Thai Deputy Prime Minister Chidchai Vanasathidya said Thursday he would visit Malaysia on October 25 to discuss with his Malaysian counterpart the status of 131 Thai Muslims who fled across the border.

"I will go to Malaysia to meet with Najib Razak," Chidchai, who is also justice minister, told reporters after meeting with Malaysian ambassador Shaarani bin Ibrahim.

The one-day trip would allow the ministers to become familiar with each other "and in future we can establish a hotline," Chidchai said.

The Thai Muslims, mostly from the southern province of Narathiwat, crossed into Malaysia in late August saying they feared for their lives in the region, which is in the grip of an Islamic insurgency and other violence.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has asked Malaysia to hand over suspected militants believed to be among the group, which includes women and children.

The migration has triggered a diplomatic spat between the neighbours, whose relations have been strained by the conflict.

Sharing information

Chidchai said Thailand remained willing to receive all the undocumented migrants if Malaysia approved it, but demanded Malaysia extradite one man wanted in connection with the unrest.

"The Thai intelligence services say they are handling the identification process (of the migrants) and I am confident that there will not be any problem with the repatriation," Chidchai said.

Both countries would discuss sharing information about residents' personal details to prevent people from holding citizenship in both countries, Chidchai said.

"The Malaysian deputy prime minister has said that Malaysia does not want any of its nationals to hold dual citizenship," Chidchai added.

Almost 1,000 people have been killed since January 2004 in near-daily shootings, bombings and arson attacks that analysts and authorities say are a complex mix of Islamic separatists, local corruption and organised crime.