Monarchy
Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, born 28 July 1952 has been the King of Thailand since 2016. He is the only son of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit. In 1972, at the age of 20, he was made crown prince by his father. After his father’s death on 13 October 2016, he was expected to accede to the throne of Thailand but asked for time to mourn before taking the throne.
He accepted the throne on the night of 1 December 2016. His father was cremated on 26 October 2017. His coronation is planned to be held on 4 to 6 May 2019. The Thai government retroactively declared his reign to have begun on 13 October 2016, upon his father’s death. As the tenth monarch of the Chakri dynasty, he is also styled as Rama X. Aged 64 at that time, Vajiralongkorn became the oldest Thai monarch to ascend to the throne.
The previous King of Thailand, His Majesty Bhumibol Adulyadej (which is pronounced ‘Phumiphon Adunyadet’) was the ninth king of the Chakri dynasty (founded in 1782) and as of 2015 the longest reigning king in Thai history and the world’s longest reigning, living monarch
He was born in the USA in 1927 where his father Prince Mahidol was studying medicine at Harvard University, and schooled in bangkok and Switzerland. King Bhumibol was a nephew of Rama VII as well as the younger brother of Rama VIII. His full name, including royal title, was Phrabaatsomdet Boramintaramahaphumiphonadunyadet.
His Majesty Bhumibol Adulyadej ascended the throne in 1946 following the death of Rama VIII, who had reigned as king for only one year. A Jazz composer and saxophonist, King Bhumibol wrote the royal anthem (the music that accompanies photos of the royal family shown before every film at cinemas throughout the country). He was fluent in English, French, German and Thai.
The King and his Queen Sirikit had four children: princess Ubol Ratana (born 1951), Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn (1952), Princess Chulabhorn (1957). A royal decree issued by King Trailok (1448-88) to standardise succession in a polygamous dynasty made the King’s senior son or full brother his ‘uparaja’ or heir apparent. Thus Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn was officially designated as crown prince and heir when he reached 20 years of age in 1972; had he declined the crown or been unable to ascend the throne due to incurable illness or death the senior princess (Ubol Ratana) would have be next in line.
Thailand’s political system is officially classified as a constitutional monarchy, but the Thai constitution stipulates that the King be enthroned in a position of revered worship and not be exposed ‘to any sort of accusation or action‘. With or without legal writ, the vast majority of Thai citizens regarded King Bhumibol as a sort of demigod, partly in deference to tradition but also because of his involvement in many impressive public works. Along with nation and religion, the monarchy is very highly regarded in Thai society. Negative comment about the king or any member of the royal family is a social as well as legal taboo.
