Malaysia and Thailand will start sharing data on their citizens in an attempt to crackdown on those with dual nationality crossing their shared border.

The countries are trying to stop insurgents holding dual passports and carrying out attacks in southern Thailand from slipping back and forth across the border to escape arrest.

Thailand is struggling against an insurgency in its Muslim-majority southern provinces bordering Malaysia which has killed more than 1,900 people since 2004.

Home Minister Radzi Sheikh Ahmad said information such as thumbprints and face profiles contained in electronic databases will be swapped with Thailand. An initial 500 people will have their information shared, he said.

Both nations have already collected much of this information for national identity cards.

"We are helping our neighbours, and we hope to see a result from the biometric testing soon," Radzi was quoted as telling the Star daily.

Long and porous border

Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his Thai counterpart Surayud Chulanont this week agreed to continue their efforts to end dual nationality for people living on both sides of the border.

Under an agreement between the countries, people with dual citizenship will have to choose a single nationality, according to reports.

Malaysia and Thailand share a long porous border, and nationals on both sides have close cultural, social and religious ties.