Stop bringing in birds from S.Thailand
The Star, 22 Oct 2005

KOTA BARU: Villagers living near the border should stop bringing in exotic birds and poultry from south Thailand in view of the bird flu threat. 

State Communicable Diseases Unit head Dr Wan Mansor Wan Hamzah said in an interview yesterday that ignorant villagers were still smuggling in birds which could be infected. 

It was reported that Thailand had recorded its 13th bird flu death and the deadly virus has now spread to eastern Europe. 

Dr Wan Mansor also urged villagers to be on the lookout for sick birds kept in cages or sudden deaths of poultry. 

He said the bird flu vaccine was   now only  dispensed  to

personnel involved in high-risk situations to curb the entry of bird flu.  

In a related matter, state wildlife and national parks department director Pazil Abdul Patah said rangers would immediately seize the exotic birds if they were found during checks at borders and villages.