Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is coming to Thailand later this month to try and tamp down the festering violence in southern Thailand. As his return to power in May has rejuvenated his country's openness and democratisation, he offers a ray of hope to Thailand's future peace and stability.
After all, Thais still remember his famous pronouncement during his previous premiership when he visited southern Thailand in the 1980s and urged Thai-Malaysian citizens with dual nationalities to respect Thai laws.
This time around, he has already sent a strong signal to Thailand that within his promised two-year tenure he would like to assist his northern neighbour in ending the conflict in the troubled region.
