The leaders of Malaysia and Thailand opened a new bridge across their shared border today, in the latest effort to boost the economy of a region hit by years of insurgent violence.

The two-lane bridge across Sungai Golok runs 120 meters from Narathiwat province in Thailand to Kelantan in Malaysia. This is the second cross-border bridge in the area.

The region on both sides of the border are among the poorest parts of their countries.

Southern Thailand, where most residents are Muslims and ethnic Malay, has also been hit by four years of separatist violence that has left more than 2,800 people dead.

The two countries have launched a series of projects aimed at boosting the economy in the area in hopes of reducing the violence, which has turned especially grisly this year with beheadings and mutilation of corpses.

15-minute meeting

"The bridge is a joint effort by the two governments who intend to strengthen relations of people from both countries and improve their livelihood," Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said at the opening ceremony.

"I hope that Thai people living on the border will benefit from the opening of this bridge," Thai premier Surayud Chulanont said.

The bridge is only the second linking the two nations, and Surayud said a third was under consideration.

Due to Thailand's security concerns, the bridge will only be open to traffic from 8am to 5pm.

After opening the bridge, the two leaders held a 15-minute meeting but did not speak to reporters afterwards.

Abdullah canceled a planned visit to an Islamic school in southern Thailand, but no reason was given.