PHOTO: www.wikipedia.com

Dr Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai from the Department of Disease Control says over 10 people in central Thailand have contracted chikungunya since July, and urges people to take precautions, saying those with high fever and joint pain should seek medical advice without delay.

In total, since the beginning of the year, 7,481 people have been treated for chikungunya, with all patients surviving. The majority were in the 25 to 34 age bracket, followed by 35 – 44 and 15 – 24.

The provinces with the highest number of chikungunya patients are Pattani, Ranong, Tak, Phuket and Songkhla.

Officials were able to prevent the mosquito spread virus from developing to other areas but Dr Suwannachai says people should also make efforts to get rid of any potential breeding grounds for mosquitos.

This includes clearing rubbish away from the home, covering all food and water containers, and removing waste water or any stagnant water from around the home.

Chikungunya symptoms include high fever and rash and may also include joint pain lasting between one and two weeks. The virus is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito and can affect people of all ages.

SOURCE: The Chiang Rai Times

PHOTO: www.growbarato.net

In what’s thought to be the first-ever industrial scale manufacturing facility for medical cannabis within the Asean Region, Maejo University in Chiang Mai has planted 12,000 cannabis sprouts – the largest lot in the country.

It’s hoped the result will eventually be 1 million bottles, each containing 5ml of cannabis oil, by February.

Senior officials from the Ministry of Public Health attended a planting ceremony yesterday, along with the university’s executive team, the provincial government, and local administrative organisations.

Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul planted the first sprout, saying recent changes in the law would allow families to grow their own plants at home.

“These are historic first steps on the path towards allowing people to grow six cannabis trees in their homes. The university will be a centre where ordinary people can learn how to plant and grow good quality cannabis. Cannabis is not an issue of politics, it is a product that can benefit people’s health. In the near future, families will be able to plant it in their back gardens like any other herb.”

In June, Maejo University signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Medical Service and the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) concerning the development of cannabis plantations, including local strain development for medical use. Following that, the narcotic board granted the university a plantation licence in September.

It’s understood the planting session should produce 2.4 tons of dried cannabis flowers by February, which will be forwarded to the GPO for the production of 5,000 litres of cannabis oil. This will be given to doctors who can prescribe it to qualifying patients.

The Thai Food and Drug Administration’s decision to approve cannabis oil for prescription was met with cautious optimism by medical practitioners.

Medicinal use began on August 20 and the Chief of the Deparment of Medical Service, Somsak Akasin says initial results appear to indicate that cancer patients enjoy a better quality of life due to the cannabis oil mitigating the effects of chemotherapy.

He adds that half of children with epilepsy who have been treated with the drug have responded well.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post

PHOTO: Thai PBS World

Police have seized about 450 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine (ice), with a street valued around 225 million baht – a major shipment of the illicit drug. The seizure followed a ten-wheel truck ending up on its side after crashing into a traffic island in Phetchaburi province on Friday night.

The truck driver, 45 year old Adinan Laeha, and his 18 year old son, Wilayan, both from the southern province of Narathiwat, ended up with minor injuries in the overturn but are now being questioned by police over the illicit payload found in the truck.

The truck crashed on the main north-south Phetkasem highway near an underpass at about 8.30pm in Phetchaburi’s Muang district.

As the truck turned over, some of its cargo of illicit drugs crashed out onto the road. The first emergency services to arrive on the scene found several suspicious-looking packages wrapped in plastic spilled on the road and alerted police. Police checked some of the packages and found they contained crystal methamphetamine, and there was more inside the truck.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World