During the period 1978-83, a total of 1 979 118 cases of diarrhoeal diseases were
reported to the Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, through the national disease surveillance
system. The annual incidence steadily increased from about 400 per 100 000
population in 1978 to over 1000 in 1983. A total of 3300 deaths from diarrhoeal diseases
were reported. The annual number of deaths declined from 911 in 1978 to 370 in 1983,
corresponding to a decrease in mortality rate from 2.0 to 0. 7 per 100 000. For acute
diarrhoea, the highest incidence rate (608 per 100 000 per annum) was in the central
region, that of dysentery (111) was in the northern region, while that offood poisoning
(52) was in the northeastern region, enteric fever (45) in the southern region, and cholera
(10) in the central region.