King Bhumibol understood well the necessity of maintaining good foreign relations, and in his travels abroad was the Kingdom’s ultimate ambassador. All countries with which Thailand maintains diplomatic relations have since His Majesty’s death a year ago shown that they too share in the sense of loss. Their embassies in Bangkok have hosted commemorative events to honour him, as have far-flung parliaments and international organisations around the world. King Bhumibol – internationally applauded as “the visionary king”, “the development king” – oversaw the cultivation of warm relations with a multitude of foreign nations. Age and declining health perhaps prevented King Bhumibol from achieving the same rapprochement with Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar, with which Thailand also shares bittersweet histories.

Source: The Nation Bangkok October 27, 2017 16:18 UTC