The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has unveiled a plan to stop the transmission of bird flu to domestic poultry and humans within three years, local press reported Wednesday.

"The key is preventing free-range and backyard poultry from being exposed to the virus in the environment," chief of the ministry Khunying Sudarat was quoted by Bangkok Post as saying.

Once the aim was achieved, Thailand will have no more bird flu outbreaks, said Sudarat.

The plan was mapped out against the backdrop of a rise in the number of bird flu patients and an emerging row between the agencies responsible for bird flu control.

The details of the plan will be tabled for discussion at Wednesday's meeting at the Government House.

The government is expected to partially lift a ban on fowl vaccination, allowing owners of love birds and fighting cocks to vaccines their birds against bird flu.

On Tuesday, Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin said over 20,000 volunteers had been sent the city's outskirts to monitor irregular fowl deaths and give instructions on hygienic poultry raising.

From now on, the deaths of poultry could be reported to livestock department within 12 hours, he said.

There are currently 9,000 backyard poultry raisers and eight large poultry farmers in Bangkok.

Earlier reports said that the Agriculture Ministry has blamed Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) for delaying the detection of dead and sick poultry, leading to infection of a 18- year-old boy from Klong Sam Wa district last week.

Cooperation between the various agencies was essential to achieve the three-year target, noted Sudarat.

Source: Xinhua