Good U.S. relations with Thailand have been important for many years, but they now face two significant challenges.

The first is an impending difficult succession in the country’s monarchy. The second is a hurdle for President Barack Obama — reconciling the federal law that requires a cutoff of U.S. military aid to governments installed by coups d’etat with retaining the close relations that have existed with Thailand.

So far, the Obama administration has chosen to disregard Section 508 of the Foreign Assistance Act in regard to Thailand.