Malaysia’s Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was scheduled to meet his Thai counterpart late on Wednesday, in his first visit to his northern neighbour, as hopes rise that he can help prospects for peace in Thailand’s violence-scarred south, Agence-France Presse reports. Thailand appears to be adopting a new approach in dealing with security issues in the country’s predominantly Muslim region. Earlier this month, the new military commander overseeing the southernmost provinces vowed to launch a crackdown on drugs, saying a recent survey found that most people in the region see addiction as their most-pressing issue, not the insurgency, according to Benar News. A new surge in lethal attacks in Thailand’s southernmost region has underscored the lack of progress in resolving the insurgent conflict after four years of military junta rule, writes Don Pathan for Asia Times.