On rainy afternoon days after the death of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, royal household gatekeepers denied entry to foreigners as thousands of Thais streamed into Bangkok's Grand Palace to light candles, pray, and pay respects to a monarch many revere as semi-divine. Typically one of the capital's top tourist sites, the palace-temple complex will serve in the months ahead as the hallowed epicenter of year-long mourning rituals for Thais, a government-mandated period of inward-looking reflection on the deceased king's storied 70-year reign.
Bhumibol's passing has released strong waves of Thai nationalism, expressed in a widely followed black and white dress code of mourning, vigilante-style threats against those deemed as disloyal to the crown, and an upsurge of state-sought anti-royal charges, a criminal offense punishable by 15 years in prison under the country's severe lese majeste law.
As Thailand draws dolefully inward, Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha's junta will be challenged during the long wake to coherently and convincingly separate political, economic, and palatial issues while managing a crucial and still uncertain royal succession.