Royals enter politics

Bangkok: Thailand’s royalty made an unprecedented move into politics yesterday 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 longstanding tradition of Thai royalty staying out of politics.