Thai king strips 'disloyal' royal consort of all titles

Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn has stripped his 34-year-old consort of all titles, the palace announced Monday, a shock move less than three months after she was bestowed with a position that had not been used for nearly a century.

Former army nurse Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi was dismissed from the rank of "Chao Khun Phra" for "disloyalty to the king," the Royal Gazette said, as well as "acting against the appointment of the Queen (Suthida)... for her own ambitions."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Thai king surprises with royal wedding ahead of coronation

BANGKOK - Just days before his official coronation, Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn on Wednesday married the deputy head of his personal guard force and gave her the title Queen Suthida.

The surprise announcement was carried in the Royal Gazette, and footage from Wednesday's wedding ceremony was later shown on the nightly Royal News segment aired on all Thai television channels.

Vajiralongkorn, 66, also known by the title King Rama X, became constitutional monarch after the death of his revered father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, in October 2016, after 70 years on the throne.

He is due to be officially crowned in elaborate Buddhist and Brahmin ceremonies on Saturday, followed by a procession through Bangkok the next day.

In 2014, Vajiralongkorn appointed Suthida Tidjai, a former flight attendant for Thai Airways, as a deputy commander of his bodyguard unit.

Some royal observers and foreign media had linked Suthida romantically with the king, but the palace had previously never acknowledged a relationship between them.

The king made Suthida a full general in the Royal Thai Army in December 2016, and the deputy commander of the king's personal guard in 2017. He also made her a Thanpuying, a royal title meaning Lady.

Among the dignitaries at the wedding were Prayuth Chan-ocha, the leader of the military junta that has run Thailand since a 2014 army coup, as well as other members of the royal family and palace advisers, the wedding footage showed.

Vajiralongkorn has previously been married and divorced three times and has seven children.

While the king took the throne after the death of his father, his formal coronation follows a mourning period for King Bhumibol, whose royal cremation was held a year after his death.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Thai king's sister nominated as PM for March elections

* Thai Princess makes unprecedented move by entering election

* King's eldest sister will contest election against junta leader

* March 24 polls could change traditional dynamic of Thai politics

BANGKOK - Thailand's royalty made an unprecedented move into politics on Friday when the sister of King Maha Vajiralongkorn was declared as a prime ministerial candidate for March 24 elections, registration papers showed.

The nomination of Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi, 67, the elder sister of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, promised to upend Thailand's already turbulent politics because it breaks the long-standing tradition of Thai royalty staying out of politics.

Princess Ubolratana will run as a candidate for a party loyal to ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra. One of her leading opponents will be Prayuth Chan-ocha, the leader of Thailand's military junta, who also announced his candidacy on Friday.

Thailand has been a constitutional monarchy since 1932 but the royal family has wielded great influence and commanded the devotion of millions.

The election shapes as a battle between Thaksin's populists and their allies and the royalist-military establishment. However, the nomination of a member of the royal family by the pro-Thaksin Thai Raksa Chart party could change that dynamic.

Thai Raksa Chart is an off-shoot of the Pheu Thai Party, formed by Thaksin loyalists and the core leadership of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), or "red shirts" group, as a strategy to help Pheu Thai win votes.

The simmering conflict between the Bangkok-centred elites and the more rural-based populists has resulted in street protests, military coups, and violent clashes over almost 15 years.

"The party has nominated the princess as its sole candidate," Thai Raksa Chart Party leader Preechapol Pongpanich told reporters after registering his party's candidate at the Election Commission.

"She is knowledgeable and is highly suitable. I believe there will be no legal problems in terms of her qualification, but we have to wait for the Election Commission to endorse her candidacy," he said.

The Election Commission is required to endorse all candidates by next Friday.

Reuters could not independently confirm that Princess Ubolratana's nomination has the approval of the palace.

Prayuth accepted his nomination from the Palang Pracharat Party in an official statement.

"I am not aiming to extending my power but I am doing this for the benefit for the country and the people," he said.

There was no mention of the princess's nomination in Prayuth's statement.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Thai King Bhumibol dies - palace

BANGKOK - Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who was the world's longest-reigning monarch, died in hospital on Thursday, the palace said in an announcement.

The palace did not give a reason for his death. He was 88 years old.

"His Majesty has passed away at Siriraj Hospital peacefully," the palace said, adding he died at 15:52 (0852 GMT).

His son and heir apparent, the 63-year old Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, is expected to become Thailand's new king.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com