KING KORN
MAHA Vajiralongkorn has held the title of King of Thailand since October 2016.
The King and his wife Queen Suthida made a royal visit to Phuket on June 11, 2023.
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Who is King of Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn?
Maha Vajiralongkorn - also known as Rama X - was born on July 28, 1952, the only son of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit.
In 1972, at the age of 20, Vajiralongkorn was made crown prince by his father.
He served as a career officer in the Royal Thai Army, and as a staff officer in the Directorate of Army Intelligence.
He trained for periods with the US, British and Australian armed services, studied unconventional warfare and advanced navigation.
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After his father's death in October 2016, Vajiralongkorn ascended to the throne of Thailand, and a three-day coronation took place on from May 4-6, 2019.
How many wives has Vajiralongkorn had?
Vajiralongkorn has had four wives in his lifetime.
On January 3, 1977, he married Princess Soamsawali Kitiyakara, a first cousin on his mother's side.
The two divorced in July 1993.
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During his marriage with Princess Kitiyakara, he was involved in a relationship with actress Yuvadhida Polpraserth.
Vajiralongkorn and Polpraserth tied the knot in February 1994.
However, two years later the relationship hit rock-bottom after Polpraserth decamped to Britain with all her children, as Vajiralongkorn accused her of committing adultery with Anand Rotsamkhan.
The pair officially separated in 2007, after Polpraserth and her sons moved to the United States, and were stripped of their diplomatic passports and royal titles.
Their daughter returned to Thailand and her name was changed from Princess Busyanambejra to HRH Princess Sirivannavari.
In February 2001, Vajiralongkorn married a third time to Srirasmi Suwadee.
In November 2014, Vajiralongkorn sent a letter to the interior ministry asking for Princess Suwadee's family to be stripped of the royal name, Akharaphongpreecha that was awarded to her.
The reason was due to the allegations of corruption against seven of her relatives.
Suwadee was officially stripped of her royal titles and divorced Vajiralongkorn in December 2014.
In May 2019, Vajiralongkorn married Suthida Tidjai, who he is still married to today.
Who is his wife, Queen Suthida Tidjai?
Suthida Tidjai is the Queen consort of Thailand and the fourth wife of King Vajiralongkorn.
She was born on June 3, 1978, and worked as a flight attendant.
She served in the Royal Thai Army and was promoted to the rank of general in 2016.
She became Queen of Thailand after marrying King Vajiralongkorn on May 1, 2019.
The couple do not have any children together.
How many children does he have?
King Vajiralongkorn has seven children with three different women.
The King and his first wife Princess Soamsawali had one daughter together, Princess Bajrakitiyabha, born on December 7, 1978.
Vajiralongkorn and second wife Polpraserth had five kids together, four sons and a daughter.
Their sons are Prince Juthavachara Mahidol (1979), Prince Vacharaesorn Mahidol (1981), Prince Chakriwat Mahidol (1983), and Prince Vatcharawee Mahidol (1985).
Polpraserth and her four sons are reportedly banished from Thailand and living in the US.
Her daughter, Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya, was born on January 8, 1987.
She returned to live in Thailand and has been promoted to major general in the Royal Thai Army.
The King's youngest child is Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti.
The prince, who was born on April 29, 2005, is the son of his third wife Srirasmi.
Who is his mistress Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi and what photos were leak?
Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi, nicknamed Koi, was born on January 26, 1985.
In August 2019, King Vajiralongkorn made his girlfriend Sineenat his royal consort.
The king used ceremonial water to anoint Sineenat while she laid at his feet.
It was the first time in the country's modern history that a monarch has publicly admitted to having more than one partner.
Sineenat, who is the King’s former bodyguard, was given the title of "chao khun phra" meaning "royal noble consort" during the ceremony which marked his birthday.
However, just months later she was expelled and imprisoned following a dramatic fall-out.
In August 2020, it was revealed she was welcomed back into his harem.
On December 22, 2020, over 1,400 explicit nude pictures of Sineenat were leaked and sent to anti-monarchy activists in a bid to "sabotage" the Royal consort.
Many of the photos involve Sineenat naked or semi naked.
The leak of the “very explicit” photos of Sineenat is thought to be connected to a bitter rivalry between the king’s mistress and his wife, Tidjai.
The pictures – thought to have been taken by Sineenat herself – were sent to British journalist Andrew MacGregor Marshall, who has written critical articles about the Thai monarchy, reported The Times.
He wrote in a Facebook post: “The photographs are clearly from Koi's personal phones.
“Most of the images are photographs she took of herself, and dozens of them are very explicit.
"It seems probable that she had taken these explicit photographs of herself to send to Vajiralongkorn.”
The 1,443 snaps were taken between 2012 and 2014 and include revealing shots of Koi topless and in skimpy nightwear.
The pictures were also sent to Thai academic Pavin Chachavalpongpun, who lives in Japan and who faces criminal prosecution in Thailand for his criticism of the monarchy.
The photos were delivered with a fake return address and a letter claiming they had been obtained by “pro-democracy Thai hackers”.
Marshall added: “However this is almost certainly untrue.
“Koi's return was bitterly opposed by palace factions supporting Queen Suthida and Princess Bajrakitiyabha and it is highly probable the images of Koi were leaked in an effort to sabotage her return as Vajiralongkorn's consort.”
Why is the King of Thailand so loved?
It is tradition for Thais to love the monarchy.
The monarchy dates back more than 700 years and is seen as unifying.
It is a crime to say anything against the monarchy.
The lese majeste law, loosely translated as treason, carries a prison term of three to 15 years.
What is the King of Thailand's net worth?
The King of Thailand is extremely wealthy.
He is reportedly the richest monarch in the world with $30billion.
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His money is made through investments derived from the Crown Property Bureau, which is responsible for managing the King's property.
The royal family also receives funds from the government for expenses.