Thai man dies of bird flu, official says

BANGKOK, Sep 26 (Reuters) A 59-year-old Thai man has died of bird flu, the country's 17th victim of the H5N1 virus since it swept through much of Asia in late 2003, a senior Health Ministry official said.

The man died on August 10 in a northeastern province near the Lao border after chickens at his house fell sick and died, Kamnuan Ungchusak told Reuters.

He said the final laboratory tests were completed only last week.

Reuters SRS VP0720