Thai king Vajiralongkorn’s yellow and blue volunteers boost his support and visibility
BANGKOK: From a distance, the volunteers cleaning up a clogged Bangkok waterway could be mistaken for Scouts, but the group, wearing yellow foulards and blue hats, are part of a volunteer programme started by Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn, 66.
The ‘Volunteer Spirit’ scheme, which officially began in 2017, has created a new army of civilians who have pledged allegiance to the king and are boosting the image of Vajiralongkorn ahead of his formal coronation at year- end.
Vajiralongkorn’s father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, was revered by Thais during his seven decades on the throne and the deep relationship between the monarchy and the military helped facilitate a smooth royal transition following his death in October 2016.
Since then, the new king has brought about a major shakeup of royal affairs, and some observers have said he may be seeking to distance himself from the military, which has been in power in Thailand since a 2014 coup.
Last year, Vajiralongkorn demanded unprecedented changes to a constitutional draft endorsed by the military government.
He has also taken back control of royal assets formally managed by the government.
David Streckfuss, a Thailandbased independent scholar said he saw the volunteer programme as an attempt by the king to create a separate power base.
“If the monarchy is to distinguish itself from the military and attempt to bring Thailand into a democratic constitutional monarchy, then we might look at this effort by the new monarch as creating an alternative power base,” Streckfuss told Reuters. — Reuters