Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, Princess Srirasmi and family: Jan 2006-

[wartenberg7]

My goodness, what will happen (to the monarchy) when he will have to take over?
How come that the Royal Family, apart from the King and Queen, appears to be so disfunctional (the future King soon to be divorced for the 3rd time, Prcss Sirindhorn lonely all her lifetime - did she ever have a relationship? ). What about the other royal "children"? Are they leading happy, stable lifes to the advantage of the Thai monarchy?
This is not intended to be as an offence, it´s a question because I really don´t know! Perhaps someone with a more profound knowledge than I can answer?

 

[Jacknch]

The situation is complex. It is unfortunate that Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn can not succeed her father.

It does seem rather complex and indeed a very unfortunate set of circumstances. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is a very much loved person, being a sweet, kind and caring person by all accounts, and if the circumstances permitted her to succeed her father, I am sure she would have great success in the role. Nonetheless, in the role that she has, the princess is a good ambassador and asset to her country.

 

[wyevale]

A bloodcurdling revolution and civil war is simply waiting to happen... the death of the hugely respected old king, and the accession of his widely detested son may well be the catalyst..

 

[Biri]

Poor Prince Dipangkorn. It's he who is the most harmed in that situation.

 

[Princess Xenia]

According to reliable sources like the BBC, he is dismissing this wife, like he did his 2nd wife and sons. The fact he got custody of the son means the son may still be the heir and she probably had no say in custody. He has a mistress and a baby son who may become the new wife. He wants this all in order before his father dies so as to not be dismissing an actual queen - much messier. I don't think he is concerned with image beyond that and I do not think his image was good to begin with.
Thai prince divorces amid anxiety over monarchy's future

I guess he is counting on the fact that no one in Thailand can talk about his image.

it's really sad, I don't follow the Thai Royal Family, but I think the Thai people like Princess Srirasmi very much.

I don't know if I am guessing right or not, I feel the Crown Prince was waiting for something to happen and divorce his wife, please tell me I am wrong.

 

[Benjamin]

Divorce of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and former Princess Srirasmi

Many reports are confirming that the marriage between Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and Srirasmi Suwadee met its end last week. However, there is some confusion as to whether the divorce occurred on Wednesday, 10 December, or Saturday, 13 December. Apparently communiques were issued in the Royal Gazette about the situation on both dates.
_________________________________________

The Daily News, one of the major newspapers in Thailand, has confirmed that the divorce took place.

It seems to indicate that the divorce was witnessed on Wednesday, 10 December.
The Daily News (15 Dec 2014)
_________________________________________

Srirasmi Suwadee first came into the service of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn in 1992 while he was still married to his first wife and his mother's niece, Princess Soamsavali, but living with his long-time mistress and soon-to-be second wife, the former actress Yuvadhida Polpraserth. The Crown Prince had married Princess Soamsavali in 1977 and with her produced Princess Bajrakitiyabha in 1978, the first grandchild of King Bhumibol.

The union of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and his first cousin Princess Soamsavali was finally dissolved in 1993. The Crown Prince went on to marry Yuvadhida Polpraserth in 1994. This second marriage did not meet with the approval of Queen Sirikit and it ended in divorce in 1996 with Yuvadhida Polpraserth fleeing into exile with her three of her five children with the Crown Prince.

Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn wed Srirasmi Suwadee (who become Princess Srirasmi) in secrecy in 2001; the marriage was not made public until 2005 when it was announced that Srirasmi was expecting the couple's first child. The infant born later that year was Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, who is so far the only legitimate male heir of the Crown Prince. Upon the birth of the young prince, Srirasmi received the royal title of Princess.

Pure People states that the Royal Gazette confirmed the divorce in a bulletin on Saturday, 13 December.
Vajiralongkorn de Thaïlande divorce : la belle princesse Srirasm déchue... (Pure People - 15 Dec 2014)
_________________________________________

Yahoo News also states that the divorce was announced in the Royal Gazette during the morning of Saturday, December 13.
Thai prince divorces amid anxiety over monarchy's future (Yahoo News - 13 Dec 2014)
_________________________________________

The Diplomat writes that the divorce took place on 10 December.

It was reiterated that Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn has retained custody of the couple's only child. As the Crown Prince resides part of the year in Munich with his companion, Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti departed Bangkok for Germany on 12 December. The young prince is expected to be enrolled in a local Munich school.

Reiterating other reports, Srirasmi Suwadee has moved out of the Crown Prince's palace in Bangkok. She is relocating to her hometown of Rachaburi. Unsurprisingly, she is expected to lead a very quiet life there.

The current mistress of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn is identified as Suthida Vajiralongkorn (aka Suthida Nui). She was formerly a Thai Airways flight attendant. Echoing how his third wife was given a military rank during her period as consort, Suthida Vajiralongkorn has also received an appointment as a Major General in the Thai Army.

Rumors are rife that Suthida Vajiralongkorn gave birth to a son in recent months and that she is likely to become the fourth wife of the Crown Prince. As such, it is plausible that the till now unknown Suthida Vajiralongkorn could become Queen of Thailand in the near future given the frail health of King Bhumibol. There is also speculation that the newborn son of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and Suthida Vajiralongkorn could displace Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti in the line of succession.
A Thai Princess' Fairy Tale Comes to an End (The Diplomat - 15 Dec 2014)
_________________________________________

Cambodia-based journalist Andrew MacGregor Marshall tweeted last week that the Crown Prince had signed divorce papers which were witnessed by General Prem Tinsulanonda and Chirayu Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya.
Source: Twitter posting of 11 December

Marshall also released a photo that purports to show the five month-old son of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and mistress Suthida Vajiralongkorn.
See: Twitter posting of 12 December
_________________________________________

Other articles about the marital breakdown of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and the former Princess Srirasmi:

Thai prince divorces wife beset by family scandals amid anxiety over monarchy’s future (South China Morning Post - 13 Dec 2014)
Thaïlande : le divorce du prince héritier sème le doute sur l’avenir de la monarchie (Les Echo - 13 Dec 2014)
Thai prince divorces scandal-hit wife (Taipei Times - 14 Dec 2014)
Princess Srirasmi a Royal No More After Agreeing to Resign Title, Divorce (Newsmax - 15 Dec 2014)
In monarchist Thailand, does money now trump a royal title? (The Christian Science Monitor - 15 Dec 2014)

 

[wartenberg7]

According to reliable sources like the BBC, he is dismissing this wife, like he did his 2nd wife and sons. The fact he got custody of the son means the son may still be the heir and she probably had no say in custody. He has a mistress and a baby son who may become the new wife. He wants this all in order before his father dies so as to not be dismissing an actual queen - much messier. I don't think he is concerned with image beyond that and I do not think his image was good to begin with.
Thai prince divorces amid anxiety over monarchy's future

A new marriage only to put things into "order"? I guess by that the next catastrophy is inevitable.
Don´t know if I´m sorry for the CP or angry because he´s destroying his parent´s legacy and oeuvre.
I guess that´s what happens when a person is treated all his lifetime as a demi-god, people literally crawling in front of you....

Question: Why is the Prince´s mistress already bearing "Vajiralongkorn" in her name although she isn´t yet married to Maha Vajiralongkorn?

 

[Benjamin]

Many pictures of the former Princess Srirasmi and her son Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti:

Srirasmi=Mother-Son=Sad>Crown Prince=Nui+Son +++=Happy=Thai Royal Math | Free Thailand

 

[MsPam]

She is beautiful.

 

[Biri]

I feel so sorry for them both...

 

[Chubb Fuddler]

I had lunch with my sister-in-law today, who is from Thailand. She had not heard that Princess Srirasmi had already been dropped, even though there had been rumours for months. I said that at least the Crown Prince has a legitimate son to succeed him, but she told me that Prince Dipangkorn will never be king as there is "something odd" about him (the rumour is autism). The story goes that the Crown Prince needed a bone marrow transplant (the rumour is AIDS), and that a son would be the ideal donor. He is estranged from his four sons by his second wife, so he decided to try for a new son.

Srirasmi's first pregnancy was a girl so she forced to have an abortion. Next time it was a boy, so in due course Prince Dipangkorn was born. The Crown Prince got his bone marrow transplant, and his health recovered. Princess Srirasmi was rewarded with official recognition as the Crown Prince's Consort, and her son would one day be king. But as Prince Dipangkorn got older, and it became obvious that something was wrong, Princess Srirasmi's days as royal consort where numbered.

My sister-in-law also told me that when she was in Bangkok a couple of months ago, she heard, for the first time, negative comments about Princess Sirindhorn. Apparently the Princess is sympathetic to plots to make her Crown Princess. It's not the prospect of her being Queen that has annoyed people, but the idea that she too is dabbling in political intrigue. But it now seems that the story was spread simply to gage public reaction, and that Princess Sirindhorn was as surprised as everybody else when she heard about it.

I asked my sister-in-law why there are so many rumours and stories about the Royal Family. She just shrugged her shoulders and said it's always been like that, and that it gets worse when the military is in power. But this time it is particularly bad as the current reign approaches its end. The King is no longer active on the political front. The Queen is interfering to try and ensure Crown Prince, her pride and joy, succeeds with a strong power base in the military. But, she said with a laugh, it's just as likely that not a single word of any of the rumours is true, particularly the more colourful ones. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Princess Xenia]

Chubb Fuddler thank you for sharing these information , I really wanted to know what's the Thai people's opinion over this, which is mostly unlikely due to lese majesté .

So CP Vajiralongkorn married Srirasmi so that she could provide him a son and then that son could provide him bone marrow transplant??!! And now that he's got what he wanted, he dropped Srirasmi??!!

I neither like nor have the right to judge people base on their personal lives, as I will never know the whole truth, but the Crown Prince's personal life says something, the way he divorced his first wife, how he second wife fled with their children, the way he is estranged with his sons and how he dropped Srirasmi.
I don't know many things, but I really do believe that Princess Sirindhorn could be a better Queen for Thailand than her only brother as the king.

 

[Appleich]

What is certainly true about The Thai monarchy is that after this reign ends it will face a major challenge. The CP will be struggling to be the nation's monarch while being opposed by many people and even by the Privy Council itself. Privy Council's chief, Gen. Prem Tinsulanonda has long been against the CP's succession to the throne, privately. Despite most of Privy Council members prefer Princess Sirindhorn to be the next monarch, They could do nothing since, of course, the CP would not be happy about it and could drag the nation into a horrifying state.

We dislike our CP so much but we could do nothing also. We could only wait and see and hope the next reign will be as shortest as possible.

 

[Blog Real]

I had lunch with my sister-in-law today, who is from Thailand. She had not heard that Princess Srirasmi had already been dropped, even though there had been rumours for months. I said that at least the Crown Prince has a legitimate son to succeed him, but she told me that Prince Dipangkorn will never be king as there is "something odd" about him (the rumour is autism). The story goes that the Crown Prince needed a bone marrow transplant (the rumour is AIDS), and that a son would be the ideal donor. He is estranged from his four sons by his second wife, so he decided to try for a new son.

Srirasmi's first pregnancy was a girl so she forced to have an abortion. Next time it was a boy, so in due course Prince Dipangkorn was born. The Crown Prince got his bone marrow transplant, and his health recovered. Princess Srirasmi was rewarded with official recognition as the Crown Prince's Consort, and her son would one day be king. But as Prince Dipangkorn got older, and it became obvious that something was wrong, Princess Srirasmi's days as royal consort where numbered.

My sister-in-law also told me that when she was in Bangkok a couple of months ago, she heard, for the first time, negative comments about Princess Sirindhorn. Apparently the Princess is sympathetic to plots to make her Crown Princess. It's not the prospect of her being Queen that has annoyed people, but the idea that she too is dabbling in political intrigue. But it now seems that the story was spread simply to gage public reaction, and that Princess Sirindhorn was as surprised as everybody else when she heard about it.

I asked my sister-in-law why there are so many rumours and stories about the Royal Family. She just shrugged her shoulders and said it's always been like that, and that it gets worse when the military is in power. But this time it is particularly bad as the current reign approaches its end. The King is no longer active on the political front. The Queen is interfering to try and ensure Crown Prince, her pride and joy, succeeds with a strong power base in the military. But, she said with a laugh, it's just as likely that not a single word of any of the rumours is true, particularly the more colourful ones. We'll just have to wait and see.

Interesting stories. What will happen?

I wanted to see recent photos of Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti to see if this is true.

 

[Chubb Fuddler]

Here's a photo of the young prince and his parents:

Thailand pictures , news in pictures , photo in Thailand

Here's a video from 2011. It seems to be Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti's first official engagement. It's a bit odd to see him carrying out engagements at that age without either of his parents with him, though there is no lack of military support.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N0h48h_5WA



Here's his first day at school:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBceAUcFMTQ&index=5&list=PLfnUjZcG8rMMsvXzo9dGVpKJphIYMj5CJ

...and what looks like a birthday party.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuFW-tk9LlQ

He seems like a normal little boy to me, though an isolated one. The Crown Prince must be happy to let the military use him for propaganda purposes. If he is surrounded by military men and women, and has not had much interaction with other children, he may well be a bit socially awkward, which might be the source of autism rumours. Who knows? This article says the young prince suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder:

http://www.asiasentinel.com/politics/thailand-bar-girl-princess-disappeared/

It will be interesting to see if Prince Dipangkorn falls out of favour when the Crown Prince, as expected, marries his current mistress.

https://nickobongiorno.wordpress.com/2014/12/12/bye-bye-srirasmi-hello-princess-nui/

Nui, a former Thai Airlines Hostess, is now Major General Suthida Vajiralongkorn. She and the Crown Prince already have a son.

https://twitter.com/zenjournalist/status/543602374745415680

 

[Appleich]

...and what looks like a birthday party.

No, That was National Children's Day Fair at Area 904 (I guess some of the CP's military zones).

 

[Siamesess]

Everyday I pray for king Bhumibol's health. I wish him healthy and stay with us forever. He is a great man who represent Thailand successfullly like his ancestors.

 

[Blog Real]

The five month old son of Thailand crown prince Vajiralongkorn with his mistress Major General Suthida (Nui).

https://nickobongiorno.wordpress.com/2014/12/14/the-new-baby-prince/

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

Everyday I pray for king Bhumibol's health. I wish him healthy and stay with us forever. He is a great man who represent Thailand successfullly like his ancestors.

I'm no big fan of the Thai royal family, the military or the Shinawatra clan, but I have respect for King Bhumibol. I think it's going to be even more trouble in Thailand when he dies. Is there any news about his health in Thai media?

 

[amaryllus]

Honestly, the Thai royal situation sounds like a bad soap opera or how European royals acted in fifteenth century but not a modern royal family.

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

Honestly, the Thai royal situation sounds like a bad soap opera or how European royals acted in fifteenth century but not a modern royal family.

You're right, the family is completely insane.

My Norwegian father is very interested in Asian politics and history, and has followed Thai politics for many years. The Thai royal family is full of scandals and they have great political power. The only person I respect in this family is King Bhumibol.

 

[Biri]

I had lunch with my sister-in-law today, who is from Thailand. She had not heard that Princess Srirasmi had already been dropped, even though there had been rumours for months. I said that at least the Crown Prince has a legitimate son to succeed him, but she told me that Prince Dipangkorn will never be king as there is "something odd" about him (the rumour is autism). The story goes that the Crown Prince needed a bone marrow transplant (the rumour is AIDS), and that a son would be the ideal donor. He is estranged from his four sons by his second wife, so he decided to try for a new son.

Srirasmi's first pregnancy was a girl so she forced to have an abortion. Next time it was a boy, so in due course Prince Dipangkorn was born. The Crown Prince got his bone marrow transplant, and his health recovered. Princess Srirasmi was rewarded with official recognition as the Crown Prince's Consort, and her son would one day be king. But as Prince Dipangkorn got older, and it became obvious that something was wrong, Princess Srirasmi's days as royal consort where numbered.

If this rumour about autism would be true, the youngest son is on the greater risk to have autism - last researches say that this risk grows with parents' age.
Abortion of a female embrion? Gross, Buddhism condemns that!
I wonder why he is estranged from his older sons...
If Prince Dipangkorn is really stripped of his title, he should be allowed to live with his mum (whom his father visibly trated like a reproductive mare)

 

[Cris M]

God forbid, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Crown Prince appeared dead (killed in some kind o plot against him). Prince Dipangkorn could become King with Princess Sirindhorn as Regent.

 

[Biri]

Queen Sirikit is respected by Thai people, isn't she?

 

[Siamesess]

Queen Sirikit is respected by Thai people, isn't she?

Yes, She is great respected by Thais. But now she hides herself for public views because her long illness she did not performs any duties since 2011/2012.

 

[DukeJonathan81]

Time to abolish the Thai monarchy me thinks, the only member of the family that I have respect for is the current King, and judging by the state of his health I doubt King B. will be with us much longer. They act like the Borgia's or the Tudors from the 15th and 16th centuries, time to remove this extremely dysfunctional family from power and invest in an republican government or offer to the Thorne to an foreign Asian Prince. I have great respect for most monarchies though not this one.


His Grace, The Duke

 

[Cris M]

Time to abolish the Thai monarchy me thinks, the only member of the family that I have respect for is the current King, and judging by the state of his health I doubt King B. will be with us much longer. They act like the Borgia's or the Tudors from the 15th and 16th centuries, time to remove this extremely dysfunctional family from power and invest in an republican government or offer to the Thorne to an foreign Asian Prince. I have great respect for most monarchies though not this one.


His Grace, The Duke

I'm quite sure the situation of Thailand would only worsen without the Monarchy.

 

[DukeJonathan81]

I'm quite sure the situation of Thailand would only worsen without the Monarchy.

Hmmm, maybe. Though the next King Rama X should be an moderniser and willing to bring his country forward, to an truly modern constitutional monarchy, not the current de facto Absolute Monarchy.


His Grace, The Duke

 

[Chubb Fuddler]

It can be argued that King Bhumibol Adulyadej is responsible for the current situation in Thailand. He has never made a stand for constitutional democracy, he ultimately backs military governments, and has indulged his family's whims. There is a theory that the King actively set out to create the circumstances in which the monarchy would appear indispensable. His special projects do little more than reinforce the concept of the loving, paternal ruler, the protector of the poor and the hope of the people. He has supported, encouraged, or even ordered, military coups, but always from behind the scenes. He then, after the fact, appears as a beacon of stability and legitimacy. It is a fine balancing act, but, ultimately, the purpose has always been to reinforce the monarch as the devaraja, the god king of Buddhist and Hindu mythology. It also reinforces a traditional hierarchical society.

I don't know if the situation in Thailand can be so easily explained by this theory. I've always had the impression that the military manipulated the monarchy, not the other way around. But it does raise some interesting questions. Perhaps, it also explains, at least partially, the Crown Prince's sense of entitlement, and close relationship with the military.

I used to respect and admire King Bhumibol Aulhadej, but now I'm not so sure. It would have been a lot wiser to have worked towards constitutional democracy as a legacy for the Crown Prince, rather than the dangerously unstable situation he is likely to inherit before too long.

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

It can be argued that King Bhumibol Adulyadej is responsible for the current situation in Thailand. He has never made a stand for constitutional democracy, he ultimately backs military governments, and has indulged his family's whims. There is a theory that the King actively set out to create the circumstances in which the monarchy would appear indispensable. His special projects do little more than reinforce the concept of the loving, paternal ruler, the protector of the poor and the hope of the people. He has supported, encouraged, or even ordered, military coups, but always from behind the scenes. He then, after the fact, appears as a beacon of stability and legitimacy. It is a fine balancing act, but, ultimately, the purpose has always been to reinforce the monarch as the devaraja, the god king of Buddhist and Hindu mythology. It also reinforces a traditional hierarchical society.

I don't know if the situation in Thailand can be so easily explained by this theory. I've always had the impression that the military manipulated the monarchy, not the other way around. But it does raise some interesting questions. Perhaps, it also explains, at least partially, the Crown Prince's sense of entitlement, and close relationship with the military.

I used to respect and admire King Bhumibol Aulhadej, but now I'm not so sure. It would have been a lot wiser to have worked towards constitutional democracy as a legacy for the Crown Prince, rather than the dangerously unstable situation he is likely to inherit before too long.

I agree with you. I have respect for King Bhumibol, but he has many faults. He is not democratic, and he has said that some countries need to be military dictatorships before they can become democracies. He also criticized Aung San Suu Kyi.

I think King Bhumibol was manipulated by the military at the start of his reign, but he got after a few years major political power in Thailand. It was the King and General Prem Tinsulanonda who ruled the country through almost the entire 1980s and much of the 1990s. He has lost a lot of power in recent years because of his health problems.

According to several historians and experts it was the brutal dictator Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat that created the current monarchy. King Bhumibol was very close to him and was devastated when he died in 1963.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarit_Thanarat

Under Sarit, the public role of the Thai monarchy, which had been restricted by Phibun, was allowed to resume. Sarit arranged for King Bhumibol Adulyadej to attend public ceremonies, visit the provinces, patronise development projects and personally present diplomas to Thailand's government university graduates, helping to bring the monarchy closer to the people and raising the stature of the king to that of high reverence. The practice of prostrating with the head touching the ground before royal audiences, banned decades earlier by King Chulalongkorn, was reinstated in some circumstances.