BANGKOK • The Thai government will expedite pig farm inspections nationwide in an effort to prevent an outbreak of African swine fever after reports that the nation detected its first case in a pet hog.

The Department of Livestock Development will continuously conduct inspections in the area where the infection was found, and if confirmed, it will be reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health to notify other member states, the government said in a statement yesterday.

Any farm found to be at high risk will need to have its swine destroyed to limit risks and farmers will be compensated for the lost hogs, government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said in the statement.

The Cabinet has also supported the budget for added hog surveillance, he said.

In the past three years, Thailand has been able to control the epidemic and has not concealed information about the outbreak that has killed over 500 million pigs in neighbouring Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, he said.

Concerns about an outbreak arose following a report that a miniature pet pig in the capital Bangkok was found to have died from the disease after its owner had a laboratory test done at a local university, the Bangkok Post reported on Saturday.

Any outbreak would further strain the nation's already short supply of hogs, which has led to a surge in domestic pork prices to about 250 baht (S$10) per kilogram from about an average of 150 baht a few months ago.

Prices could rise to 300 baht a kilogram ahead of Chinese New Year celebrations, when demand for pork rises.

The South-east Asian nation last Thursday banned exports of live pigs until April in an effort to cool the price rally.

BLOOMBERG