Thai King's Second-Eldest Son Makes Unexpected Return to Thailand
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There's royal drama brewing in Thailand.
King Maha Vajiralongkorn's second-eldest son, Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse, returned to Thailand for the first time in 27 years. Vacharaesorn, 42, works at a law firm in New York City. Upon a visit to a foundation supported by the Thai royal family, he told reporters, "I have been away for a long time, 27 years. It’s a dream come true that I have returned. When I looked out of the window before landing, I was delighted."
He added, "Even though I have been abroad for a long time, I have never once forgotten that I am a Thai person. I have never forgotten how important our culture is."
The timing of Vacharaesorn's return is interesting, to say the least. It was long believed he—and his three brothers—were estranged from the royal family. In 1996, King Vajiralongkorn divorced his second wife, Sujiranee Vivacharawongse, and she and her four sons (including Vacharaesorn) were exiled from Thailand. They do not have any formal royal titles, or place in the line of succession. The exception is his sister, Princess Sirivanavari, who returned to live in Thailand.
King Vajiralongkorn's eldest daughter, Princess Bajrakitiyabha, was widely expected to be his heir. But since she collapsed in December (and she still remains in a coma) the question of who will succeed the 71-year-old Thai king is up in the air. As the BBC reports, "For years there has been quiet talk in Thailand about the possibility of one of the estranged sons being rehabilitated and brought back to play a royal role. Mr Vacharaesorn's unannounced visit could be the start of such a rehabilitation, although there has been no official statement from the palace."
Many Thai political analysts seem to agree that Vacharaesorn's return is to test the waters for his future as monarch. "There is a strong likelihood that he will be the next monarch," Andrew MacGregor Marshall, a journalist who was based in Bangkok, told the Daily Beast. "That is the only explanation for why he has been allowed back. I think he will be a good monarch and he would be popular and he would undoubtedly want to start the process of reform. The question is whether he would actually be able to effect those changes or whether he would end up being manipulated and thwarted by the entrenched palace networks."
The timing of his return is even more interesting, because in May, anti-monarchy party Move Forward won the most seats in a general election, but the Senate has refused to confirm a prime minister.
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