World Animal Protection Thailand has initiated the "Rowing For Farm Animals" campaign to foster public engagement and raise awareness on the peril posed by superbugs contamination in public waterways.
The campaign features a stand-up paddle (SUP) board march along three major rivers in Thailand, commencing at a park by Bang Pakong River in Chachoengsao province two weeks ago, followed by a floating market by Nakhon Chai Si River in Nakhon Pathom last week.
The last stop for the SUP expedition will be in front of Sappaya-Sapasathan or the new parliament that sits on Kiakkai Road along the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, on Nov 21.
According to recent investigations conducted by World Animal Protection Thailand, the presence of antimicrobial resistant superbugs have been found in rivers near pig and chicken farms in Nakhon Ratchasima, Chachoengsao and Nakhon Pathom provinces, pointing to an alarming overuse of antibiotics within these farming operations. The findings mirror results from tests conducted four years earlier.
These antibiotics closely link to those used to treat various bacterial infections in humans, including urinary tract infections, bronchitis infections, ear infections, septicemia, and sexually transmitted diseases. The spread of these superbugs poses a significant risk, potentially leading to fatal infections.
Participating in the campaign are World Animal Protection Thailand Ambassador Maria Poonlertlarp and Asst Prof Prinya Thaewanarumitkul, president of the Kayaking for Rivers Club and Thammasat Fleet.
Maria showed her concerns about the overuse of antibiotics in the farming industry, saying that the crisis is a direct result of low animal welfare standards on farms. She hopes that campaign inspires reform within the food system and help elevate farm animal welfare for the benefit of both farm animals and humans.
On Nov 21 from 1pm to 2pm, she will be among many other activists on the SUP march to propose preventive measures to the government and call upon the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to take swift action on the issue.
