A senior Malaysian delegation arrived in Bangkok today for talks on unrest in southern Thailand, officials said, brushing off Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's comments against foreign interference.

Malaysian Deputy Premier Najib Abdul Razak led the mission for talks on security cooperation on the border after more than 100 Muslim militants were killed in Thailand's south in clashes last week with security forces. It is also his first official visit to the Thai kingdom as deputy prime minister.

Malaysia said last week it had tightened security along its frontier with southern Thailand as it feared violence between suspected Muslim rebels and security forces could spill over the border.

Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar, who is part of the delegation to Thailand, brushed off comments by Thaksin at the weekend against foreign interference in the unrest, saying he did not believe they were aimed at Malaysia.

"I am sure Prime Minister Thaksin's strong words against foreign interferences are not directed at Malaysia because we understand each other better and have been in close cooperation in this matter," he was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times newspaper.

Syed Hamid said the delegation was not going to tell the Thais what to do or to interfere in matters of their jurisdiction.

Strong cooperation

"The basis of our bilateral relationship is the strong cooperation and understanding between us. We must not only cooperate and help each other in good times but also in difficult circumstances," he said.

He said there could have been a misunderstanding following Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's offer Friday to help anyone fleeing the violence.

Abdullah was quoted by the Bernama news agency saying, "It will not be refugee camps but some arrangements must be made."

Thai foreign ministry spokesman Sihasak Phuangketkeow said in response: "We are able to take care our own people and the situation is already under control and has not triggered any refugees."

And Thaksin said Saturday: "Some foreign countries have expressed their readiness to interfere and what I can say is that we have done everything to exercise maximum restraint."

"We are not begging for food from any countries and we did not start this problem," he said, adding that no foreign figures had any role in the debate.

Syed Hamid said the prime minister had merely meant that "we must be prepared for any eventuality."

"He also said that any such move could only take place after consultations with the Thai government," Syed Hamid said.

'Minimum firepower'

Armed forces chief General Mohamad Zahidi Zainuddin, police inspector general Mohamad Bakri Omar and several other ministers are also in the mission to Thailand.

The one-day visit was vital to ensure peace and security in the troubled southern Thai region, Malaysian Strategic Research Centre executive director Abdul Razak Baginda said.

"We need to know what is happening there. We may want to share Malaysia's experiences in combating militancy using minimum firepower," he told AFP.

Muslim Malaysians living near the border have relations in southern Thailand, he said, adding Malaysia's offer to help should not be read as an attempt by Kuala Lumpur to interfere in Bangkok's affairs.

"We have a Muslim population. A lot of Malaysians have relations in the south. We are very concerned about what is happening there," he said.

Malaysia would also be keen to find out if any of its own nationals were involved in Wednesday's attacks on Thai police stations and checkpoints, which left more than 100 militants dead, he said. - AFP