Manila  - The Philippine government on Monday denied allegations that visiting Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat would seek political asylum for former premier Thaksin Shinawatra after his visa was revoked by the British government.

Somchai arrived for a seven-hour visit to the Philippines on Monday afternoon, triggering rumours of a possible asylum deal for Thaksin and his wife, Pojaman.

Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said there was no truth to the reports and added that should Thaksin make such a request, the Philippines will not approve it.

Bangkok  - Thailand has detected a fresh outbreak of avian influenza among free-range chickens in the northern province of Sukhothai, the country's agriculture minister confirmed Monday.

Agriculture Minister Somsak Prissananathakul said lab tests had confirmed that a dead chicken from a family farm in Thuang Saliam district of Sukhothai province had died of an infection with H5N1, the virus subtype causing bird flu.

Bangkok  - Britain has revoked tourist visas for fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Pojaman, media reports said Saturday.

Sources close to Thaksin in Bangkok could not confirm the development but said it might be linked to his recent decision not to seek political asylum in the United Kingdom.

"He has relinquished the application process for political asylum in the UK," said a close aide to Thaksin who asked to remain anonymous. "A few days ago he decided to terminate the process."

Bangkok  - Britain has revoked tourist visas for fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Pojaman, media reports said Saturday.

Thai newspapers claimed a cancellation notification was sent to various airlines by the British UK Border Agency at a time when the former first couple were travelling outside London where they have been living in self-exile.

"Airlines are advised not to carry these passengers to the UK," said the e-mail message to airlines, signed by Bangkok-based immigration liaison manager Andy Gray.

Bangkok - Thai police on Friday released on bail famed social critic Sulak Sivaraksa after arresting him on charges of lese majeste for a speech he made last year.

Sulak, 76, was arrested in Bangkok Thursday evening and driven to Khon Kaen, 370 kilometres north-east of the capital, where he was interrogated for three hours on charges of insulting the monarchy in a speech he delivered at Khon Kaen University on December 10,
2007.

Sulak was informed of another police charge of lese majeste on Monday for an article he had written in the Seeds of Peace magazine published several years ago.

"This is strange," said Sulak of the two charges, both based on old incidents.

Bangkok - A 23-year-old Thai man who woke up with a cockroach in his ear on a public bus has sparked a public health drive to improve sanitation on the kingdom's provincial bus routes, media reports said Friday.

Kittipong Khamdong, who had taken an overnight bus from Khon Kaen province to Chiang Mai Monday, awoke in the middle of the night with an unwanted passenger lodged in his left ear, the Bangkok Post reported.