Thai, KL sign cooperation pact

Thai, KL sign cooperation pact

BANGKOK (AFP): Thailand and Malaysia signed on Thursday a new cooperation agreement which replaces a 20-year-old pact and addresses sticky issues including the border fence and new checkpoints.

The "in principle" agreement was signed here at the annual meeting of the general border committee by Thai Prime Minister and Defense Minister Chuan Leekpai and Malaysia's Defense Minister Najib Tun Razak.

Thailand's Maj. Gen. Chanya Worakhamin, who is commander of the joint operations office, said the biggest common problem facing the two countries was no longer communist insurgents but illegal trade.

He said a significant part of the agreement related to solving the issue of the no man's land between the sections of the border where both nations had erected fences.