Bangkok, Jumada II 28, 1439, Mar 16, 2018, SPA -- The Thai and Malaysian governments have agreed to build an 11-kilometre border wall following years of consideration, a government spokesman told dpa on Friday. A deal was struck between Thailand's Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwon and his Malaysian counterpart Dato Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein at a bilateral meeting in Bangkok on Thursday, Thai defense ministry spokesman Kongcheep Tantrawanich said. "Both countries have agreed to build one shared wall instead of two walls on each side as proposed earlier," dpa quoted Kongcheep as saying. "Both countries will also split equal shares of the costs," he added. Although the exact time frame and the costs of the construction have yet to be determined, the wall is expected to be completed in no longer than a few years' time, the spokesman said. The main purpose of the construction in Thailand's Songkhla province and the Malaysian town of Padang Besar is to prevent cross-border human trafficking and smuggling of illicit drugs and weapons, according to the defense ministry. --SPA 14:18 LOCAL TIME 11:18 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w643274