Thai livestock officials have confirmed the country's third outbreak of bird flu this year - this time among chickens in the country's central region.

They say laboratory tests found the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus in at least six chickens in Ang Thong province.

The second outbreak was confirmed last week in a northeastern Nong Khai province bordering Laos.

On January 15th, livestock officials reported the country's first H5N1 outbreak in almost six months when they found the virus among ducks in northern Thailand in the province of Phitsanulok.

Since the bird flu outbreak began in 2004, Thailand has recorded 25 human cases, 17 of them fatal.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.