Five Malaysian soldiers who were detained after crossing the border into neighbouring Thailand during a patrol have been released, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today.

"I thank him (Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra) for his cooperation. They have been released," Abdullah told a news conference after holding talks with Thaksin on southern Thailand's security situation.

The four sergeants and a corporal had strayed some 300 to 500 metres into Thai territory while on a routine mission to pick up supplies last Thursday.

The five ( photo ), reportedly clad in T-shirts and not wearing their military identification tags, were then picked up by the Thai military after local villagers sighted them.

They said they were part of a Malaysia-Thai joint border patrol which was launched following a wave of violence in southern Thailand that has left some 60 people dead.

However, Thai authorities claimed checks by the Thai army showed they were from a unit which was not on the list of those taking part in the operations. - AFP