For 70 years, King Bhumibol maintained his people's love and reverence.
Most Thais have never known life under another king. His face is on Thai banknotes and coins.
His portrait is in offices and schools across the country. Many Thais keep a photo of the king in their homes and cars.
The royal anthem is still played in cinemas before the start of a movie.
Reign not without controversy for devoted king
In return, King Bhumibol showed the same devotion to his people. His service often took the form of trips around Thailand, pursuing the cause of agriculture or other rural projects.
He won new respect in the early 1990s when yet another coup d'état led to deadly clashes between the military and pro-democracy activists.
As with other crises, he had the power to pull warring parties aside, read them the riot act and stop further bloodshed.
But his reign was not without controversy. In 2003, King Bhumibol supported a war on drugs which led to the deaths of 2,000 suspects.