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Meanwhile, two Thai women travelling from Japan with flu symptoms are under observation and have been quarantined among 26  TypeA(H1N1) influenza suspects, according to Phaijit Warachit, deputy permanent secretary of the ministry.

Both arrived at Suvarnabhumi International Airport on Saturday night with temperatures of 38.5 degrees Celsius.

They had flu while in Japan for four days before arriving in Thailand and were admitted to Bangkok Metropolitan Administration General Hospital.

Phaijit said they had recovered, but laboratory testing to decide whether they were infected with the deadly flu was not complete.

He said he had received reports that some passengers travelling from foreign countries with high temperatures had taken antipyretics before their planes landed so that thermoscans could not detect their condition because they did not want to be quarantined.

"Passengers should not do so. If they are infected with influenza A(H1N1), they will be treated by physicians too late, probably leading to death and transmission of the disease's virus to others," Phaijit added.

The ministry also strengthened measures to protect local people from infection by strictly inspecting inbound and outbound travellers through all 60 communicable disease protection and control checkpoints in every region of the country.

The World Health Organisation yesterday reported the first influenza A(H1N1) infected patient in Russia. There are 12,021 infected people worldwide so far in 43 countries and 86 of them died.