Maha Vajiralongkorn, Crown Prince of Thailand

Infobox Monarch|royal
name =Maha Vajiralongkorn
title =Crown Prince of Thailand


caption = HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn (right) and HRH Princess Srirasmi at the 50th Malaysian National Day celebration
othertitles ="HRH" The Crown Prince of Thailand
"HRH" Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand
full name =HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn
spouse 1 =Princess Srirasmi (2001-)
Mom Sujarinee Mahidol na Ayudhaya(Sujarinee Vivacharawongse) (1994-1996)
Princess Soamsavali (1977-1991)
issue =Princess Bajrakitiyabha
Princess Siriwannawari Nariratana
Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti
Prince Chudhavajra Mahidol
Prince Vajaresra Mahidol
Prince Chakrivajra Mahidol
Prince Vajravira Mahidol
royal house =House of Chakri
father =King Rama IX
mother =Queen Sirikit
date of birth =birth date and age|1952|7|28
place of birth =flagicon|ThailandBangkok, Thailand
date of death =
place of death =
date of burial =
place of burial =|

Maha Vajiralongkorn, Crown Prince of Thailand (born July 28, 1952) is the only son of Bhumibol Adulyadej, the King of Thailand, and Queen Sirikit. He is currently crown prince of Thailand, and the Heir apparent to the throne.

At the age of 20, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn was made the heir to the throne. He later graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon in Canberra, Australia. An officer in the Thai military, he trained with the USA, British, and Australian armed services. He is a qualified military pilot and helicopter pilot. He took an active part in military operations against the Communist Party of Thailand during the 1970s, and also took part in border operations with Cambodia.

Early life

Maha Vajiralongkorn was born in the Ambara Villa of the Dusit Palace in Bangkok. He was educated at a primary school in Bangkok, and then at private secondary colleges in the United Kingdom (Millfield School, Somerset) and Australia (The King's School, Sydney). In 1972 the King gave him the title "Somdech Phra Boroma Orasadhiraj Chao Fah Maha Vajiralongkorn Sayam Makutrajakuman," making him the Crown Prince and heir to the throne.

Adult life

The Prince undertook military training at the Royal Military College, Duntroon in Canberra, Australia, and also completed an arts degree at Sukhothai Thammatirat University in Bangkok. Since 1975, he has served as a career officer in the Royal Thai Army. He served as a staff officer in the Directorate of Army Intelligence, and in 1978 he became head of the King's Own Bodyguard Battalion. In that year, however, he interrupted his military career to be ordained for a season as a Buddhist monk, as is customary for all Thai Buddhist males.

Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn trained for periods with the United States, British and Australian armed services, studying special forces demolition, unconventional warfare tactics and advanced navigation training. He is a qualified military pilot and a helicopter pilot. Although a military career is conventional for royal princes, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn is unique in having taken an active part in military actions inside his own country. In the 1970s he led counter-insurgency campaigns against the forces of the Communist Party of Thailand in the North and Northeast of Thailand, and also took part in operations along the border with Cambodia during the years of the Khmer Rouge regime.

Role and responsibilities

Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn holds the ranks of General in the Royal Thai Army, Admiral in the Royal Thai Navy and Air Chief Marshal in the Royal Thai Air Force. His military role in recent years has become increasingly ceremonial. As his father has grown older, turning 80 in 2007, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn has taken a more prominent part in royal ceremonial and public appearances.

He officially opened the 2007 Southeast Asian Games, held in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.The event coincided with the 80th birthday of his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Public and the Media

Due to the "lèse majesté" law, criticisms of the royal family are strictly prohibited. However, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn's private life continues to be a controversial subject of discussion although not publicly.

In the 10 January 2002 edition of the "Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER)", an article appeared suggesting that Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn had business ties with then Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. An immediate ban was placed on distribution of the magazine, and the Thai government, citing a threat to national security, suspended the visas of the "FEER"'s two Thailand correspondents, Shawn Crispin and Rodney Tasker [Duncan. McCargo, Media and Politics in Pacific Asia, page 146] .

In 2002, "The Economist" wrote that, "Vajiralongkorn is held in much less esteem [than the king] . Bangkok gossips like to swap tales of his lurid personal life. One of his sisters, another possible heir to the throne, is more popular, but Thailand has never been ruled by a woman. Besides, no successor, however worthy, can hope to equal the stature King Bhumibol has attained after 55 years on the throne." This issue of "The Economist" was banned in Thailand.

Family

On January 3, 1977 Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn married Princess Soamsavali Kitiyakara (Momlaung Soamsavali Kitiyakara in the past) (born 1957), a first cousin on his mother's side. They had one daughter, Princess Bajrakitiyabha in 1978. Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn started living with Mom Sujarinee Mahidol na Ayudhaya(Yuvadhida Polpraserth) in the late 1970's and had several children with her . Although Princess Soamsavali had refused divorce for many years, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn was finally able to sue for divorce in the Family Court in January 1993. In the court proceedings, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn accused Princess Soamsavali of being completely at fault for the failed relationship. She was not able to refute the charges due to the prohibition against "lèse majesté". The divorce was finalized in July 1993. [Nonthaburi Family Court, Documents of Case #79/2536, 14 January 2007] Princess Soamsavali and her daughter continue to play a significant role in royal ceremonies.

When Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn was introduced to Mom Sujarinee Mahidol na Ayudhaya(Yuvadhida Polpraserth) (she later changed her name to Sujarinee) she was an aspiring actress. She became his steady companion and gave birth to his first son, Prince Juthawachara Mahidol, on 29 August 1979. He later had three other sons and a daughter by her. They were married at a palace ceremony in February 1994, where they were blessed by the King and the Princess Mother, but not by the Queen. After the marriage, she was allowed to change her name to Mom Sujarinee Mahidol na Ayudhaya, signifying she was a commoner married to a royal. Sujarinee was also commissioned as a major in the army and took part with Mom HRH Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn in royal ceremonies. Their relationship ended in 1996 with her fleeing to exile in England with the children. Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn retrieved their daughter and brought her back to Thailand to live with him. Their daughter was later elevated to the rank of Princess whilst Sujarinee and her sons were stripped of their diplomatic passports. She and her sons later moved to the United States. As of 2007, Sujarinee is known as Sujarinee Vivacharawongse.

Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn married again, on February 10, 2001, to Srirasmi Akharaphongpreecha, a commoner from a modest background who had been in his service since 1992. The marriage was not disclosed to the public until early 2005. She gave birth to a son, Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, on April 29, 2005 and was elevated to become Princess Srirasmi, Mom Srirasmi Mahidol na Ayuthaya. The son was immediately elevated to the rank of Prince. In a magazine interview, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn stated his intention to settle down.

Children

With Princess Soamsavali Kitiyakara:
* HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha, born December 7, 1978.

With Mom Sujarinee Mahidol na Ayudhaya(Sujarinee Vivacharawongse or Yuvadhida Polpraserth):
* HSH Prince Juthawachara Mahidol, born August 29, 1979
* HSH Prince Vacharaeson Mahidol, May 27, 1981
* HSH Prince Chakriwat Mahidol, February 26, 1983
* HSH Prince Vacharawee Mahidol, June 14, 1985
* HSH Princess Busya Nambejira Mahidol(later changed to Siriwanwari), January 8, 1987. Elevated to HRH Princess Siriwannawari Nariratana by royal command on June 15, 2005.

With HRH Princess Srirasmi (elevated to HRH on June 15, 2005) :
* HRH Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, born April 29, 2005

References

* Paul M. Handley, The King Never Smiles, Yale University Press, 2006