Fresh poultry sales at markets in some provinces have dropped after police and health authorities raided illegal slaughterhouses in Nakhon Ratchasima and seized nine tonnes of decomposed chicken carcasses so far this week.

The Nation reports that fresh poultry sales at Bonkai market in Nakhon Sawan have dropped by over half to 100 kilograms per day compared to previous daily sales of 200 to 300kg as consumers have health concerns after reported formalin contamination of chicken carcasses from illegal poultry slaughterhouses in Nakhon Ratchasima.

In Nakhon Phanom, chicken sales have dropped and some poultry sellers in the markets have stopped selling chicken altogether, though temporarily. Meanwhile, consumers turned to buy pork and fish instead.

The governor of Nakhon Ratchasima ordered legal action against persons in illegal slaughterhouses buying birds for resale which have died from unknown causes.

Governor Rapee Pongbuppakit said police raided four illegal slaughterhouses in Pakchong district yesterday (14 June), seizing 1.6 tonnes of dead poultry. More investigations are in progress to determine the ownership of the poultry processing plants.

A government livestock official in Pakchong district was relieved on his duties, and will be questioned tomorrow.

The provincial governor said that the investigation will cover all 32 districts. However, the governor said he believed the problem is limited to Pakchong district.

Poultry carcasses were transported from the central region to illegal slaughterhouses in Nakhon Ratchasima where they were processed for sale in remote areas, he said.

Pol Col Wachirawit Kritritthisak, deputy commander of Nakhon Ratchasima provincial police, leading the investigation, said four people have been arrested, charged with illegally moving the carcasses without permission. The Nation reports him saying that the probe is finding more culprits.

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