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Monument to Prince Vajiralongkorn

Maha Vajiralongkorn (born July 28, 1952) is the only son of Bhumibol Adulyadej, King (Rama IX) of Thailand, and Queen Sirikit. He is currently crown prince of Thailand, and the Heir apparent to the throne. Download high resolution version (480x640, 63 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Download high resolution version (480x640, 63 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Bhumibol Adulyadej (Thai: ; IPA: ; Royal Institute: Phumiphon Adunyadet;  ) (born December 5, 1927), is the current King of Thailand. ... King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit on their coronation day This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... A Crown Prince or Crown Princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. ... Contrasting with heir presumptive, an heir apparent is one who cannot be prevented from inheriting by the birth of any other person. ...

At the age of 20, 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 US, 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. Royal Military College The Royal Military College, Duntroon is Australias military academy where Staff Cadets train for commissioning into the Australian Army as a part of the Australian Defence Force There are two streams of Cadets: from the Australian Defence Force Academy, and by direct entry. ... For other uses, see Canberra (disambiguation). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Vajiralongkorn has had many children with many wives and common law wives. The eldest is a daughter, Princess Bajrakitiyabha, who he had with his cousin, Princess Soamsavali Kitiyakara. His eldest son is Juthawachara, who he had with his estranged common law wife, Sucharinee Polpraserth. His current wife is Princess Srirasmi, with whom he had a son, Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti. Common-law marriage (or common law marriage), sometimes called informal marriage or marriage by habit and repute is, historically, a form of interpersonal status in which a man and a woman are legally married. ... Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the first grandchild of King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit of Thailand, is the eldest daughter of HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajralongkorn and HRH Princess Soamsavali. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Princess Srirasmi (born December 9, 1971) is the current consort of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand. ... Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti of Thailand, (born 29 April 2005), is a member of the Thailand Royal Family, grandson of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) of Thailand and the eldest legitimate son of Maha Vajiralongkorn, Crown Prince of Thailand, His mother is Princess Srirasmi, the Crown Princes second legal wife. ...

Early life

Vajiralongkorn was born in the Chitralada 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. The Chakri dynasty have ruled Thailand since king Taksin was declared mad in 1782. ... Image File history File links Thai_Garuda_emblem. ... Bhumibol Adulyadej (Thai: ; IPA: ; Royal Institute: Phumiphon Adunyadet;  ) (born December 5, 1927), is the current King of Thailand. ... Queen Sirikit (born August 12, 1932), is the wife and Queen Consort of Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), King of Thailand. ... Princess Ubol Ratana (Thai: ; Full name: ทูลกระหม่อมหญิง อุบลรัตนราชกัญญา สิริวัฒนาพรรณวดี, Tunkramhom Ying Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Phannavadi), born April 5, 1951 in Lausanne, Switzerland, is the eldest child of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit of Thailand. ... Khun Ploypailin, the grandchild of King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit of Thailand and the eldest daughter of Princess Ubolratana, was born on 1982. ... Prince Bhumi Jensen Bhumi Jensen (Thai: ภูมิ เจนเซ่น, always called Bhumi คุณพุ่ม; or Khun Poom) (August 16, 1983 - December 26, 2004), was a grandson of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, after whom he was named. ... Princess Sirikitiya Jensen Sirikitiya Jensen (Thai: คุณใหม่ สิริกิติยา เจนเ่ซ่น, Called: Mai Jensen) (March 18, 1985- ), is a granddaughter of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. ... Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the first grandchild of King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit of Thailand, is the eldest daughter of HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajralongkorn and HRH Princess Soamsavali. ... Her Royal Highness Princess Siriwannawari Nariratana (born 8 January 1987), is the only daughter of HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajralongkorn and Mom Sujarini Mahidol (Wiwatcharawong) or commonly known as Yuvadhida Polpraserth. ... Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti of Thailand, (born 29 April 2005), is a member of the Thailand Royal Family, grandson of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) of Thailand and the eldest legitimate son of Maha Vajiralongkorn, Crown Prince of Thailand, His mother is Princess Srirasmi, the Crown Princes second legal wife. ... HRH Maha Chakri Sirindhorn HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (Thai: ; Som det phra thep phra rat raat cha su daa Chao fa Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Ratha si ma ku na korn pi ya chat Siam ba rom ma raat cha ku maa ree) is an extremely popular princess of Thailand... Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn or Chulabhorn Walailak, born July 4, 1957 in Bangkok, is a Princess of Thailand, the youngest daughter of HM King Bhumipol Adulyadej and HM Queen Sirikit of Thailand. ... Her Royal Highness Princess Siribhachudhabhorn or commonly known as Ong Rhi pa (born 8 October 1982), is the eldest daughter of HRH Princess Chulabhorn and Royal Thai Air Force Flight Lieutenant Virayudh Didyasarin (now, Air Vice Marshal). ... Her Royal Highness Princess Adityadhornkitikhun or commonly known as Ong Tid (born 5 May 1984), is the second daughter of HRH Princess Chulabhorn and Royal Thai Air Force Flight Lieutenant Virayudh Didyasarin (now, Air Vice Marshal). ... HRH Princess Bejaratana Rajasuda Sirisobhabannavadi the only daughter of late King Vajiravudh of Thailand (Siam) Princess Bejaratana HRH Princess Bejaratana (pronounced Pet-Cha-Rat) was born on 24 November 1925, the only child of HM King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) and HRH Pra Nang Chao Suvadhana. ... HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana, (born 6 May 1923, London, England), is a Princess of Thailand, the eldest sister of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX). ... Thanpuying Dhasanawalaya Sornsongkram (born 11 November 1945 in Switzerland), is the only daughter of HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana of Thailand and Colonel Aram Rattakun Serireongrit. ... Princess Srirasmi (born December 9, 1971) is the current consort of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A BTS skytrain passing the Sathon area of Bangkok. ... Millfield is a public school in Street, Somerset, England. ... This article is about the county of Somerset in England. ... The Kings School is an independent Anglican boys school in North Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia. ... The Sydney Opera House on Sydney Harbour Sydney (pronounced ) is the most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of 4,119,190, and 151,920 in the City of Sydney, as of the 2006 census. ...

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. Royal Military College The Royal Military College, Duntroon is Australias military academy where Staff Cadets train for commissioning into the Australian Army as a part of the Australian Defence Force There are two streams of Cadets: from the Australian Defence Force Academy, and by direct entry. ... For other uses, see Canberra (disambiguation). ... Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University or STOU (Thai: มหาวิทยาลัยสุโขทัยธรรมาธิราช) is one of the two open universities in Thailand. ... A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. It had subsequently been accepted by... St. ...

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, 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. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Flag of Democratic Kampuchea Photos of genocide victims on display at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum The Khmer Rouge (Khmer: ) was the ruling political party of Cambodia -- which it renamed to Democratic Kampuchea -- from 1975 to 1979. ...

Achievements

Vajiralongkorn now 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, Vajiralongkorn has taken a more prominent part in royal ceremonial and public appearances.

Vajiralongkorn is also the subject of enormous amounts of gossip and rumour, nearly none of it provable under Thailand's strict laws against insulting the monarchy. He is often referred to as "Sia O," where "sia" is a Chinese term for "businessman" and "O" is the first letter of his official title, โอรสาธิราช.

The Economist wrote in 2002: "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. The Economist is a weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd and edited in London, UK. It has been in continuous publication since September 1843. ...

Family

On January 3, 1977 Vajiralongkorn married Princess Soamsavali Kitiyakara (born 1957), a first cousin on his mother's side. They had one daughter, Bajrakitiyabha in 1978. Vajiralongkorn started living with Sucharinee Polpraserth in the late 1970's and had several children with while he was still married to Soamsavali. Although Soamsavali had refused divorce for many years, Vajiralongkorn was finally able to sue for divorce in the Family Court in January 1993. In the court proceedings, Vajiralongkorn accused Soamsavali of being completely at fault for the failed relationship. She was not able to refute the charges due to the prohibition against lese majeste. The divorce was finalized in July 1993.^[1] Soamsavali and her daughter continued to play a significant role in royal ceremonies. January 3 is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the first grandchild of King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit of Thailand, is the eldest daughter of HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajralongkorn and HRH Princess Soamsavali. ... Lese majesty or leze majesty (from the Latin Laesa maiestatis, injury to the Majesty) is the crime of violating majesty, an offense against the dignity of a reigning sovereign or against a state. ...

Vajiralongkorn was introduced to Sucharinee Polpraserth (she later changed her name to Yuvadhida) by Kampol Vacharapol, the owner of Thai Rath, Thailand's largest circulation newspaper. At the time, Sucharinee worked at a nightclub and was an aspiring actress. She became his steady companion and gave birth to his first son, Juthawachara, in 29 August 1979. He later had three other sons and a daughter with her. They were unofficially married at a palace ceremony in February 1994, where they were blessed by the King and the Princess Mother, but not the Queen. After the marriage, she was allowed to change her name to Mom Sucharinee Mahidol na Ayutthaya, signifying royal descent. She was also commissioned as a major in the army and took part with Vajiralongkorn in royal ceremonies. The relationship ended in 1996 with her fleeing to exile in England with the children. Vajiralongkorn retrieved their daughter and brought her back to Thailand to live with him. The daughter was later elevated to the rank of Princess. Sucharinee and her sons was later stripped of their diplomatic passports, although they later moved to the United States with the sons. As of 2007, Sucharinee is known as Yuvadhida Vivajarawongse. Thai Rath (Thai ไทยรัฐ) is a Thai language daily newspaper published in Bangkok, Thailand and distributed nationwide. ... // This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Sangwal is a given name in Thailand for females. ...

Vajiralongkorn married again, on February 10, 2001, to Mom Srirasmi Mahidol na Ayuthaya, 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 HRH Princess Srirasmi. The son was immediately elevated to the rank of Prince. In a magazine interview, Vajiralongkorn stated his intention to settle down. is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Princess Srirasmi (born December 9, 1971) is the current consort of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand. ... Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti of Thailand, (born 29 April 2005), is a member of the Thailand Royal Family, grandson of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) of Thailand and the eldest legitimate son of Maha Vajiralongkorn, Crown Prince of Thailand, His mother is Princess Srirasmi, the Crown Princes second legal wife. ... is the 119th day of the year (120th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Children

With Princess Soamsavali Kitiyakara: To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

• HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha, born December 7, 1978.

With Yuvadhida Polpraserth: Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the first grandchild of King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit of Thailand, is the eldest daughter of HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajralongkorn and HRH Princess Soamsavali. ... is the 341st day of the year (342nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ...

• HSH Prince Juthawachara, born August 29, 1979
• HSH Prince Vacharaeson (Vach), May 27, 1981
• HSH Prince Chakriwat, February 26, 1983
• HSH Prince Vacharawee, June 14, 1985
• HSH Princess Busya Nambejira (later changed to Siriwanwari), January 8, 1987. Elevated to HRH Princess Siriwannawari Nariratana by royal command on June 15, 2005.

With Princess Srirasmi (elevated to HRH on June 15, 2005) : is the 241st day of the year (242nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... is the 147th day of the year (148th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... June 14 is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar). ... January 8 is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Her Royal Highness Princess Siriwannawari Nariratana (born 8 January 1987), is the only daughter of HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajralongkorn and Mom Sujarini Mahidol (Wiwatcharawong) or commonly known as Yuvadhida Polpraserth. ... is the 166th day of the year (167th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Princess Srirasmi (born December 9, 1971) is the current consort of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand. ... is the 166th day of the year (167th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

• HRH Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, born April 29, 2005

Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti of Thailand, (born 29 April 2005), is a member of the Thailand Royal Family, grandson of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) of Thailand and the eldest legitimate son of Maha Vajiralongkorn, Crown Prince of Thailand, His mother is Princess Srirasmi, the Crown Princes second legal wife. ... is the 119th day of the year (120th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

1. ^ Nonthaburi Family Court, Documents of Case #79/2536, 14 January 2007

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