 309 samples from 10 pig farms that were brought to the slaughterhouse.


An ad-hoc team already inspected the area to investigate epidemiological diseases and find out the cause of the disease in order to control the spread of the disease and minimize the effect that it may cause the local pig farming industries.

This marks the first official confirmation of the ASF disease following several rumors going on social media for the past weeks. After the public announcement, the Department would continue to report the detection to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) in the following step.

Previously, local farmers in Chonburi claimed to The Pattaya News that the disease was present, resulting in price increases and supply shortages. However, the government insisted that there was no ASF found in the livestock, as of last Sunday.

On Tuesday, the Cabinet Committee has recently approved 574 million baht compensation to local pig farmers in 56 provinces who were reportedly suffering from the ASF last year in order to prevent the reoccurrence of the ASF and other pig diseases this year.


ASF cannot spread to humans, according to OIE, either from consuming pork or being around live pigs and is not a danger to people.



Thailand finds African Swine Fever in swab sample at Nakhon Prathom slaughterhouse - The Pattaya News