Thailand confirmed more outbreaks of bird flu among chickens and wild ducks in provinces near Bangkok yesterday.

　　"The H5N1 bird flu virus was found in wild ducks which live near Bangkok in Phathum Thani province," Agriculture Minister Somsak Thepsuthin said.

　　"We are worried because wild ducks move freely all over the place, hence the virus could easily spread to more areas."

　　The virus has been found in the past few days on a chicken farm in north-central Nakhon Sawan province, farms in Phathum Thani province, north of Bangkok and on several farms in the northern provinces of Uttaradit and Sukothai.

　　Last week, outbreaks of the H5N1 bird flu virus were confirmed in two central provinces, ending Thai hopes that the avian flu outbreak which ravaged poultry farms across Asia earlier this year had been eradicated.

　　Early this year, the H5N1 virus killed 24 people.

　　(Reuters)