Thai Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry set up a new line of authority among the country´s livestock officials on Saturday after being blamed for the in efficiency to contain the reemergence of the epidemic.

    At a meeting with more than 1,700 officials in charge of livestock from all over the country, Deputy Agriculture Minister Newin Chidchob attributed the failure to curb bird flu to unclear authority, saying the department could not take any party accountable for a case and the worst areas had been inadequately protected.

    "It´s a fact that bird flu is a natural phenomenon. We can´t see it, but we can control it if we get to it as quick as possible," Newin was quoted by newspaper Bangkok Post as saying on Sunday.

    To improve the efficiency in dealing with the disease, a new line of authority was divided into central, provincial and district levels. There were nine zones in the central levels and each was taken care of by a designated inspector-general.

    Newin noted that the officials should know epidemic emergence before other government authorities. They were required to reach their designated areas, take appropriate action within six hours after the emergence, and report to the ministry within 12 hours. Those failed to prevent the disease would be punished.

    Having hit by two rounds of bird flu outbreaks, the government has placed the disease control as the country´s top priority and set Oct. 31 as the deadline to eradicate it from the kingdom.