The public reverence for King Bhumibol was genuine but it was also carefully nurtured by a formidable public relations machine at the palace.
There were harsh "lese-majeste" laws that punished any criticism of the monarchy and which restricted the ability of foreign and domestic media to fully report on the king.
During his long reign, King Bhumibol Adulyadej was faced with a country continually racked by political upheaval.
It said much for his skills as a diplomat, and his ability to reach out to ordinary people in Thailand, that his death leaves the country's monarchy far stronger than it was at his accession.