King Vajiralongkorn

King Vajiralongkorn
The Public Relations Department (กรมประชาสัมพันธ์) · CC BY 3.0 th · source
Name	Vajiralongkorn
Succession	King of Thailand
Reign	2016–present
Predecessor	Bhumibol Adulyadej
Coronation	2019
Full name	Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun
House	Chakri dynasty
Father	Bhumibol Adulyadej
Mother	Sirikit
Birth date	28 July 1952
Birth place	Hildegard House, Bangkok

King Vajiralongkorn

Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun is the monarch of Thailand and head of the Chakri dynasty. He succeeded Bhumibol Adulyadej in 2016 and was formally crowned in 2019, presiding over the Monarchy of Thailand during a period of significant political change involving the National Council for Peace and Order, Palang Pracharath Party, and mass pro-democracy movements such as the 2020 Thai protests. His reign has intersected with institutions including the Royal Thai Armed Forces, the Constitution of Thailand (2017), and the Thai legal system.

Early life and education

Born in Bangkok in 1952 to Bhumibol Adulyadej and Sirikit, he is a member of the Chakri dynasty and a direct descendant of Rama I. He attended Chitralada School and later studied at Millfield School in Somerset, United Kingdom, followed by officer training at Royal Military College, Duntroon in Australia and academic studies at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University and University of New South Wales. During his youth he participated in cultural and ceremonial roles tied to the Thai royal family and maintained connections with institutions such as Chulalongkorn University and Mahidol University through patronages and honorary degrees.

Military career and public roles

Vajiralongkorn trained as an officer with the Royal Thai Army, serving in units including the 1st Division, King's Guard and holding ranks across the Royal Thai Armed Forces. He received training at foreign institutions such as the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and maintained ties with foreign militaries including the United States Army and Australian Army. His public roles encompassed honorary commands of formations like the Royal Thai Navy and Royal Thai Air Force, patronage of organizations including the Thai Red Cross Society and the Crown Property Bureau, and ceremonial functions at events such as the Royal Funeral Rites for members of the Thai royal family.

Accession to the throne

Following the death of Bhumibol Adulyadej in October 2016, the National Legislative Assembly and the Privy Council of Thailand oversaw the procedures for succession in accordance with the Constitution of Thailand (2014). He accepted accession and was proclaimed monarch by the National Assembly of Thailand, with ceremonial rites and preparations involving the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew, and the Bureau of the Royal Household. His coronation in 2019 involved rites derived from Hindu-Buddhist coronation traditions shared with earlier Chakri monarchs, and large-scale participation by institutions such as the Thai government and the Royal Thai Police.

Reign and governance

During his reign institutions such as the National Council for Peace and Order and the Constitutional Court of Thailand have influenced political developments, including the 2017 constitution promulgation and subsequent elections involving the Palang Pracharath Party and Move Forward Party. The monarchy’s role in governance has been emphasized via the Crown Property Bureau, the Privy Council of Thailand, and royal patronages of state initiatives in areas involving the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Interior. His reign has seen administrative reorganizations affecting royal agencies and increased public visibility of royal assets involving entities such as the Siam Commercial Bank and property holdings in Bangkok and abroad.

Personal life and family

Vajiralongkorn is part of the extended Thai royal family and the Chakri dynasty, with familial relationships connected to figures like Bhumibol Adulyadej and Sirikit. He has had several marriages, including to members of aristocratic and commoner families with connections to institutions such as the Bureau of the Royal Household and international communities in Germany and England. His children have been involved in public life to varying degrees and attended institutions like Chitralada School and Eton College; some have held ceremonial titles within the House of Chakri while others have had private profiles.

Public image, controversies, and legal status

Public perceptions have been shaped by media coverage in outlets such as Bangkok Post, The Nation (Thailand), and international media including the BBC and The New York Times, as well as by activism from movements like the 2020 Thai protests and political actors including Future Forward Party and Move Forward Party. Controversies have touched on royal prerogatives, the scope of lèse-majesté laws under Article 112 of the Criminal Code (Thailand), and the role of the Privy Council of Thailand and Crown Property Bureau in political affairs. His legal status and immunity have been referenced in relation to constitutional provisions and debates involving the Constitutional Court of Thailand, parliamentary oversight in the National Assembly of Thailand, and international human rights organizations including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.

Honours, awards, and patronages

He holds domestic orders such as the Order of the Rajamitrabhorn and the Order of Rama, and foreign honours from states including Japan, United Kingdom, France, and Germany. He is patron or sovereign of institutions including the Thai Red Cross Society, Chulalongkorn University, Mahidol University, and military orders tied to the Royal Thai Armed Forces. His patronages extend to cultural and religious sites such as Wat Phra Kaew and national ceremonies including the Royal Ploughing Ceremony.

Category:Monarchs of Thailand Category:Chakri dynasty Category:1952 births Category:Living people