Even the most revered of kings, worshipped by his people as a demigod, is not immortal. Thais were reminded of this last month when six days of ornate cremation ceremonies, with gilded carriages and armies of extras in traditional costumes, were held for Princess Galyani, the elder sister of their beloved King Bhumibol Adu-lyadej (pictured above). There was talk in Bangkok of the princess's funeral being a "dress rehearsal" for the end of Bhumi-bol's reign, 62 years long so far. Making one of few public appearances this year, shortly before his 81st birthday on December 5th, the king did indeed look his age.rnThe funeral only briefly calmed a political conflict that has raged for three years between supporters of Thaksin Shinawa-tra, the prime minister ousted by royalist generals in the 2006 coup, and an opposition movement backed by much of Bangkok's traditional elite, apparently including Queen Sirikit. But the day after the ceremonies ended a grenade exploded among anti-Thaksin protesters, killing one. The anti-government protesters, the People's Alliance for Democracy (pad), who had been occupying Government House since August, then seized Bangkok's mainrnairports, causing chaos. The siege was lifted only eight days later, after a court dissolved the main parties in the pro-Thaksin coalition government.rnMr Thaksin is in exile, convicted in absentia of corruption. But a government dominated by his allies has governed since democracy returned in last December's elections. It looks poised to carry on under new party names despite the court ruling. Last month Mr Thaksin staged a huge rally of his "red shirt" supporters to remind his "yellow shirt" royalist foes in the pad, who claim to be protecting the king against Mr Thaksin's supposed republicanism, that he remains Thailand's most popular politician.
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