The billionaire king of Thailand is running out of friends, at home and abroad. The king tried to ease tensions between the two women by giving Wongvajirapakdi the title of royal consort — an approach that appeared not to have worked. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. He has received military training in Thailand, the UK, US, and Australia. Thanks to restrictions to the Thai press, relatively little is known about Maha Vajiralongkorn. Subscribe to our daily newsletter to get more of it. Read more: Thailand released rare photos of the king's royal consort flying a plane and shooting an assault rifle. King Vajiralongkorn, 68, has been on Thailand’s throne since 2016, but spends much of his time in Bavaria, where his 15-year-old son is at school. Greens parliamentarian Frithjof Schmidt also asked Maas whether Germany was prepared to discuss with the European Union (EU) freezing free trade talks with Thailand again “as long as the junta continues to block the path to democracy in Thailand”. Scroll down to find out more about Thailand's secretive, bicycle-loving king. The king of Thailand is enjoying life at a luxury hotel in Germany, while his subjects back home are suffering under coronavirus. He was educated in Britain and Australia, loves cycling and has been married four times. So why does the Thai King reside in Germany? He appears to spend most of his time in Germany instead and is believed to have a home on Lake Starnberg, 25 miles from the Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl, per Bild and The Times of London. Looking for smart ways to get more from life? Germany does not believe that Thailand’s king has so far breached its ban on conducting politics during his extended periods in the country, a parliamentary source told the … Germany's foreign minister has said that Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn should not be conducting politics from the European country, where he spends much of his time. His birth was seen as a great relief to the Thai royal family at the time, which had been anxiously awaiting a son. Wongvajirapakdi's actions became public in October 2019 when the king announced that he had stripped her of all royal and military titles for disloyalty. He was sent to school in England from ages 13 to 17, before enrolling at military college in Australia until 1976. Thailand's "lese-majeste" law prohibits insulting, defaming, or threatening the monarchy. That's why a 16-year-old is facing criminal charges and up to 15 years in jail for making fun of the king. The monarch in question, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, officially known as King Rama X, was crowned in May 2019, almost three years after the death of the previous king, his father Bhumibol Adulyadej. He is the only son of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit. The king of Thailand married his bodyguard in a lavish surprise ceremony, Thailand released rare photos of the king's royal consort flying a plane and shooting an assault rifle, The King of Thailand abruptly stripped all royal titles from his 34-year-old consort, who is accused of plotting against the queen to take her place, A YouTuber is facing criminal charges for shading a Miss Universe dress designed by a Thai princess because in Thailand it's illegal to insult the monarchy. Get it now on Libro.fm using the button below. The two main issues have been the nature of the king's visa for Germany and the question of whether he was conducting Thai state affairs from German soil, which would be … © Leuchtende Hotelfotografie/Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl The wedding was a surprise because the palace had never acknowledged the king's romantic relationship with General Suthida Vajiralongkorn before. King Vajiralongk… About a year later, the king changed his mind, taking her back as a royal consort and restoring her military ranks. Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn with Queen Suthida and Princess Bajrakitiyabha during a parade ceremony in Saraburi, Thailand, on January 18, 2020. Despite her new rank, Wongvajirapakdi "did everything to make herself equal to Queen Suthida" and disobeyed the king and queen, Channel News Asia reported, paraphrasing the palace. King Vajiralongkorn’s actions, in particular his direct intervention in Thai politics while living in Germany, have also drawn sharp recent criticism from the … I tell you, if I were, I would have been a millionaire by now.". Account active As Thailand’s pro-democracy demonstrations present an unprecedented challenge to the power of the monarchy, King … The teen was at a protest wearing a tank top similar to the king's with insulting words displayed on his body, Insider previously reported. Read more: The King of Thailand abruptly stripped all royal titles from his 34-year-old consort, who is accused of plotting against the queen to take her place. since, “No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention”. “We have made it clear that politics concerning Thailand should not be conducted from German soil,” Maas told parliament. One of the individuals with no fluctuation is the 67-year-old monarch, His Majesty the King of Thailand. He graduated in 1976. Vajiralongkorn stands for "adorned with jewels or thunderbolts" in Thai, BBC reported. Neither the Royal Palace in Bangkok nor the Thai government responded immediately to a request for comment. Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the … By Shubhangi Shah. staying in a four-star hotel in the Bavarian Alps. According to The Guardian, Maha Vajiralongkorn directly addressed the rumors in a meeting with journalists in 1992, saying: "Do I look like a mafia boss type? “If there are guests in our country that conduct their state business from our soil we would always want to act to counteract that.”. Officially crowned in May 2019, thanks to restrictions to the Thai press, little remains known about the elusive Thai King. She also suggested that her son preferred spending his weekends in the company of beautiful women over carrying out his formal royal duties, BBC reported. He struggled to keep up at school in England and Australia, blaming his upbringing in the Thai palace, the BBC reported. Though he wasn't immediately named Crown Prince, he was widely expected to be his father's successor. German publication Bild reported that the hotel received "special permission" from local authorities to remain open for the king and his entourage, according to The Times of London. In October 2019, the palace announced that his royal consort — and long-term girlfriend — had been plotting against the queen, and the king stripped her of all royal and military titles for disloyalty. King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand is reportedly staying in the four-star Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl in the Bavarian Alps with an entourage of 20 women during the coronavirus outbreak. In 1972, at the age of 20, he was made crown prince by his father. He is a qualified pilot on both civilian and military aircraft, and flies his own Boeing 737 when he travels overseas, BBC reported. In Thailand, many Thais lack opportunities to see the heir apparent going wild, as it is forbidden in Thailand to print news, reports or photos that potentially damage the reputation of the monarchy. Thai king's residence in Germany creates royal headache for government. His mother, Queen Sirikit, reportedly once described her son as "a little bit of a Don Juan" in the early 1980s, per The Guardian. ... Germany… Thousands of protesters have been holding demonstrations in Bangkok over recent months calling for reform of the monarchy to curb the king’s powers and for the removal of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a former junta leader, and a new constitution and elections. The protesters seek to reduce the king’s powers under the constitution, which specifically allows him to exercise powers when he is outside Thailand without appointing a regent. Exterior view of the Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl. Reporting by Emma Thomasson; Editing by Robert Birsel. The king flying back to Germany in 24 hours, prompted a flood of criticism on Thai social media with the hashtag #WhyDoWeNeedAKing becoming one of the top trends on the social media platform. Footage of the wedding showed Suthida kneeling and bowing to the king before sitting beside him to sign marriage documents inside the ornate Ampornsathan Throne Hall in Bangkok. She joined him on the palace balcony during his ascension festivities. Do you have a personal experience with the coronavirus you'd like to share? King of Thailand rents entire hotel in Germany for his harem Photo: Public Relations Office Thailand King Maha Vajiralongkorn spends most of his time in Germany already – having a … Queen Suthida sat beside her husband during the occasion. He then attended Royal Military College, Duntroon, in Canberra, Australia. Earlier in the day, Maha Vajiralongkorn also wore a 7.3-kg (16-pound) crown topped with an Indian diamond, the South China Morning Post reported. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s foreign minister has said that Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn should not be conducting politics from the European country, where … This means he is the tenth monarch of the royal house of Chakri, per BBC. The German government has found no evidence that Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn has done anything illegal while living there, the German Press Agency DPA said, citing a … Since the outbreak of novel coronavirus, Thai king Maha Vajiralongkorn is staying in a German hotel with his entourage of servants and harem of 20 women. Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn does not need a visa to re-enter Germany, where the monarch has spent much of his time since taking the throne in 2016, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. Protestors who want democracy have been demonstrating in Thailand in recent months, leading to many "lese-majeste" charges. The clause, which required a regent to be appointed if the monarch was not resident in Thailand, was removed by a compliant Government which were happy to accommodate the requirements of the new Thai King. King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who spends much of his time in Germany, in a … Part of the ceremony also involved the king pouring sacred water on Suthida's head, according to the BBC. In the German parliament, Greens member Schmidt asked: “Why does the German government tolerate this extremely unusual - and in my opinion illegal - behaviour of a foreign head of state conducting politics on German soil?”. Thai protesters have complained about the cost of the king’s stays in Europe as well as his absence from the kingdom. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas responded to a question by a Greens member of parliament in the Bundestag on Wednesday at a time that King Vajiralongkorn's monarchy faces unprecedented calls for reform from protesters in Thailand. Like what you see here? The Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl i n Garmisch-Partenkirchen is located at … When Thailand recorded its first cases of coronavirus, the King was nowhere to be seen. It appears that King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s social calendar stops for no pandemic. Yet his affinity with Germany remains the source of much speculation and criticism. Most German hotels have closed to tourists as part of the country-wide lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus, per The Local. King Maha Vajiralongkorn, 67, had sparked outrage in Thailand after it emerged he had taken over a German hotel to safely quarantine while his nation was devastated by the coronavirus. In the latest development, the king was pictured on a bicycle near the hotel with an unknown woman on another bicycle near him. Protesters in Thailand on Thursday said they would rally again next Wednesday and expected a big turnout to pressure the government to step down and press their calls for reform of the monarchy. (Reuters: Jorge Silva) He used to dress Foo Foo up as an air chief marshall and take him to formal events, The Guardian reported. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. He even jailed the parents of his third wife, a lady-in-waiting named Srirasmi, under those laws by accusing them of abusing their connections with him, the BBC and The Sun reported. Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn can return to Germany without visa, Berlin says The monarch spent much of his time in the European country after taking the throne, but went back to Thailand … Germany Warns of ‘Consequences’ If Thai King Breached Law (Bloomberg) -- Germany warned of “immediate consequences” if Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn … © Leuchtende Hotelfotografie/Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl, Chaiwat Subprasom/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty. Subscriber Thailand's King Vajiralongkorn spends a lot of his time in Germany. After his father's death on 13 October 2016, he was expected to ascend to the throne of Thailand but asked for time to mourn before taking the throne. The EU halted contact at all levels with Thailand after a 2014 coup but resumed trade talks after a general election last year that saw Prayuth reinstated as a civilian prime minister. Thailand's royal family, compared to the constantly spotlighted British monarchy, is extremely secretive. Protesters challenging Thailand’s palace and army-dominated establishment broke a long-standing taboo by demanding reform of the monarchy in August. He accepted the throne on the night of 1 December 2016. He attended prep school at 13 before moving on to the prestigious Millfield boarding school, where he finished at 17. A leading-edge research firm focused on digital transformation. Maas said that halting negotiations was “an option” to exert pressure but it would be right to discuss with Thailand first. Maha Vajiralongkorn "deemed it appropriate to allow a period of time for the people to pay their respects to the late King," Thailand's National Legislative Assembly said in an October 2016 announcement. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas responded to a question by a Greens member of parliament in the Bundestag on Wednesday at a time that King Vajiralongkorn’s monarchy faces unprecedented calls for reform from protesters in Thailand. The country has strict laws that forbid citizens and the Thai press from insulting and reporting on embarrassing details about the family. The country is under a state of emergency and as people cope with the coronavirus pandemic, they look up to their leader for … What we do know, however, is that he was educated in Britain and Australia, is an enthusiastic cyclist and pilot, and has been married four times. Footage from the ceremony also showed the king splashing water on Wongvajirapakdi's face at the ceremony, Insider previously reported. Read more: The king of Thailand married his bodyguard in a lavish surprise ceremony. The Thai king who has been self-isolating in a luxury German hotel with an entourage of 20 concubines and servants reportedly flew back to his home country recently to … King Maha Vajiralongkorn, 67, is believed to be back at the four-star retreat in southern Germanyafter returning from brief visits back to Thailand. According to Metro, the country’s King escaped his quarantine to attend a lavish party held in celebration of Chakri Memorial Day on 6th April. Read more: A YouTuber is facing criminal charges for shading a Miss Universe dress designed by a Thai princess because in Thailand it's illegal to insult the monarchy. Protesters also want to remove his direct control of a royal fortune valued in tens of billions of dollars and some units of the army. Very few would ever contemplate crossing continents to attend a dinner party. The Thai royal palace's official website crashed after those photos were released, Reuters reported. But Thailand's king Maha Vajiralongkorn, also known as Rama X, has been absent from his kingdom. Thailand’s playboy king has taken over a luxury German hotel to isolate from the coronavirus — along with a harem of 20 women, according to reports. King Maha Vajiralongkorn has reportedly rented out a four-star hotel in the Bavarian Alps for himself and his entourage of 20 women. The King is currently quarantining outside of Thailand- not even in Asia. Wongvajirapakdi wanted to be queen herself, and tried to stop the king from marrying Suthida, a palace statement said. May 7, 2020. He has had numerous acrimonious divorces in the past. BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany’s foreign minister has said that Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn should not be conducting politics from the European country, where he spends much of his time. Thailand has witnessed about 2,992 Covid-19 cases with 55 deaths. She is the first person to be formally granted the role since 1921. With about 100 staff, he was in a hotel in Germany's Bavarian Alps that was closed to the public. Yet, that’s exactly what the Thai King did last week. Or a tip on how your town or community is handling the pandemic? In September 2020, the king restored all Wongvajirapakdi's military ranks and took her back as his royal consort, Insider previously reported. King Vajiralongkorn, 68, has been on Thailand’s throne since 2016, but spends much of his time in Bavaria, where his 15-year-old son is at school. Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn has reportedly gone into isolation in Germany Credit: Reuters 3 He is said to have booked out the entire Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl in … Please email covidtips@businessinsider.com and tell us your story. Some 1,300 people and elephants paraded near Thailand's Grand Palace for six-and-a-half hours, according to the South China Morning Post. 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