Thailand and Malaysia has agreed to increase intelligence sharing on security and to move forward in possibly building a border wall to combat transnational terrorism and smuggling.
People-trafficking and the smuggling of contraband, including drugs and petrol, have flourished along the Thai-Malay border for years.
Separatist insurgents operating in Thailand’s deep south use Malaysia as a base to launch and plan their attacks.
Thailand’s three southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat were once part of an independent Malay Muslim sultanate until they were annexed by Thailand in 1909.
Since 2004, Muslim separatists operating in the area have waged a bloody insurgency which has claimed more than 6,500 lives.
Both sides had discussed the construction and extension of a border wall with details to be worked out.