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Published on December 22, 2007

The US$2.7-million (Bt91-million) span connecting Narathiwat's Buketa and Bukit Bunga in the Malaysian state of Kelantan is part of the joint economic cooperation scheme known as the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle.

It was planned to boost economic growth in Thailand's South and Malaysia's northern state.

The completion of the 120-metre-long structure comes in the 50th anniversary year of diplomatic relations between the neighbours.

The bridge will spur economic development not only in the deep South and Malaysia's northern state of Kelantan but also in the entire southern region of Thailand, Surayud said.

The bridge is open daily from 8am-5pm for people on both sides. The Kolok is as small as a canal and people can walk across it during the dry season.

In 2004, the countries agreed to build the bridge when violence erupted in the predominantly Muslim region.

More than 2,700 people have died in the unrest.

The government hopes the bridge will help boost economic activity and eventually contribute to efforts to contain the violence.

Malaysia sees the bridge as part of a development scheme that could win support from people in Kelantan, which is the stronghold of opposition party Parti Islam SeMalaysia.

The Nation

Narathiwat