Joshua Kurlantzick explains what an impact the death of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej will have on the volatile Southeast Asia. The late king was viewed by his subjects as a stabilising figure in a country that saw numerous military coups during his reign. As benign as he seemed, he remained above politics, intervening merely at times of political crisis. Even though he was a constitutional monarch with limited powers, his words wered heeded. Many fear that without his unifying presence the country may be headed for greater uncertainty.

No doubt "Thailand was transformed from a poor country into Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy" in the last four decades. However, poverty and inequality continue to pose significant challenges. Since the 2014 coup that toppled Yingluck Shinawatra’s populist administration, the military junta has sought to achieve growth, stave off social instability - like mass protests, and fight Muslim separatists in the south. What many Thais worry about is the future of their country. Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, has requested for a year of mournining before ascending to the throne, allowing the junta to appoint a regent - longtime Bhumibol ally and former Thai Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanonda - to manage the state affairs.

There are speculations about what is going on behind the palace curtain. Many believe the crown prince poses perhaps the biggest challenge for both the country’s monarchists and its ruling junta in coming years. Apart from having a reputation for womanising, extravagance, bizarre self-indulgence and occasional cruelty, including to his own children - four of whom had been stripped of their names and titles and live in exile - he has for decades shown little interest in the public duties that will be expected of him to live up to his subjects' expectation.

Human rights activists complain about suppression of free speech in Thailand since the military coup in 2014, saying its lèse-majesté had been excessively applied to silence critics and curb free speech.

Last year, the New York Times found several critical articles on Thailand removed from international editions printed in the country. And in July Thai subscribers to the Economist magazine were told by email that the latest issue, which featured an article on the royal succession, would not be distributed owing to “the sensitive content … and the resulting potential risk”.

Observers have reasons to worry about the stability of the region. Malaysia grapples with the challenge of sustaining stability - ethnic and religious division as well as wealth gap. Under current prime minister Najib Razak, human rights have been eroded, with former deputy prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim as the most prominent victim of his repression. Razak faces opposition from former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who may ally himself with Ibrahim, whom he once persecuted. Politics before the 2018 elections could get messy and nasty.

In the Philippines relations between Manila and Washington - its old ally - have become strained, since the foul-mouthed Rodrigo Duterte won the June election. Washington has voiced concerns over his "war on drugs", which has left more than 3,500 people dead in a matter of months. Subsequently Duterte threatened to forge closer ties with China and Russia. His "wild public statements have unsettled the Philippine economy, leading other Southeast Asian countries to worry about spillover effects." Littoral countries in the South China Sea - Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia - that are embroiled in territorial disputes with China might get the short end of the stick. The development in Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines will take a toll on ASEAN, a fledgling regional organisation that seeks to emulate the EU.﻿