Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva made an opening address on Friday morning at the ministerial session of the ASEAN Plus Three meeting on Influenza A/H1N1, noting the need of cooperation in new aspects in face of the flu threat.

"To mitigate the effects of this influenza pandemic, we cannot rely merely on basic measures...We need cooperation in other new aspects...Such aspects are, for example, the development and production of vaccines as well as anti-viral drugs, a well as expansion and sharing of ASEAN Plus Three and national stockpiles of medical supplies," said Abhisit in his speech at the opening ceremony of Friday's session of the ASEAN Plus Three health ministers' special meeting.

He also said the containment strategy on the new flu virus has so far worked satisfactorily, though "this is not a case for complacency," with the number of deaths climbing and prospect for further prevalence frightening.

The two-day special meeting falls on Thursday and Friday in a bid to find more efficient and collaborative ways to prevent and combat the possible pandemic of A/H1N1 flu in the region. It involves health ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states and the Plus Three countries -- China, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

A Joint Ministerial Statement on A/H1N1 flu control is to be signed by the ministers attending the meeting.