Villagers eat more rats to control rodent problem in Thailand

Villagers in north-east Thailand are eating rats to control their rodent problems.

They say eating rats is an effective way of cutting down their numbers and outbreaks of disease.

A spicy rat salad, called laab noo, is their favourite. Numbers of people dying from rat-related disease are now falling.

According to the Kao Sod newspaper, deputy health minister Dr Surapong Surpwonglee turned to villagers for suggestions on rat control.

Locals in Mahasarakam province suggested more people should eat rat.

Officials are trying to reduce the number of people with leptospirosis disease.

Last year 392 people in the province fell ill with leptospirosis and 14 died. This year 137 people have caught the disease and two have died.