The European Union (EU) has threatened to cancel imports of heat-treated chickens from Thailand due to the protracted deadly bird flu virus, local press reported on Wednesday.

    The European bloc also asked the kingdom to halt any further outbreaks and take preventive measures, including anti-flu vaccines, to contain spread of the deadly disease.

    If the European Union imposes the ban, other major heat-treatedchicken importers such as Japan and South Korea may follow suit toban Thai chickens, said Panya Chotithewarn, chairman of Saha Farm.

    "If so, Thai chicken industry could be severely damaged," Panyawas quoted by the Business Day website as saying.

    Currently, Thailand exports an average of 20,000 tons of heat-treated chickens daily to overseas markets.

    Panya pointed out the Thai government has failed to impose serious measures to tackle bird flu, saying the epidemic re-emergence in April after the country was declared free of the disease earlier in the year.

    The Thai government has authorized provincial governors and livestock department officials in the affected areas to cull chickens showing symptoms of the bird flu.

    Despite that, some small-scale chicken farmers as well as fighting cock farmers secretly move their chickens out of the affected areas, he added.

    Meanwhile, Ponsilp Patcharintanakula, deputy secretary-general of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the EU´s proposed ban has received strong backing from chicken breeders and exporters withinthe European Union, mainly from Hungary, Poland and France, which he claimed as major competitors of Thailand in chicken exports.

    Should Thailand deem the EU stance unfair, the Thai government would ask the World Trade Organization to look into the matter, said Ponsilp.