Thailand

Cabinet members eat seafood lunch to prove it’s not contaminated with Covid-19

Published

Wednesday, December 30, 2020 11:14

PHOTO: Matichon

After the Laos government banned seafood imports from Thailand due to the Covid-19 outbreak at a Samut Sakhon fishing hub, Thai officials are assuring the neighbouring country that Thai seafood is not contaminated with the coronavirus. In what seems like a publicity stunt, members of the Thai Cabinet ate 7 seafood dishes for lunch yesterday to prove that Covid-19 cannot be transmitted through the cooked seafood.

The lawmakers posed for photos in front of the lunch buffet which included barbeque prawn, spicy prawn soup, stir-fried squid with shrimp paste, deep-fried sea bass with fish sauce, stir-fried shrimp with holy basil leaves, stir-fried squid with salted eggs and crab fried rice. Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam says if seafood is properly cooked, there is no risk of Covid-19.

Last week, the Laos authorities immediately halted all imports of both fresh and frozen seafood from Thailand due to fears that the seafood could be contaminated with the virus. The ban is temporary and the Laos government says they will lift the ban once Thailand and Laos reach a mutual agreement regarding safety measures. The Thai government recently issued a statement saying officials have been screening the seafood products and they have found no traces of Covid-19.

Cabinet members eat seafood lunch to prove it's not contaminated with Covid-19 | News by Thaiger

PHOTO: Thai PBS

SOURCES: Nation Thailand | Thai PBS

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14 Comments

B.T.

Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 11:22 am

What they can prove by eating free food? Typical idiotic propaganda.Anything can be contaminated when contacted with virus.The question is how long it will survive without host.The most personal hygiene and self distancing .Seafood safe If people who have contact with are free from virus .Very simple.

Reply
- John
  
  Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 11:40 am
  
  First of all viruses are NOT ALIVE. There is no survival time for viruses. They become inept when exposed to UV light and high/low temp. Typically a virus that replicates inside human cells needs a consistent 98.6 F degree temp to maintain it’s structure. You can not contract a virus from cooked food. That’s why we cook food to begin with. Everyone is going insane with this covid thing.
  
  Reply
  - Issan John
    
    Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 2:46 pm
    
    “They become inept when exposed to UV light and high/low temp.”
    
    “Inept” ?
    
    Ummm … I don’t think they do 🙂
    
    Reply
  - Maestro
    
    Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 3:42 pm
    
    @john, this is the meaning of the word Inept: “having or showing no skill, clumsy”. Ineptitude: “the quality of being inept” (incompetence).
    
    Similar words: Incompetent, unskilful, unskilled, inexpert, amateurish.
    
    I give you some slack as I think, that someway or somehow, you meant one of the above (I hope). But viruses definitely do not become inept.
    
    Reply
- bil
  
  Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 3:25 pm
  
  it’s like officials taking vaccin in front of cameras on tv ! are you sure this is real vaccin !
  
  Reply
Galaxy

Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 11:27 am

Hé guys, your demonstration is absolutely idiot. Wait some days before to mention that you are not COVID thick!

Reply
- John
  
  Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 11:41 am
  
  Ignorance is bliss
  
  Reply
Mr cynic

Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 1:11 pm

Cabinet ministers enjoy a free lunch.news?

Reply
James Pate

Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 2:35 pm

Yeah, my mother-in-law can’t be persuaded to let us have seafood on New Year’s Eve. If we can’t persuade her, the government can’t either. Killing bacteria and viruses by cooking is something I learned in 3rd grade science class. Yes, there is some risk of getting infected from the seafood vendor. Home delivery. Leave it on the porch and disinfect the parcel. Oh well.

Reply
- Issan John
  
  Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 2:48 pm
  
  “They become inept when exposed to UV light and high/low temp.”
  
  “Inept” ?
  
  Ummm … I don’t think they do 🙂
  
  Reply
  - Toby Andrews
    
    Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 10:57 pm
    
    OK the guy used the wrong word.
    He means UV can kill the virus. Look it up I see in many sites that it can.
    You know alls trying to display your great knowledge.
    Look carefully he might have put in a spelling mistake .. .
    
    Reply
Ian

Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 6:01 pm

Seafood should be cooked and not eaten raw trout salmon cod shrimp all my favourites all delicious when cooked sushi ain’t for me

Reply
Issan John's Mentor

Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 10:36 pm

Whether or not the seafood is infected, eating doesn’t prove anything.

Reply
Observer of Society

Saturday, January 2, 2021 at 11:33 am

I have not seen a single report that Covid-19 can be transmitted by food.

Reply

Caitlin Ashworth

Caitlin Ashworth is a writer from the United States who has lived in Thailand since 2018. She graduated from the University of South Florida St. Petersburg with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and media studies in 2016. She was a reporter for the Daily Hampshire Gazette In Massachusetts. She also interned at the Richmond Times-Dispatch in Virginia and Sarasota Herald-Tribune in Florida.

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