Hello and welcome to the intelligence on Economist Radio.

I'm your host, Jason Palmer.

Every weekday, we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

Dozens of people have been killed in the past 10 days as Russia has intensified its bombing in Idlib, Syria's last rebel stronghold.

Russia's campaign has often proved brutal, but it feels it's won an important victory in Syria

and has emerged from the conflict more confident and more influential in the Middle East.

And our correspondent drops in on a poetry group in Guinea-Bissau.

Amid a tangle of languages, she finds that some of the most prolific authors are hardened military men.

First up, though.

It was billed as a return to democracy.

In March, the people of Thailand voted in a general election for the first time since a military coup in 2014.

But it seems that the generals who seized power back then have done their level best to keep hold of it. So it's been an exceptionally busy week in Thailand,

and on Saturday it was the start of three days of celebrations for King Mahar Wajurulongkorn's

coronation. Miranda Johnson is our Southeast Asia correspondent.

The really busy time was on Sunday.

When I camped out for hours in this weltering heat with thousands of other Thai people,

all wearing yellow, as that is the royal colour, to see the royal procession go past.

It was all extremely regal, and it was amazing to see the royal procession go past. It was all extremely regal and it was

amazing to see how dedicated people were to being there despite the extraordinary heat.

And if that weren't enough for the start of the new reign, it has also got off to a fairly

explosive beginning politically because in recent days the new reign. It has also got off to a fairly explosive beginning politically because in

recent days, the full results of a general election held in March were released. And the election

...