t crisis points in Thailand’s turbulent political history, a nod from him one way or the other was often enough to turn the tide. He helped exile a ruling junta in 1973 and bring in a civilian prime minister. But he was widely viewed as backing the military’s overthrow of a civilian government in 2006.
After World War II, U.S. policymakers viewed Thailand as a front-line against communist influence in Southeast Asia. Starting in the late 1960s, the king played a role securing an alliance that helped transform his agriculture-based country into a major recipient of Cold War military and economic aid from the United States.
Thailand became an important base for U.S. military forces during the Vietnam War and a bulwark against political crises in neighboring Cambodia and Laos. In recent years, Thailand has become a strategic partner in anti-terrorism operations, with the palace remaining an influential background force in that relationship.