Thai King Strips Titles of 'Disloyal' Royal Consort

06 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019 world Thai king strips titles of ‘disloyal’ royal consort A trove of pictures released by the Thai royal palace showed the royal noble consort engaged in a series of activities, including flying a plane Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn attends the annual Royal Ploughing Ceremony in central Bangkok, Thailand was bestowed with the honour. against the appointment of the and does not understand roy- elled from the palace to several She was dismissed Former royal bodyguard Queen (Suthida)... for her own al tradition... her actions are to Buddhist temples. • Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi -- ambitions”. Suthida - the former benefit herself”, the statement Her prominence stunned the from the rank of known by her nickname “Koi” deputy head of the royal body- said, adding she was attempting Thai public, who often glean Chao Khun Phra -- -- was gifted the title on the guard - was made Queen in May, to elevate her position to the clues of the royal family’s secre- or noble consort king’s 67th birthday on July 28, becoming King Vajiralongkorn’s same as Queen Suthida. KNOW WHAT tive ongoings through imagery the first time in nearly a centu- fourth wife. Her behaviour is “deemed and symbolism relayed by the Suthida - the former ry a Thai monarch has taken a The Thai monarchy is protect- disrespectful to His Majesty’s palace. • consort. ed by a harsh defamation law, grace... and caused divisions Her dramatic fall from grace is deputy head of the A few days later the palace making open discussion on the among courtiers and misunder- The new king, a cycling likely to be as carefully dissected royal bodyguard - was released images of the short- institution for the public and standing among the people”, the and aviation enthusiast, over coming days. made Queen in May haired Sineenat in combat fa- media based inside the country statement added. is a more remote figure “The abrupt move by the king tigues shooting weapons, flying all but impossible. She was stripped of all mili- to the public, having tells us that he wishes to be seen Rama X came to a jet and preparing to parachute Rama X has dramatically bol- tary ranks, decorations and royal spent much of his time as a very in-charge monarch who • from a plane, as well as holding stered his authority since his titles, it said. will not put up with possible di- power in 2016 after the king’s hand. 2016 ascension to the throne, Born in the northern prov- abroad, particularly in visions in the royal institution,” the death of his father It was an intimate and rare pulling the immense wealth of ince of Nan on January 26, 1985, Germany. said analyst Paul Chambers of Bhumibol Adulyadej glimpse into the private life the crown under his direct con- Sineenat, graduated from the His three-day coronation Naresuan University. of Thailand’s powerful, ul - trol and restructuring key army Royal Thai Army Nursing Col- gave many Thais their Buttressed by the conservative tra-wealthy and inscrutable units to his command. lege at the age of 23. arch royalist military, which has AFP | Bangkok first full glimpse of the monarch, known as Rama X of Koi, a qualified pilot and for- She has also trained as a pilot new monarch, as he was carried out a dozen coups since the Chakri dynasty. mer army nurse, was the first in Thailand and abroad, served carried on a palanquin in the 1932 establishment of a con- hailand’s King Maha Va- But yesterday Sineenat’s swift woman to receive the consort in the King’s royal bodyguard stitutional monarchy, frank dis- jiralongkorn has stripped and public downfall was relayed title in nearly a century -- fitting unit, and in May was awarded full regalia around Bang- cussion of palace affairs is rare This 34-year-old consort of on national television. a pattern of assertive moves by the rank of a major-general. kok’s historic quarter. among the Thai public. all titles for “disloyalty” and ap- She was dismissed from the the king. During the elaborate three- Rama X came to power in 2016 parent “ambition” to match the rank of Chao Khun Phra -- or day coronation ceremony of the after the death of his father Bhu- Queen’s position, a royal com- noble consort -- for “disloyalty Stripped of all ranks king in May, Sineenat was seen mibol Adulyadej -- who is widely mand issued late yesterday said, to the king” according to the Her actions show “she does marching in full military uni- revered by Thais and seen as a less than three months after she command, as well as “acting not give any honour to the king form in a procession that trav- figure of moral authority. HK leader visits mosque struck by blue water-cannon dye It was rebuilt in the early Police use the dye 1980s and remains a centre of • Hong Kong’s 300,000-strong -- often mixed with an Muslim community. irritant -- as a way to Lam’s office and the police identify protesters did not respond to requests for comment on the visit. Hong Kong A police source told AFP the commissioner did apologise and further details would be released ong Kong’s pro-Beijing later in the day. Hleader and the city’s police Hong Kong was convulsed by chief visited a mosque yesterday another day of violence on Sun- that was struck with blue dye day as the city nears five months from a water cannon during the of seething pro-democracy pro- latest bout of violent protests. tests. The entrance to the Kowloon Tens of thousands joined Mosque, the international hub’s Kowloon Mosque representatives said Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam apologised Hong Kong police have used blue dye as a way to identify protesters during an unauthorised but peaceful largest, was sprayed by a water for the dye incident, and that it was accepted confrontations afternoon rally which quickly cannon truck on Sunday, causing descended into chaos as small anger among both local Muslims outside the building during blue jet painting the mosque’s mosque, surrounded by a pha- been accepted. groups of hardcore protesters and protesters. confrontations with protest- entrance and steps. lanx of security guards. The representatives also threw petrol bombs and rocks at Police use the dye -- often ers, pausing and then spraying Police released a statement They emerged some 20 min- thanked worshippers and Hong a police station, mainland China mixed with an irritant -- as a way around half a dozen journalists on Sunday saying the mosque utes later without speaking to Kongers who flocked to clean the businesses and multiple subway to identify protesters but it has and bystanders who were gath- was hit by mistake but did not the media. mosque soon after the incident. station entrances. frequently left streets and build- ered on the street outside. apologise. Mosque representatives told The original Kowloon Mosque Police responded with water ings daubed in a garish blue. The group, who did not ap - On Monday, Chief Executive reporters that the two had apol- was built in the late nineteenth cannon, tear gas and rubber bul- Video footage shot Sunday pear to be protesters, was struck Carrie Lam and police chief Ste- ogised for the water cannon in- century to cater for Muslim sol- lets in clashes that lasted well showed the truck pulling up twice, with much of the bright phen Lo paid a brief visit to the cident and that the apology had diers from British-ruled India. into the night..

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