https://www.scmp.com/rss/323669/feed Thailand’s King Rama X is the 10th in a dynasty that dates back to 1782, following in the footsteps of his revered father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in October 2016 at age 88. Rama X – his formal title is “His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarankun”  – had been the heir apparent since 1972. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Reuters Reuters ⁠Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn formally opened the new parliament on Saturday, as last month’s general election result faces court scrutiny over bar codes on the ballots that may have violated the law. The bar codes might undermine the secrecy of the ‌ballot, said the country’s Office of the Ombudsman, which petitioned the Constitutional Court to consider the case. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s Bhumjaithai party won a clear victory in the February 8 election, but the ombudsman said... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3346612/thailands-parliament-opens-amid-scrutiny-over-bar-codes-election-ballots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3346612/thailands-parliament-opens-amid-scrutiny-over-bar-codes-election-ballots?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 12:00:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The queen of Thailand won a gold medal in sailing at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, a regional competition being held in her country in December. Queen Suthida, the wife of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, competed in the mixed keelboat SSL47 category on a 47-foot sailing boat with nine other crew members on Thursday. The 47-year-old served as tactician and helmswoman to lead the Thai team to victory in the waters off Pattaya, ahead of Malaysia and Myanmar. A communications graduate, Suthida worked... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3336912/queen-thailand-wins-gold-medal-sailing-southeast-asian-games?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3336912/queen-thailand-wins-gold-medal-sailing-southeast-asian-games?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 11:00:18 +0000 Bloomberg,Aidan Jones Bloomberg,Aidan Jones Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul dissolved parliament on Friday, setting the stage for an early election after a major political party backing his minority government threatened to withdraw its support. Anutin said in a Facebook post late on Thursday that he would “return power to the people”. Hours later, King Maha Vajiralongkorn endorsed Anutin’s recommendation to dissolve the 500-member House of Representatives – a formality under the Thai constitution. Under Thai rules, an election... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3336125/thai-pm-sets-stage-election-saying-he-will-return-power-people?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3336125/thai-pm-sets-stage-election-saying-he-will-return-power-people?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Dec 2025 17:03:33 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin The king and queen of Thailand have become the first visiting heads of state to greet Chinese astronauts in orbit, in an unprecedented moment for China’s tightly controlled human space flight programme. The 73-year-old King Maha Vajiralongkorn – a trained military pilot and long-time aviation enthusiast – and Queen Suthida smiled and waved at the astronauts, who appeared via a large screen from the Tiangong, or “Heavenly Palace”, space station. The encounter, which took place on Sunday at the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3333360/astronauts-orbit-greet-first-thai-king-visit-china-mainland-800-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3333360/astronauts-orbit-greet-first-thai-king-visit-china-mainland-800-years?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 06:00:35 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang China stood ready to align development strategies with Thailand for “greater progress” in ties, President Xi Jinping told the visiting Thai monarch King Maha Vajiralongkorn in Beijing on Friday. The Chinese leader described the two nations as “genuine good relatives, friends and partners” as he met the king at the Great Hall of the People, according to state broadcaster CCTV. “China is willing to strengthen strategic alignment with Thailand,” Xi said, while pitching Beijing’s 15th five-year plan... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332794/xi-welcomes-thai-king-china-pledge-progress-family-strength-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332794/xi-welcomes-thai-king-china-pledge-progress-family-strength-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 07:35:13 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen China has rolled out the red carpet for King Maha Vajiralongkorn on the Thai monarch’s first official visit to Beijing, a trip to mark the 50th anniversary of ties between the two countries. The king arrived in the Chinese capital on Thursday afternoon and was greeted by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The state visit, set in motion by an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping, makes China “the first major country” the Thai king has visited officially since ascending the throne in 2016,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332691/china-rolls-out-red-carpet-first-official-visit-thailands-king-maha-vajiralongkorn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332691/china-rolls-out-red-carpet-first-official-visit-thailands-king-maha-vajiralongkorn?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 13:19:57 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn will this month embark on the first trip to China by a Thai monarch since the two nations established diplomatic ties half a century ago. The state visit, at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping and scheduled to take place from November 13 to 17, will make China “the first major country” that the Thai king has officially visited since ascending the throne in 2016, according to Beijing’s foreign ministry. “In recent years … bilateral relations have... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331951/king-maha-vajiralongkorn-make-first-china-trip-thai-monarch-50-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331951/king-maha-vajiralongkorn-make-first-china-trip-thai-monarch-50-years?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Nov 2025 09:31:45 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse In a bustling Bangkok market, hundreds of wholesale vendors have been selling black clothing since dawn – several with hefty discounts – in honour of Thailand’s late former queen. Rows of black T-shirts at a small stall hang near a banner reading “black shirts 40 baht” – a fraction of the usual price of 200 to 500 baht (US$6 to US$15) – drawing a steady stream of shoppers. “We sell at this price so all Thais can wear black to pay respect to the queen mother,” said the business’s owner,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3331143/thai-vendors-go-red-sell-mourning-clothes-my-time-pay-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3331143/thai-vendors-go-red-sell-mourning-clothes-my-time-pay-back?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Nov 2025 00:43:26 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Thousands of grieving Thai royalists lined the streets of Bangkok on Sunday, saluting a procession bringing former Queen Sirikit’s body to lie in state for a year-long funeral at the capital’s Grand Palace. Members of the royal family are venerated in Thailand, treated by many as semidivine figures and lavished with glowing media coverage and gold-adorned portraits hanging in public spaces and private homes nationwide. Former Queen Sirikit, the mother of the current King Vajiralongkorn and wife... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3330344/thailand-mourns-queen-sirikit-year-long-royal-funeral-begins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3330344/thailand-mourns-queen-sirikit-year-long-royal-funeral-begins?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 03:29:15 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Thailand’s Queen Mother Sirikit, who supervised royal projects to help the rural poor, preserve traditional craft-making and protect the environment, died on Friday. She was 93. The Royal Household Bureau said she died in a hospital in Bangkok. Since October 17, she had been suffering from a blood infection but despite her medical team’s efforts, her conditions did not improve. She had been largely absent from public life in recent years due to declining health. Her husband, King Bhumibol... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3330289/thailands-queen-mother-sirikit-has-died-age-93?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3330289/thailands-queen-mother-sirikit-has-died-age-93?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 23:54:54 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg The youngest sister of Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn has expressed her wish for the military to construct a barrier along the Thai-Cambodian border, after a territorial dispute between the two countries escalated into deadly clashes earlier this year. “Please help consider how we can build a permanent wall between Cambodia and Thailand – not something temporary, but a long-lasting structure,” Princess Chulabhorn told army officials during a meeting in Bangkok this week. She also asked the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3329229/thai-princess-wants-army-build-permanent-cambodia-border-wall-tensions-rage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3329229/thai-princess-wants-army-build-permanent-cambodia-border-wall-tensions-rage?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 07:37:23 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was cleared on Friday of royal defamation charges, relieving one of the threats to his embattled dynasty, which has dominated Thai politics for two decades. Thaksin’s family has long jousted with the nation’s pro-military, pro-monarchy elite, who view their populist movement as a threat to Thailand’s traditional social order. Their tenure as a defining force in Thai politics has unfolded in a saga of coups, street protests and court cases as they... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3322797/thai-ex-pm-thaksin-cleared-royal-insult-charges-political-dynastys-future-uncertain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3322797/thai-ex-pm-thaksin-cleared-royal-insult-charges-political-dynastys-future-uncertain?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 08:10:28 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Thai king’s eldest daughter, who has been gravely ill in hospital for more than two years, has suffered a “severe” blood infection, the palace said on Friday. Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol has been unconscious in hospital since falling ill with a heart condition in December 2022 during a military dog training session at Nakhon Ratchasima, north of the capital Bangkok. A statement from the Bureau of the Royal Household gave the first update on the princess’s condition in more than two... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3321997/thai-princess-hospitalised-over-2-years-suffers-severe-blood-infection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3321997/thai-princess-hospitalised-over-2-years-suffers-severe-blood-infection?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Aug 2025 08:28:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Reverence for the saffron-robed Buddhist monkhood is deeply woven into Thai society, but a sex extortion scandal has besmirched the clergy and left the devout questioning their faith. Thai police this week arrested a woman accused of bedding at least 11 monks in violation of their vows of celibacy, before blackmailing them with thousands of secretly taken photos of their trysts. The monks are said to have paid nearly US$12 million, funnelled out of their monasteries funded by donations from... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3318846/thai-monk-sex-scandal-leaves-devout-questioning-faith-i-dont-have-full-respect-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3318846/thai-monk-sex-scandal-leaves-devout-questioning-faith-i-dont-have-full-respect-it?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Jul 2025 06:06:00 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Thai prosecutors dropped royal defamation charges on Thursday against an American scholar accused of insulting the monarchy over an article published on a political website. Paul Chambers – a long-time Southeast Asia politics scholar in Thailand – was arrested last month in Phitsanulok province, north of Bangkok, under the kingdom’s strict lèse-majesté laws. The case marked a rare instance of a foreign national being charged under Thailand’s lèse-majesté law, which bans criticism of King Maha... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3308718/thai-prosecutors-drop-royal-insult-charge-against-us-academic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3308718/thai-prosecutors-drop-royal-insult-charge-against-us-academic?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 May 2025 11:20:01 +0000 A prominent American academic was detained on Tuesday and charged with insulting Thailand’s monarchy – in a rare case of a foreign national falling foul of the kingdom’s strict lèse-majesté law. Paul Chambers, who has spent more than a decade teaching Southeast Asia politics in Thailand, is in pre-trial detention awaiting a decision on his bail request, lawyer Wannaphat Jenroumjit said. “He denied the charge,” Wannaphat said. Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his close family are protected from... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3305719/us-academic-faces-jail-term-insulting-thai-king-raising-concerns-over-free-speech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3305719/us-academic-faces-jail-term-insulting-thai-king-raising-concerns-over-free-speech?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Apr 2025 13:25:54 +0000 The Thai army held the Trooping the Colour parade on Wednesday, to celebrate King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s 72nd birthday. This event was notable as it is the first of its kind in 16 years and the inaugural ceremony during the monarch’s reign. It took place at the Royal Plaza in Bangkok, showcasing a parade of royal guards alongside an Oath of Allegiance Ceremony. Troops from different branches of the army took part, with Queen Suthida, the king’s fourth wife, leading the proceedings. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3289297/thai-army-holds-first-trooping-colour-parade-16-years-kings-birthday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3289297/thai-army-holds-first-trooping-colour-parade-16-years-kings-birthday?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Dec 2024 07:31:32 +0000 1. Meghan and Harry to finally let King Charles visit grandchildren after Portugal move Meghan and Harry are reportedly set to approve King Charles’ visit to see his grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet, following their purchase of a European home, signalling a potential royal family reunion. This move, aimed at strengthening ties with the monarchy, could pave the way for more reunions, it has been reported. 2. Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn surpasses King Charles as world’s richest monarch... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/3284831/meghan-markle-prince-harry-set-allow-king-charles-visit-archie-and-lilibet-and-more-royal-news?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/3284831/meghan-markle-prince-harry-set-allow-king-charles-visit-archie-and-lilibet-and-more-royal-news?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Nov 2024 11:00:31 +0000 Reuters Reuters Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Saturday her new government will seek to stimulate the economy “right away” and will continue with the policies of former premier Srettha Thavisin. She held a special cabinet meeting earlier in the day to prepare policies that will be delivered at a 2-day meeting of parliament on Thursday and Friday that will mark the formal beginning of her administration. Paetongtarn was elected prime minister by the country’s House of Representatives... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3277603/new-thai-pm-paetongtarn-vows-stimulate-economy-right-away?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3277603/new-thai-pm-paetongtarn-vows-stimulate-economy-right-away?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Sep 2024 07:48:47 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Thailand on Wednesday welcomed a new cabinet after King Maha Vajiralongkorn approved the appointment of 35 members to serve under Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Paetongtarn took office on August 16, after her predecessor Srettha Thavisin was forced out of office by a court ruling that he had violated an ethics law by appointing a cabinet member who had served time in prison in connection with a bribery case. She is the daughter of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3277210/thailands-pm-paetongtarn-gets-new-cabinet-some-familiar-faces?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3277210/thailands-pm-paetongtarn-gets-new-cabinet-some-familiar-faces?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Sep 2024 12:28:49 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Thailand’s key economic stimulus – almost $14 billion in cash payments to its citizens – will need further study to ensure compliance with the nation’s fiscal discipline law, newly appointed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said. The change in economic condition is prompting further assessment and reviews, Paetongtarn, 37, told reporters Sunday. She was responding to reports that her father Thaksin Shinawatra is demanding that the new government drop the Pheu Thai party’s flagship policy... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3274928/new-thai-prime-minister-scrutinising-us14-billion-cash-handouts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3274928/new-thai-prime-minister-scrutinising-us14-billion-cash-handouts?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Aug 2024 08:34:54 +0000 Thailand’s new Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the daughter of controversial billionaire ex-premier Thaksin, vowed to boost the kingdom’s sluggish economy as she formally took office on Sunday. Paetongtarn, at 37 the kingdom’s youngest ever prime minister, comes to power after a court sacked the previous premier and disbanded the main opposition party, throwing Thailand’s ever-febrile political scene into a new round of turmoil. She is the third Shinawatra to be prime minister, but will... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3274908/thai-king-vajiralongkorn-appoints-paetongtarn-shinawatra-new-pm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3274908/thai-king-vajiralongkorn-appoints-paetongtarn-shinawatra-new-pm?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Aug 2024 02:57:37 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones August has brought fresh political drama to Thailand and judges are at the heart of it. The most popular party, the reformist Move Forward, was dissolved by the nine-member Constitutional Court last week. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin of the Pheu Thai party is set for a showdown on Wednesday with the same bench which could see him booted from office after barely a year, an outcome which would also end his government. Here is an explainer of what is going in Thailand, a kingdom where judges and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/explained/article/3274269/thailands-srettha-next-firing-line-country-struggles-shrug-political-chaos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/explained/article/3274269/thailands-srettha-next-firing-line-country-struggles-shrug-political-chaos?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Aug 2024 08:30:19 +0000 A court in Thailand on Monday sentenced one of the kingdom’s leading democracy activists to a further two years imprisonment on royal insult charges. It is the latest charge levelled against prominent human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa, who now faces more than 10 years in prison. He is currently in jail after he was handed down a four-year sentence in January over three messages posted on Facebook in 2021, adding to the four years he was already serving for a prior lèse-majesté conviction. Critics... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3260773/thai-rights-lawyer-arnon-nampa-jailed-2-more-years-over-royal-insult-fined-us4-using-loudspeaker?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3260773/thai-rights-lawyer-arnon-nampa-jailed-2-more-years-over-royal-insult-fined-us4-using-loudspeaker?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Apr 2024 07:26:09 +0000 A Thai court is holding hearings on a petition seeking to reopen one of the most controversial cases in the country’s modern history, the death of King Ananda Mahidol who was found shot dead in his bedroom in 1946 at the age of 20. King Ananda, also known as Rama VIII, reigned from 1935 to 1946, and was the uncle of the present Thai monarch Maha Vajiralongkorn and the elder brother of the last King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Ananda, who was found lying face up in bed with a gunshot wound on his head on... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3257943/thai-author-seeks-reopen-investigation-1946-death-king-ananda-mahidol?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3257943/thai-author-seeks-reopen-investigation-1946-death-king-ananda-mahidol?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Apr 2024 06:00:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Jailed former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is to be freed, the government said on Tuesday, possibly as soon as the weekend – just six months after returning from 15 years of self-imposed exile. The controversial billionaire, twice-elected premier and ousted in a 2006 military coup, was jailed for eight years on corruption and abuse of power charges in August, but within days had his sentence cut to one year by King Maha Vajiralongkorn. Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong said on Tuesday the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3251804/thailands-jailed-ex-pm-thaksin-shinawatra-be-freed-justice-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3251804/thailands-jailed-ex-pm-thaksin-shinawatra-be-freed-justice-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Feb 2024 03:43:43 +0000 Agence France-Presse,Reuters Agence France-Presse,Reuters Thai police have charged former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra with lèse-majesté over comments he made almost a decade ago, officials said on Tuesday, though it is not clear if the case will go to court. Thailand has some of the world’s strictest royal defamation laws protecting King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his close family, with each charge bringing a potential 15-year prison sentence. The constitution states the king must be held in a position of “revered worship”. Thai king reduces former... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3251126/former-thai-pm-thaksin-shinawatra-charged-royal-insult?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3251126/former-thai-pm-thaksin-shinawatra-charged-royal-insult?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Feb 2024 09:00:12 +0000 A Thai man was given a 50-year prison sentence on Thursday for criticising the monarchy – the longest jail term ever handed down under the kingdom’s strict royal insult laws, a legal rights group said. The record-breaking sentence comes after several years in which Thailand has ramped up use of the controversial legislation against pro-democracy protesters in what critics say is a tactic to silence dissent. An appeal court in the northern city of Chiang Rai sentenced Mongkol Thirakot, 30, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3248939/thailand-jails-pro-democracy-activist-record-50-years-royal-insults-facebook?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3248939/thailand-jails-pro-democracy-activist-record-50-years-royal-insults-facebook?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jan 2024 11:00:26 +0000 Thailand’s cabinet on Tuesday approved an amendment to its civil code to allow same-sex marriage, with an expectation for the draft to be submitted to Parliament next month. Karom Polpornklang, a deputy government spokesperson, said the amendment to the Civil and Commercial Code will change the words “men and women” and “husband and wife” to “individuals” and “marriage partners” for same-sex couples to be able to receive the same rights that heterosexual couples receive. He said the law would... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3242349/thailands-cabinet-approves-marriage-equality-bill-grant-same-sex-couples-equal-rights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3242349/thailands-cabinet-approves-marriage-equality-bill-grant-same-sex-couples-equal-rights?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Nov 2023 12:00:25 +0000 Royalty graced the Asian Games on Tuesday with Thai Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana saddling up in the equestrian after being encouraged by the king to “go for it”. The 36-year-old, who competed at the 2006 Games in badminton, is part of Thailand’s dressage contingent, riding in the team and individual competitions in Hangzhou. “I will do my best for [the people of Thailand],” she said at the Tonglu Equestrian Centre. “They’re my cheerleaders, my power, my fuel. I play for the Thai... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3236072/thai-princess-siri-competes-equestrian-asian-games-king-maha-vajiralongkorns-daughter-joins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3236072/thai-princess-siri-competes-equestrian-asian-games-king-maha-vajiralongkorns-daughter-joins?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Sep 2023 03:49:24 +0000 An activist and lawyer made famous for his open calls for reform of Thailand’s powerful monarchy was on Tuesday sentenced to four years in prison for royal insults, a judge said, in one of the country’s most high profile lèse-majesté cases. Human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa, 39, is widely known for his taboo-breaking speech during pro-democracy protests in 2020 during which he called for public debate on the role of Thailand’s king. Arnon denies wrongdoing. Thailand’s lèse-majesté law shields King... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3235827/thailand-jails-top-protest-leader-arnon-nampa-insulting-monarchy-worthwhile-personal-sacrifice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3235827/thailand-jails-top-protest-leader-arnon-nampa-insulting-monarchy-worthwhile-personal-sacrifice?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Sep 2023 07:03:14 +0000 Reuters Reuters Thailand’s new Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin was named finance minister on Saturday in a cabinet that was endorsed by the king, as the real estate tycoon seeks to boost Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy and implement key campaign promises. Thailand’s economy has been faltering due to weaker exports and investments, with the central bank saying last month that the full-year forecast for 3.6 per cent growth could be lowered. Reviving Thailand’s economy will be one of the biggest tasks for... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3233198/thailands-king-endorses-new-cabinet-months-after-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3233198/thailands-king-endorses-new-cabinet-months-after-election?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Sep 2023 06:45:15 +0000 The second-eldest son of Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn visited a childcare centre for underprivileged families on Tuesday during a surprise visit to the kingdom, the first time he has been back in his homeland in 27 years. The trip by Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse, 42, comes at a fraught time for the Thai royal family, with the monarch’s eldest daughter in a coma since December. Vacharaesorn, who works at a law firm in New York, visited the Foundation for Slum Child Care, which is supported... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3230404/second-son-thailands-king-maha-vajiralongkorn-makes-surprise-return-after-27-years-away-dream-be?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3230404/second-son-thailands-king-maha-vajiralongkorn-makes-surprise-return-after-27-years-away-dream-be?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Aug 2023 11:18:42 +0000 Thailand’s leading pro-democracy party, which swept Sunday’s election, is confident its coalition will win over senators’ prime ministerial votes for its leader Pita Limjaroenrat. The Move Forward party has been in contact with senators to assess their opinions and concerns, Chaithawat Tulathon, the party’s secretary general, said in a statement on Saturday. Some senators are set to hold informal meetings on May 23 to discuss their votes for the new prime minister, he said. While Pita’s party... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3221250/thai-election-winner-move-forward-party-confident-senators-support-pm-vote-pita?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3221250/thai-election-winner-move-forward-party-confident-senators-support-pm-vote-pita?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 May 2023 09:55:31 +0000 King Charles invited around 2,200 guests to witness his coronation at Westminster Abbey, London, on May 6. The coronation forms part of a religious ceremony that has remained largely unchanged for over 1,000 years. The king had a weekend of special events planned and invited Asian royalty to take part in the historic event. King Charles actually broke tradition by inviting reigning kings and queens to his coronation – it is usually princes and princess who attend. The addition was welcomed by... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3219913/asian-royals-who-dazzled-king-charles-coronation-bruneis-sultan-hassanal-bolkiah-and-son-bhutans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3219913/asian-royals-who-dazzled-king-charles-coronation-bruneis-sultan-hassanal-bolkiah-and-son-bhutans?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 May 2023 07:16:39 +0000 Thai Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya has been appointed as a specialist in the royal Thai Army with the rank of Major General, according to the royal Gazette website. King Maha Vajiralongkorn on Friday announced the appointment of his 36-year-old daughter in the latest round of military promotions that will be effective from April 1. The princess graduated with a master’s in design from École de la Chambre Syndicale de la couture Parisienne in Paris and become a fashion designer with... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3213215/thai-kings-younger-daughter-princess-siri-appointed-army-major-general?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3213215/thai-kings-younger-daughter-princess-siri-appointed-army-major-general?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Mar 2023 14:41:20 +0000 A Thai man was sentenced to two years in prison for selling calendars featuring satirical cartoons of yellow ducks that a court said mocked the country’s monarch, a legal aid group said. Bangkok’s Criminal Court ruled that the calendar for 2021 contained pictures of yellow ducks in poses resembling and ridiculing Thailand’s king, diminishing his reputation, the group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said. The defendant was charged under Thailand’s lese-majesty law, which provides for three to 15... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3212746/thailand-jails-man-selling-calendars-yellow-ducks-them?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3212746/thailand-jails-man-selling-calendars-yellow-ducks-them?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Mar 2023 04:02:08 +0000 Thai Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati remains unconscious more than three weeks after she collapsed due to a heart condition, the palace said. Treating physicians have concluded she had a severe arrhythmia due to inflammation of the heart caused by mycoplasma infection, the Bureau of the Royal Household said in a statement on Sunday. The 44-year-old princess lost consciousness in northeastern Thailand on December 14 while training her dog for a competition, and was airlifted to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3206001/thai-princess-remains-unconscious-severe-arrhythmia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3206001/thai-princess-remains-unconscious-severe-arrhythmia?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Jan 2023 06:27:35 +0000 The Thai king’s eldest daughter remained in hospital on Monday receiving support for her heart, lungs and kidneys, according to a palace statement after she collapsed last week. Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol initially fell ill on Wednesday evening during a military dog training session at Nakhon Ratchasima, north of the capital Bangkok. Known in Thailand as “Princess Bha”, the 44-year-old is the eldest daughter of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and the only child from his first marriage. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3203796/thai-princess-bajrakitiyabha-mahidol-life-support-after-her-collapse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3203796/thai-princess-bajrakitiyabha-mahidol-life-support-after-her-collapse?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Dec 2022 06:35:11 +0000 Thai temples held prayers and senior leaders including the prime minister visited a hospital on Friday to wish a quick recovery for the eldest child of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who collapsed earlier in the week with a heart condition. Princess Bajrakitiyabha, 44, lost consciousness early on Wednesday in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima and was flown by helicopter to Chulalongkorn hospital in Bangkok after her condition stabilised “to a certain level”, the palace said in a... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3203546/thai-temples-hold-prayers-hospitalised-princess-bajrakitiyabha?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3203546/thai-temples-hold-prayers-hospitalised-princess-bajrakitiyabha?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Dec 2022 06:54:44 +0000 As a gunman murdered 24 children at a nursery school in Thailand, one three-year-old girl slept through the entire massacre. The child was found awake and alive on Thursday as authorities surveyed the horror in the building in Uthai Sawan. Paweenuch Supolwong, nicknamed Ammy, seems to have no memory of the tragedy, her parents said. Someone found her stirring in a corner, after the killer had left, and carried her out with her head covered by the blanket so she did not see the bodies of her... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3195324/3-year-old-girl-survived-thailand-day-care-massacre-while?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3195324/3-year-old-girl-survived-thailand-day-care-massacre-while?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Oct 2022 01:45:59 +0000 Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn on Friday visited a hospital treating those wounded in a gun and knife rampage by a sacked policeman that left 37 people dead, ending a day of grief and mourning by relatives. The king is expected to meet survivors of Thursday’s attack, one of the worst mass killings in Thai history, in a rare public interaction for the monarch, who is officially regarded as a semidivine figurehead. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha had earlier laid flowers at the nursery in... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3195119/thai-king-maha-vajiralongkorn-visit-nursery-shooting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3195119/thai-king-maha-vajiralongkorn-visit-nursery-shooting?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Oct 2022 02:57:26 +0000 At a time of growing concerns about food security around the world, Thailand has been working hard to maintain and increase agricultural produce. Thailand enjoys an abundance and diversity of agricultural produce. Much of Thailand’s resilience in food security is due to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s development projects for the betterment of the Thai people’s livelihoods based on his philosophy of sufficiency economy. The philosophy advances fundamental principles of Thai culture based... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3181967/amid-global-food-insecurity-thailands-khok-nong-na-model-shows-way?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3181967/amid-global-food-insecurity-thailands-khok-nong-na-model-shows-way?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Jun 2022 06:30:15 +0000 Thai police charged three social media influencers with lese-majesty on Thursday over controversial social media advertisements for an e-commerce firm that monarchists said mocked a member of the royal family. The TikTok clips promoting Lazada – owned by China’s Alibaba Group, which also owns the Post – enraged ultra-royalists who called for the company to be banned in the kingdom, and led to the Thai military barring the firm’s delivery vehicles from its premises. Criticism of the monarchy is... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3182020/thai-influencers-charged-royal-insult-over-lazada-adverts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3182020/thai-influencers-charged-royal-insult-over-lazada-adverts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Jun 2022 03:15:24 +0000 The Thai military’s boycott of e-commerce platform Lazada is being criticised as a sign of regulatory overreach and for their ignorance of how e-commerce functions. That reaction followed an order issued on Monday by the army barring the delivery of goods from Lazada, and its personnel from shopping on the website, following the release of a promotional video seen as mocking the royals last week. “The marketing content was inappropriate, affected Thais emotionally and reduced the human values,”... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3177310/thai-army-boycott-online-retailer-lazada-shows-ignorance-e?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3177310/thai-army-boycott-online-retailer-lazada-shows-ignorance-e?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 May 2022 09:30:16 +0000 The Thai army said on Monday it will ban its 245,000 members from using one of Southeast Asia’s biggest e-commerce websites for official purposes after royalists said a promotional video appeared to mock the royal family. Thailand has strict lese-majesty laws and courts can hand down jail terms of up to 15 years for each offence of defaming, insulting or threatening King Maha Vajiralongkorn, the queen, heir or regent. Citizens loyal to the king complained that a video on Lazada’s Facebook page... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3177100/thai-army-boycotts-online-retailer-after-video-enrages?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3177100/thai-army-boycotts-online-retailer-after-video-enrages?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 May 2022 15:20:34 +0000 King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand has returned to Germany – together with 30 poodles – after spending more than a year away from his adopted home in the Bavarian alps, according to German media reports. The tabloid-style Bild newspaper published a picture of what it said was the 69-year-old monarch wearing a dark brown and orange Adidas track suit on the way to the public swimming pool of the Hilton Airport hotel in Munich. The newspaper said the king had arrived in Munich on Monday and that... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3155742/thai-king-maha-vajiralongkorn-returns-germany-entourage-250-people?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3155742/thai-king-maha-vajiralongkorn-returns-germany-entourage-250-people?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Nov 2021 13:45:05 +0000 A Thai court has ruled that three anti-government activists who had called for reform of the country’s powerful monarchy violated the constitution by making what it called a veiled attempt to overthrow the institution. The Constitutional Court ruling on November 10 in a case brought by a royalist lawyer said a controversial 10-point call for reforms of the institution by three student protest leaders in August last year was designed to topple the monarchy. “The actions have hidden intentions to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3155599/thailand-court-rules-students-calls-royal-reform-sought?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3155599/thailand-court-rules-students-calls-royal-reform-sought?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Nov 2021 14:42:28 +0000 Love is love, as they say, so it’s no surprise that royals around the world have fallen in love with commoners over the years. While some, like Kate Middleton, were welcomed with open arms, others haven’t had it quite so easy. Just ask paralegal Kei Komuro, who recently wed Japan’s Princess Mako. Here are 21 commoners who married into royalty. Grace Kelly became royalty after tying the knot with Rainier III, the Prince of Monaco Grace Kelly, the daughter of a three-time Olympic gold medallist... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3154378/21-commoners-who-married-royalty-meghan-markle-olympic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3154378/21-commoners-who-married-royalty-meghan-markle-olympic?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 Oct 2021 22:00:31 +0000 Thailand’s embattled Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha won a no-confidence vote in parliament on Saturday as pro-democracy protesters vowed to swamp Bangkok’s streets to demand his resignation. Prayuth, who has run the country since seizing power as army chief in a 2014 coup, got 264 votes in his favour and 208 against. Five key ministers also survived the vote. Over four days of televised censure debate, lawmakers accused the prime minister of incompetence in handling the pandemic, vaccination... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3147588/thai-pm-prayuth-survives-no-confidence-vote-bangkok-braces-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3147588/thai-pm-prayuth-survives-no-confidence-vote-bangkok-braces-more?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Sep 2021 08:47:20 +0000