Easy access to antibiotics in Thailand is driving resistant bacteria to circulate through food, water and the environment. Experts warn that resistance rates for many medicines are high to extremely high, reaching 83% for some antibiotics, reducing treatment effectiveness and contributing to an estimated 38,000 deaths each year.

FOOD and Drug Administration (FDA) officials have announced controls on the drug colistin after reports that farmers in Nakhon Pathom and Suphan Buri have been feeding it to pigs.