UKH

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37643326

It's been imminent for some time, but it has happened now - King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand has died.

I've often heard it said that this will cause serious trouble to kick off, in no small part due to concerns about his likely successor, Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn (certainly quite a "character") - hopefully calm will prevail.

In reply to skog:

Yesterday morning, long before the death was announced, I had a meeting where the boss was advising two students who were heading off to Thailand to take care if the king dies. I was therefore quite amazed when later that day he did.

In reply to skog:

Quite a character? An inbred inadequate, mouth hanging open half the time while reading the playboy on offical duty. Even more bizarrely, he promoted his f*cking poodle (four legged variant) to air marshal in the Thai air force, like a cheap copy of emperor Caligula.
Combine this with an instable military junta and draconic lese majeste laws, seems like the perfect recipe for disaster.

CB

In reply to cb294:


Take it you aint going on holiday there anytime soon.

In reply to KevinD:

I have not been to Thailand yet, but would love to go bird watching in the national parks in the North, supposedly some of the best birding spots in the world!

Anyway, my comments are mainly based on some articles I read in the German press, and on the opinions of a friend who works in Bangkok and whom I was hoping to visit when I will anyway be in the area for a long planned business trip to Shanghai some time next spring. Might not happen in his opinion, as he is convinced that his country will descend into civil war earlier rather than later.

CB

In reply to cb294:

Mm, as I said, quite a "character"! Have you seen that video..?