The death this week of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej after a 70-year reign has shone the spotlight on his only son, the crown prince almost certain to succeed to the throne. Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, 64, has never generated the popular respect and affection given to his father, potentially complicating efforts for a smooth handover of power.He has at times had an uneasy relationship with members of the traditional establishment, some of whom are suspicious of his contacts with their bête noire Thaksin Shinawatra, the billionaire prime minister now living in self-imposed exile.Some Thais have even come to fear a man whose pet poodle was said to have been given a senior military rank, and whose estranged wife's parents and brothers were jailed for allegedly insulting the royal family.The crown prince's personal life even drew criticism from his mother, Queen Sirikit, when she memorably described him in 1981 as a "little bit of a Don Juan".The crown prince himself has made few public addresses over the years, in contrast to his father's once regular broadcasts to the nation.In a 1986 interview with Thai women's magazine Dichan, he lamented that he was the subject of rumour and censure, sometimes unfairly. Little of this is ever publicly discussed in Thailand.All talk of the monarchy there - and particularly the personalities involved - is constrained by strict lèse-majesté laws that threaten 15 years in jail per offence.These are being wielded increasingly aggressively under the military junta that took power in May 2014.The crown prince, the second child and only son of Queen Sirikit and King Bhumibol, was educated in the UK and Australia. He qualified as a pilot and served as a Thai army officer but kept a low profile in Thailand and spent years in Germany.His mother once told US media her "good boy" might have to change his behaviour or resign from the royal family if the Thai people did not approve of his conduct.In a video leaked in 2009, a pipe-smoking and fully clothed crown prince appears at a table beside a swimming pool with his then third wife Princess Srirasmi, who is wearing only a thong. An attendant produces a cake and the couple sing Happy Birthday as the prince clutches his white poodle, Foo Foo.The dog is said to have been awarded the title of air chief marshal, according to a 2007 US diplomatic cable published by WikiLeaks.Vajiralongkorn's behaviour has dismayed some senior establishment figures.mini_story_image_hleft1Several top members of Thailand's privy council, a powerful royal advisory body, made "quite negative comments" about the crown prince during a meeting with the US ambassador in Bangkok, according to a 2010 US diplomatic cable also published by WikiLeaks.The conversation included discussions about the prince's relationship with former prime minister Thaksin, who was ousted in a coup in 2006 and whose sister's government was toppled by the current military junta in 2014.Thaksin, who is in self-exile to escape a corruption conviction he says is politically motivated, said in February he had not had any contact with the crown prince for more than six years.Since the 2014 coup, Vajiralongkorn has taken on a more ceremonial role and has headed royal cycling events known as "Bike for Dad" and "Bike for Mum" to celebrate his parents.But the projects had a grisly aftermath when a group of people linked to them were accused of using the monarchy's name for personal gain and at least two of those charged - a senior police officer and a famous fortune-teller who was Bike for Mum's chief organiser - died in custody in unexplained circumstances.Vajiralongkorn also hit the headlines when authorities carried out a very public purge starting in 2014 on his by then estranged wife Srirasmi and her relatives.They were stripped of their royally assigned name, and her parents and three brothers were jailed for allegedly insulting the monarchy.Few Thais or experienced foreign observers are making predictions about how the crown prince will rule.He has an enigmatic quality summed up in his answer when Dichan magazine asked three decades ago if he was upset to be portrayed as the "black sheep" of the family.Sometimes "black sheep serve a purpose, one of helping others", he said. "Black sheep help those not-too-white ones seem whiter."sub_head_start Shortage of mourning garments loomssub_head_endShops are running out of mourning clothes in Thailand after the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.Crowds of mourners have taken to the streets and are snapping up black clothes, with prices doubling.Officials are helping factories ensure supplies and told shops not to hike prices.People were urged to delay buying black clothes until factories had caught up.Profiteers face fines of up to 140,000baht (about R56,000) and seven years in jail. - additional reporting by AFP..