By Jerome TAYLOR
During his seven-decade reign, King Bhumibol Adulyadej forged deep ties with Thailand's military, which is expected to remain a key power broker as the monarch's son tries to emerge from his late father's lengthy shadow.
In a country battered by near-constant power struggles, Thailand's military establishment has long tied its political fortunes to Bhumibol, who died on Thursday aged 88.
The armed forces portray themselves as the ultimate defender of the monarchy and most of the many coups launched during Bhumibol's reign were done in the name of protecting the king -- and eventually endorsed by him.
But the king also wielded enormous prestige, famously calling Thailand's then military ruler to his palace in 1992, humiliating him on television for ordering a bloody crackdown on demonstrations against his government.
The prime minister resigned.
But Bhumibol's designated successor Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn lacks his father's deep military links.
"There's no light at the end of tunnel in terms of demilitarisation any time soon," said Paul Chambers, an expert on the Thai military and monarchy.
The current military junta that seized power two years ago said it did so to halt years of violent political factional fighting.
But with the king already ailing at the time, many saw the putsch -- the latest to halt Thai democracy in its tracks -- as the generals ensuring they were in control during the coming royal succession.
Read the full story at SpaceDaily