Thailand is in deep mourning after the passing of the widely revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who reigned for 70 years. During that period the country experienced umpteen coups d'etat and attempted coups. Democracy has proved no panacea for deep-seated social and regional divisions, in fact it may have exacerbated them. Even so, Thailand has continued to develop economically and has become a huge magnet for tourism and foreign direct investment from Japan and other countries.
Thai politics has never been pretty, but neither has it generated enough instability to present a deadly threat to the country's growth. The monarchy must take a great deal of the credit for contributing to the building of a national identity, which is essential for limiting social and ethnic conflicts. Many other countries, including some in Southeast Asia, have not been so lucky.
