Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont met his Malaysian counterpart Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today at the start of a visit in which he will seek help to end the insurgency in Thailand's south.

A red carpet was rolled out for Surayud at the prime minister's office in the administrative capital of Putrajaya.

Both leaders briefly posed for photographs but did not talk to journalists. They later oversaw the signing of a memorandum of understanding in educational cooperation, officials said.

The two were to meet again for dinner later tonight before heading off for formal annual talks Wednesday in the northern resort island of Penang.

The Malaysian foreign ministry has said the visit is aimed at strengthening half a century of diplomatic ties between the Southeast Asian nations and to work out how to end a Muslim insurgency in three Thai provinces.

Surayud has already previously sought Abdullah's help in restoring peace in the restive provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, where more than 2,300 people have been killed in renewed violence since 2004.

Malaysia and Thailand had earlier agreed to implement joint programmes in education and employment to help restore peace in the region.

Surayud arrived here on back of a successful referendum Sunday when voters approved an army-backed constitution which he has said will pave the way for elections by the end of the year.

He was installed by the military in the wake of last September's bloodless coup.