A new king is rising in the land of smiles after Thailand’s parliament acknowledged Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn as the heir to the throne. Prince Vajiralongkorn succeeds his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died at the age of 88 on October 13 after a long period of illness. Bhumibol played a stabilizing role during decades of often violent political turmoil in Thailand. The crown prince was widely expected to ascend the throne following his father’s death, but he sought more time to mourn. There is keen interest in how the prince will reign in a kingdom where the monarch is largely revered and heard as the voice of stability in the nation’s politics. Listen to the discussion about the future of the Thai monarchy with Ye Hailin from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Sean Boonpracong, a former advisor to the Thai government.
