King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand has died after years of suffering from a series of minor illnesses. The well-loved monarch, aged 88, has been the world's longest-reigning monarch, having presided over much of the country's turbulent political episodes since he ascended to the throne in 1946.
His declining health in recent years have become apparent due to his fewer public appearances. Such has been a cause of concern among many Thais, who have fervently supported him for his reputation as a unifying figure in Thailand.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha addressed Thailand via televised broadcast that the country will hold a yearlong period for mourning. He added that all forms of entertainment across the country must be "toned down" one month following the king's death, BBC has reported.
"He is now in heaven and may be looking over Thai citizens from there," Chan-ocha, leader of Thailand's military government, said. The king's passing marks another possible point of volatility in a country wrought with politically-divisive issues.
His 70-year reign over Thailand bore witness to several events in modern history, as it outlasted the entirety of the Cold War - one that caused bloody conflicts in neighboring Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Domestic commotions - including a disastrous 2014 military coup, also happened under the king's reign.
Just recently, Thailand reeled in on violence once more as a spate of bombings caused by insurgents, which happened not long after an August referendum on a new military-centric constitution, brought back focus on the troubles concerning the country's southern Muslim provinces.
Chan-ocha confirmed that the king's only son, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, will stand as the country's next monarch. His ascendancy to the throne, however, doesn't exactly imbue him the same kind of adulation the Thai people had for his father, and many might say he has a long way to go.
The prince's rather-turbulent lifestyle - one that's characterized by his three previous marriages and his frequent overseas travels, is in stark contrast to the king's highly-respectable stature. What's more, his links to ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra might prove to be a severely-divisive factor.
"In a society that attaches celestial importance to the throne and largely views the monarchy as a force preserving Thai culture and values, the prince is thus seen as exceedingly unfit for kingship," according to an analysis published by Strategic Forecasting Inc. (Stratfor) in 2015.
