(AFP) Malaysia pledged today to help Thai authorities track down the mastermind behind the weekend bombings in southern Thailand and denied it was a base for rebels suspected of carrying out the attacks.

"Malaysia has cooperated with Thailand in many areas especially along the common border involving the police and military personnel of both countries and we will continue this cooperation," said Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar.

Syed Hamid, quoted by the Bernama news agency, denied a news report that Malaysia has been used as a base by rebels to plan the blasts which left one child dead and nearly 50 people injured.

"There is no truth to a news report which alleges that a meeting was held here to plan the bombings in southern Thailand," he said.

The issue is expected to be discussed during a visit to Kuala Lumpur by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on April 24, his first trip to Malaysia since he took office in February.

Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said on Tuesday that Malaysia did not provide a hiding place to Thai criminals. He said troublemakers were everywhere and no one knew which country they would go to.

"If we knew they were criminals, we would have stopped them from entering the country ... but we didn't know. They hide here without our knowledge. We did not entertain them and we certainly did not collaborate with them," he said.