BANGKOK - Thailand’s Public Health ministry warned that 14 of its 76 provinces are at risk of bird flu this year, as an official said a cold snap boosted chances of the deadly virus spreading.

"The weather is quite cold at the moment, we want to ensure officials and poultry farmers are alert and cautious about the situation in their area," he said.

"The officials are now just visiting the farms and giving training to the farmers and others involved," he said, adding that cold weather increased the risk of the virus spreading.

In a statement issued Saturday, the ministry said it had reviewed areas where the H5N1 strain had been detected between 2004-08 and where repeated bird flu warnings had been issued.

The 14 regions named as being at higher risk included Bangkok, it said.

Since 2004, there have been 25 cases of H5N1 bird flu in Thailand and 17 of those have died, the statement said.

The ministry said no human form of bird flu had been found in Thailand since the last confirmed case in August 2006.

According to the World Health Organisation, the number of human cases of bird flu worldwide since 2003 has reached 393 of whom 248 have died.