Thai customs and livestock officials intercepted two trucks carrying 109 head of cattle, believed to have been smuggled into the country from Myanmar, and arrested two drivers in Thailand’s border province of Tak yesterday (Thursday).
The first truck, carrying 43 head of cattle, was heading for Sukhothai province from Mahawan sub-district of Mae Sot district when it was stopped at a customs checkpoint in Huai Ya-oo. The second vehicle, also arriving from Mahawan sub-district, was heading for Yasothon with 66 head of cattle on board.
The officials also discovered that the two drivers were using “recycled” permits for the movement of the cattle out of Tak province.
Under the animal epidemic act, movement of animals into or out of a zone “under watch” for animal epidemics without a permit from a veterinarian in the zone is a violation of the law. Tak province, which borders with Myanmar, has declared all villages, sub-districts and districts in the province to be zones “under watch” for foot and mouth disease in cattle, swine, goats and sheep.
Somchuan, a veterinarian in Tak, said that livestock officials have stepped up efforts to intercept the smuggling of cattle from Myanmar, to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease and to protect domestic cattle farmers and consumers, as control of the disease in Myanmar is lax.
Members of the public who have information about the movement of illegal cattle are urged to inform livestock officials via hotline number 063-225-6888 around the clock, or via the DLD4.0 application.
