The Thai government is hoping that the country can be completely free of the deadly bird flu virus in three years, after eight months without an outbreak, Agriculture Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan said Thursday.

"We can effectively control the bird flu virus. We have been free of the virus for 239 days as of today, while neighboring countries are still reporting outbreaks," Sudarat said.

Sudarat spoke after a meeting at Government House to assess the country's efforts to control the H5N1 virus. Thailand has suffered 22 cases of bird flu in humans, including 14 fatalities, most recently in December.

Thailand has recruited 900,000 volunteers around the country to help control the virus.

Every three months, the volunteers spray disinfectant around poultry farms nationwide and check for any signs of illness among residents.

Source: Xinhua