During his nine years in power, the general turned Thailand’s judiciary, and its Constitutional Court in particular, into a weapon for advancing and safeguarding conservative interests.

Officials say the flooding has already caused tens of millions of dollars in damage, and many fear that water could pour over a dam on the Winooski River that flows through the state’s capital, Montpelier.

Beijing’s growing investment presence in the country, in particular the growing Chinese interest in lithium, is prompting concerns about economic dependency.