A rabies warning has been issued for the border area between Nakhon Ratchasima city and Suratthani Camp after a 54-year-old man died from rabies infection. Authorities advise immediate medical attention even for minor bites or scratches. Once symptoms appear, there is no cure, and the disease is 100% fatal.
On 20 Feb 2026 GMT+7, at the Nong Pluang Manao Subdistrict Health Promoting Hospital meeting room in Pho Klang Subdistrict, Mueang District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Mr. Wuttichai Atchariyamethakul, director of Nong Pluang Manao Health Promoting Hospital, together with public health officials from Mueang District and the Disease Prevention and Control Office Region 9 Nakhon Ratchasima, provided an update on the situation. Rabies disease to the public health staff of Pho Klang Subdistrict Municipality, village health volunteers, and community leaders following a confirmed report of the death of Mr. Seksan Srichan, also known as Earth, aged 54, whose laboratory test confirmed rabies infection.
Timeline: He lived in the Baan Nong Phai Phatthana Welfare Housing Project, Village 9, Pho Klang Subdistrict, bordering Suratthani Camp.
On 6 Dec 2025, he was bitten on both legs by a dog.
Between 11–13 Feb 2026, he developed fever and fatigue. Relatives took him to Maharaj Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital for treatment. He later had difficulty swallowing and became sensitive to stimuli.
On 15 Feb 2026, the patient died.
Mr. Wuttichai, director of Nong Pluang Manao Health Promoting Hospital, said ongoing rabies surveillance faces a major challenge: people getting bitten, scratched, or licked without realizing it. Village health volunteers and community leaders must raise awareness so people understand the risk of infection from even minor contact with dogs or cats. Many overlook this risk, especially from stray animals, which have a high risk due to lack of vaccination and are difficult to control. Late vaccination or vaccination after symptoms appear is fatal with 100% mortality.
Mr. Pasavee Somjai, Livestock Officer of Nakhon Ratchasima Province, disclosed that in December 2025, one sample from an owned dog in Pho Klang Subdistrict was positive. In January 2026, two samples tested positive in a racehorse in Pho Klang and a stray dog in Nang Ram Subdistrict, Prathai District. Currently, Pho Klang Municipality and the provincial livestock office are vaccinating against rabies and procuring more vaccines to cover over a one-kilometer radius. In neighboring Nong Phai Lom Subdistrict, vaccines are being procured and planned for early March vaccination.
The Disease Prevention and Control Office Region 9 in Nakhon Ratchasima stated that rabies is a deadly zoonotic disease with no current cure but preventable by vaccination. Cases occur year-round, not only in the hot season as commonly believed. The public is urged to vaccinate pets annually. The initial vaccination requires two doses: the first at two months of age, followed by a second dose 3–4 weeks later, then annual boosters. Avoid contact with animals suspected of rabies.
If bitten, scratched, or licked by a dog or cat, or if saliva contacts eyes, mouth, or wounds—even minor ones—immediate proper wound care is essential: wash the wound, apply medication, see a doctor, and complete the full vaccination series. Rabies incubation averages three months but can be as short as four days or as long as a year before symptoms appear. Once symptoms develop, the disease is untreatable and always fatal. Prompt medical care is crucial for proper treatment and survival chances.