The opening ceremony was held at the offices of the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO) this past week, presided over by Phuket Governor Nirat Pongsitthaworn, with Phuket Provincial Livestock Officer Suthat Niyomthai, training instructors, volunteers, students, and youth representatives in attendance.
Governor Nirat said he welcomed the strong priority being placed on rabies prevention by the Department of Livestock Development, noting that effective control of the disease required cooperation from all sectors ‒ government agencies, local administrative bodies, the private sector, and the public.
He stressed that rabies remains a serious threat in Thailand and highlighted the importance of protecting both people and animals, in line with royal initiatives aimed at eliminating the disease nationwide.
Through the training, participants are expected to apply their new knowledge and skills to improve local monitoring, expand vaccination coverage, and strengthen rapid response capacity in their communities, he said. Effective community-level participation would help reduce infections in both humans and animals and support efforts to ensure long-term safety, he added.
Governor Nirat also noted that Phuket’s recognition as a “rabies-safe” area reflects ongoing commitment and close cooperation between provincial agencies, local organisations, health authorities, and community volunteers in implementing practical and sustained prevention measures.
Mr Suthat explained that the project is part of the national ‘Rabies-Free Animals, Rabies-Safe People’ strategy driven by royal concern expressed by Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Walailak, Princess Savangavadhana. The nationwide effort integrates cooperation between the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Public Health, and Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives.
Phuket Provincial Livestock Office, he said, is committed to translating this strategy into concrete local action by equipping livestock volunteers with technical understanding, operational skills, and practical tools to enhance monitoring, prevention, vaccination and public awareness.
A total of 40 participants joined the training, which aims to sustain Phuket’s status as a rabies-safe province and ensure continued protection of both residents and animals.