Blog about Thailand
King Bhumibol’s condition became significantly unstable due to evolving acute hepatitis. The king died at Siriraj Hospital on 13 October 2016 at 15:52 local time. The Bureau of the Royal Household officially announced his death at 18:45, less than 3 hours after the actual time of his passing.
Paul Handley , author of a biography of King Bhumibol Adulyadej , wrote that either suicide or an accidental shooting by Prince Bhumibol was responsible for the king’s death: “I have no idea whether Ananda shot himself or was killed by Bhumibol , the two possibilities most accepted among historians.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej died in Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand on 13 October 2016, at 15:52 local time, at the age of 88, as announced by the royal palace later that day. The following day, his body was taken by motorcade to the Grand Palace for the customary bathing rite.
But since 2018, King Vajiralongkorn’s personal wealth and the monarchy’s overall wealth have been entwined. The day-to-day costs of running the monarchy, meanwhile, are paid for by Thai taxpayers, and the Thai Government allocated around $1.3 billion in this year’s budget.
King Bhumibol, therefore, wielded little real political power, although the constitution named him as head of state and commander of the armed forces. His most important function was to serve as a living symbol of and a focus of unity for the Thai nation.
King Rama IX was the longest-reigning Thai monarch to date. His reign lasted seven full decades from 1946 to 2016. During the period he was devoted to his people and worked tirelessly to improve their well-being, becoming known as the “Father of the Land”.
He died in bed in Bangkok’s Grand Palace that Sunday morning in circumstances still not satisfactorily explained. Although the initial official explanation was accidental death , a result of the king’s propensity to play with firearms, public pressure forced the government to open a commission of inquiry.
The constitution stipulates that although the sovereignty of the state is vested in the people, the king will exercise such powers through the three branches of the Thai government. Under the constitution the king is given very little power, but remains a figurehead and symbol of the Thai nation.
My taxes!” Thailand’s government has budgeted over $1 billion to finance the monarchy this year, despite the fact that King Maha Vajiralongkorn is one of the world’s wealthiest rulers, with an estimated $40 billion in assets.
Thailand – Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution Exercise increased caution in Thailand due to COVID-19. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory. Read the Department of State’s COVID-19 page before you plan any international travel .
Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn has been proclaimed Thailand’s new king, 50 days after the death of his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
List of royalty by net worth
Rank | Name | Title |
---|---|---|
1 | Vajiralongkorn | King of Thailand |
2 | Hassanal Bolkiah | Sultan of Brunei |
3 | Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud | King of Saudi Arabia |
4 | Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan | President of the United Arab Emirates Emir of Abu Dhabi |
Thailand’s royal family , compared to the constantly spotlighted British monarchy , is extremely secretive. The monarch in question, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, officially known as King Rama X, was crowned in May 2019, almost three years after the death of the previous king , his father Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Siam joined World War I siding with the allies, a political decision to amend the unequal treaties. Following a bloodless revolution in 1932, Siam became a constitutional monarchy and changed its official name to ” Thailand “.