Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today sought to boost security and anti-terrorism cooperation with Thailand, where he met senior leaders on a two-day visit, his spokesman said.

"He held very fruitful discussions on a wide range of issues, especially cross-border cooperation and talking about terrorism when he met the interior minister (Wan Muhamad Nor Matha), Abdullah's press secretary Rohaizad Rahim told AFP.

He also discussed trade and investment cooperation in a late Monday meeting with his counterpart Deputy Prime Minister Korn Dabbaransi, and was due to meet Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra later today, Rohaizad said.

"From what he had told the foreign minister (Surakiart Sathirathai), this trip was to renew old ties," the spokesman said.

Warm up tour

A Malaysian diplomat on Monday billed Abdullah's two-day visit as a "warm-up" tour of Thailand ahead of the retirement of veteran premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad who steps down next month.

Abdullah is expected to take over from the 77-year-old Mahathir, who after 22 years in power has pledged to retire after attending an Islamic summit in Kuala Lumpur and a summit of Asia-Pacific leaders in Bangkok, both in October.

He is scheduled to depart Thailand for Malaysia at 9 pm after a dinner meeting with Thaksin.

At the weekend the two countries' armed forces agreed to boost joint military operations to prevent terrorists from operating in their common border areas.

The countries have been on high alert since suspected terror mastermind Hambali of Indonesia was arrested Aug 11 in Thailand with the assistance of agents from the US Central Intelligence Agency.

Malaysia has said it played a role in his capture, attributing his arrest to exchanges of intelligence with neighbouring countries. - AFP