The Aquatic Animal Health Research Institute is the lead centre for disease research and diagnosis for the 
Department of Fisheries of Thailand

The Aquatic Animal Health Research Institute (AAHRI) was eslablished from the Fish Disease Unit of the National Inland Fisheries Institute (NIFI) in 1992. During early15 years within NIFI, the Fish Disease Unit had obtained extra support from various international agencies including FAO,UNDP,USAID,CIDA and IDRC to improve laboratory facilities and human resources. In 1990, the Overseas Development Administration (ODA) of the United Kingdom, presently known as the Department for International Development (DFID), recognized a potential of the Fish Disease Unit for a centre of aquatic disease research of the South East Asia . Subsequently, AAHRI was established in early 1992 and has carried on its premises to the present. Staffs are encouraged to expand their knowledge as well as the laboratory facilities are improved to meet a research requirement.

 The role of AAHRI is to provide advanced knowledge and understanding of new and existing infectious diseases in aquatic animals. Develop effective disease control measures, which will increase the efficiency of aquaculture production while protecting the environment and to improve food quality and safety of aquaculture products for the domestic and export markets. The institute also provides an efficient fish disease diagnosis service to fish farmers and issues fish health and farm sanitary certificates to exporting farmers. In addition the Institute provides a public information service for all matters pertaining to fish disease. AAHRI is divided into three groups: The fish health research group, the fish disease control and surveillance group and the drug and chemical control group.

AAHRI has a close contact to a number of international institutes including Stirling University (UK), the Czechoslovakia Academy of Science (Czechoslovakia), UPM (Malaysia), and Control Univ. RIA (Vietnam). Joint projects have been established among the institutes. AAHRI also has a strong collaborative with Aquaculture Department of Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), the Network of Aquaculture Centres of Asia Pacific (NACA), Food and Aqriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Australian Council for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)

AAHRI is housed in 3 buildings located in Kasetsart University Campus in Bangkok. The main one is a two-story building where the ground floor comprises laboratories equipped with the necessary scientific equipment for research and diagnosis of fish diseases and fish holding facilities, while the upper floor contains an office, conference room fitted with audio-visual teaching aids, comprehensive library, and fully equipped photo-developed room. The other two are one-story buildings, housing for laboratories, and storage rooms.

The group is involved in research identifying bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic fish pathogens. Investigating histopathological changes to fish, both in the field and the laboratory caused by new and existing fish pathogens. The group also conducts epidemiological studies of fish diseases in order to set up effective disease control and surveillance regimes. The group is involved in advanced research in the fields of fish immunology, virology, and toxicology. The immunology section carries out research investigating aquatic animal immunity and pathogen defense systems important to the development of fish vaccines. Research is also carried out on the development of diagnostic kits that can rapidly identify fish diseases important to the aquaculture industry. The virology section investigates viral diseases in fish and is involved in research developing animal cell lines that can be used to culture and isolate important fish viruses. The toxicology section carries out research developing disease prevention control and biological control measures aimed at reducing drug and chemicals reliance within the aquaculture industry. The group also investigates drug use in aquaculture and its effect on the environment.

The group has the responsibility to report any OIE notifiable disease outbreak and if it occurs determine the disease free zone. The group is also involved in the inspection of exported and imported live aquatic animals and the granting of licenses. Moreover, the group also provides a service in standardizing management practices for farmers wishing to export their products and certification licenses for export. The information on diseases surveillance and control is also provided to farmers and general public by this group.

The aquatic animal clinic is opened five days a week to serve fish farmers, fish exporter and fish fancier. We also examine exporting fish for health certification. Both services are provided free of charge. Staffs often visit fish farms at the farmer request to provide further advice on disease prevention and health management.

AAHRI arranges workshops and training to local fish farmers and students more than a thousand per year. Local and regional researchers are welcome to utilise the laboratory facilities. Training courses in shrimp health management are annually organised in collaboration with the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA) and the University of Stirling. We also offer aquatic animal disease training upon request.