FOR two centuries a hoary prophecy held that Thailand’s Chakri dynasty would produce no more than nine kings. That curse looks to have been lifted in Bangkok on November 29th, when the ruling junta’s rubber-stamp parliament invited Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn—soon to be King Rama X—to take the throne. As The Economist went to press Thais were awaiting the completion of the last legal formalities required before the succession can be officially proclaimed.
The parliament’s five-minute meeting ended an odd interregnum following the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej on October 13th. That evening the government reported that the prince had chosen to delay taking the throne, to allow more time to grieve. This breached the palace’s own rules and surprised the junta, igniting fears among outsiders that the succession was being contested behind the scenes. The high-living prince is unpopular among Thais and loathed by the elites, many of whom would have preferred his younger sister, Princess Sirindhorn, as monarch.
As it turns out, the seven-week hiatus may...Continue reading
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