Is King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s volunteer army a way to distance himself from Thailand’s military?
Clad in blue and yellow – colours of his father and mother – a new army of civilians who have pledged allegiance to the king are boosting his image ahead of his formal coronation at year-end
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 King Vajiralongkorn ahead of his formal coronation at year-end.
King 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 shake-up 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, King 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.