Sorry to say, but it appears that your bird-caressing hobby will have to be put on hold.
In an effort to circumvent the spread of H7N9 avian influenza (no cases of which have been reported in Thailand, but…), the Ministry of Heath has announced that Thai citizens should refrain from touching birds, be they alive or dead.
If people do have to touch birds, Public Health Minister Pradit Sintawanarong advises that they don gloves in order to do so.
Aiming to maintain its spotless record regarding H7N9, the Ministry is also asking members of the public to report any unusual deaths of birds or livestock to Public Health officials.
