Eight provinces in Thailand reported bird flu resurgence and one northern province was newly added to affected areas, local TV station Channel 9 reported on Monday evening.

The virus caused the prevalent avian influenza was found in some ducks in the northeastern Roiet Province, the Deputy Agriculture Minister Newin Chidchob was quoted as saying.

It's suspected that the disease was spread into the province lying some 512 kilometers northeastern Bangkok by smuggling fighting cocks from affected zones.

Meanwhile, the other eight provinces were upgraded from yellow zone to red zone for resurged bird flu cases.

The red zone was that confirmed of bird flu outbreak and all poultry in the area were required to be culled to curb the spread of the disease, while the yellow zone should be under close watch for 21 days.

Thailand on Friday declared the capital of Bangkok free of bird flu, the last red zone in the kingdom. The government on February 9 also said the epidemic had been put under control and the worst had past.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, however, warned earlier that the fowl epidemic was far more than under control and urged concerned parties to stay alert.

(Xinhua News Agency February 16, 2004)