Governor apologises over rotten canned fish

Residents of tambon Nong Takhian Bon in Watthana Nakhon district of Sa Kaeo hold their noses as they open canned fish to show to reporters on Friday. (Photo by Sawat Ketngam)

SA KAEO: Governor Klanarong Pongcharoen has offered a public apology after canned fish in relief bags distributed to the needy was found to be rotten, resulting in one woman requiring hospital treatment.

The governor immediately ordered village heads in tambon Nong Takhianbon, where the bags were distributed, to collect all 600 cans. A total of 314 unopened cans were collected and they will be destroyed.

Mr Klanarong said he had looked into the incident and found that provincial Red Cross officials responsible for handing out the products were not to blame. Mistakes occurred during the packaging of the items, he said during a meeting with local residents in the tambon on Saturday.

Worms were found in some of the canned fish distributed to needy residents in Sa Kaeo. (Photo by Sawat Ketngam)

As head of the provincial administration, he must accept responsibility for the incident and was duty-bound to tackle the problem, he said.

The governor and Sasipatchara Pongcharoen, chairwoman of the Sa Kaeo Red Cross, on Saturday handed out 120 new packages of canned fish to 100 residents and local leaders.

Somchai Khongwichian, chairman of the Nong Takianbon tambon administration organisation, thanked provincial authorities for showing responsibility and seriously addressing the problem.

Prasit Thamas, head of Wangree Tai village in the tambon, told local media earlier that residents reported worms coming out of some of the cans they opened.

One resident, Thong-on Udomwong, 61, had eaten the fish and suffered acute diarrhoea on Friday morning. She was later sent to a local hospital.

Local resident Chamras Chanthakhat, 62, said officials had distributed 100 relief bags to needy and elderly residents in his village. They were happy to receive the bags but noted that the canned fish came from a brand they had never heard of before. Some cans were old with rust. When they opened the cans, a foul smell came out and some had worms, he added.