Malaysia bans import of Thai chickens

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia has put a temporary ban on imports of chicken from Thailand over fears of bird flu, a Malaysian newspaper reported on Saturday.

Agriculture Minister Mustafa Mohammad said the ban would be lifted when the situation in Thailand returned to normal.

"Operations to prevent chicken smuggling at border areas have to be beefed up," Mustafa was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times newspaper.

On Thursday, Thailand confirmed its second bird flu case in a week, saying the virus had been detected in a rural district north of Bangkok.

It was the fourth case of the deadly virus found in Thailand in 10 months.