Heir to Thai throne Prince Maha is known for colourful life
BANGKOK: The heir to the Thai throne, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, was for years known for his colourful private life and frequent trips overseas, but as his father’s health declined he adopted a more prominent public role in the politically febrile kingdom.
All eyes are now on the 64-year-old prince after the death on Thursday of his father King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who was the world’s longest-reigning monarch.
He inherits one of the world’s richest monarchies, protected by one of the harshest royal defamation laws on the planet.
But the twice- divorced prince will also sit as the constitutional head of a deeply polarised nation, which is trapped in a seemingly end- less cycle of coups, protests and bouts of political violence.
Bhumibol was widely adored and seen by many as a semi-divine figure in a rule that arched over the lives of most Thais.
Vajiralongkorn has yet to attain such popularity and unlike his father, his ability to operate as a unifying force ostensibly above the political fray is untested.
For years the crown prince was rarely heard from in public.
But in the twilight of his father’s reign — and with Thailand ruled by the military — he assumed many official duties.
Last year he led two highly symbolic mass cycling events, which received blanket media coverage that thrust him centre-stage as his father’s health deteriorated.
Befitting his role, the prince has not publicly backed any side in the bitter politics that has engulfed his country in recent years.
But some of the “Red Shirt” supporters of ousted billionaire premier Thaksin Shinawatra and his family held the crown prince’s portrait aloft at their rallies before the 2014 coup.
Experts say Thailand’s political turmoil is driven by concerns among competing elites over their stakes in the future of the kingdom after Bhumibol’s death.
An elite aligned to the monarchy, including much of the army and judiciary, have repeatedly crushed Thai democracy move- ments, fuelled in recent years by a hatred of Thaksin. They have aimed two coups at elected governments run by Thaksin and his affiliates, accusing the Shinawatra clan of votebuying and shameless populism.
Born on 28 July 1952, Vajiralongkorn completed his secondary education in Britain before training at Australia’s Royal Military College and joining the Thai military.
He developed a passion for flying after learning the skill in the United States, piloting fighter jets in Thailand and steering planes for national carrier Thai Airways.
But little is reported about the only son of Thailand’s deceased king, for fear of breaching a strict royal def- amation law which heavily restricts all conversation on the monarchy.
That law carries up to 15 in years in jail on each count of defaming the king, queen, heir or regent.
Prosecutions — and the length of jail terms — have surged since last May’s coup with some imprisoned for more than 20-years, usually for comments made online.
Experts say the heir’s approach to enforcing the lese majeste legislation will illustrate much about his vision for the monarchy.
“Will the prince implement the law, will he have it in force, or will he lighten up on criticism of the monarchy?” said Paul Handley, author of the unauthorised biography The King Never Smiles, a book about Bhu- mibol banned in Thailand.
“He has the internet to go up against, he has TV, satellite TV you can’t fight that. Will he try to protect himself? We don’t know.”
A fan of the outdoors, the crown prince led tightly choreographed mass cycling events through Bangkok in August 2015. In cycling lycra, helmet and sunglasses, he was followed by the who’s who of Thailand’s key political players including coupmaking army chief turned premier Prayut Chan- OCha, and several other junta members.
The powerful head of the privy council, Prem Tinsulanonda, watched the start of proceedings from under an awning as crowds shouted “Long live the crown prince!”