Thai govt expect to control number of fatalities not to exceed 1,000 : PM

Speaking during his weekly talk Sunday, Abhisit acknowledged that the number of virus victims in foreign countries and in Thailand has risen sharply.

"I am optimistic that his government would be able to control the number of virus fatalities to not exceed 1,000.

The premier said the Public Health ministry is improving its distribution of medicine to virus victims, and there is sufficient vaccine in reserves in the country, he said.

He later told journalists that a seven-month-old pregnant woman had given birth to a baby who happened to contract the virus and was sent to Bangkok's Chulalongkorn Hospital for treatment.

Latest numbers showed that the death toll of the influenza was 44, almost double the 24 deaths reported the previous week and the numbers of infected cases were recorded at 6,776.

Meanwhile, Somchart Pimthanapoonporn, president of the Hat Yai-Songkhla Hotel Business Association, said many foreign tourists wishing to travel by air to Hat Yai, considered as a shopping and entertainment heaven for tourists, have cancelled their trips dues to concerns over the disease.

However, tourism in the district is expected to pick up in mid- and late-August as Malaysian and Singaporean tourists have booked hotel rooms to join in alms offering to 10,000 Buddhist monks and on Malaysia National Day celebrations respectively.