Thailand king’s estranged son makes surprise return after 27 years

The estranged second son of Thailand’s king has returned to Bangkok for the first time in almost three decades, in an unannounced visit that surprised many and raised questions about the succession plan.

Footage of Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse making what appeared to be a low-key arrival at Suvarnabhumi airport on Sunday, and visiting sites in the capital, has been shared widely on social media.

His appearance comes at a difficult time for the Thai royal family, as King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s eldest daughter has been in hospital since December, after she collapsed. In January, the palace said she had experienced severe heart arrhythmia resulting from inflammation after an infection.

Since his arrival, Vacharaesorn, 42, the second eldest son of Vajiralongkorn and his second wife, Sujarinee Vivacharawongse, has travelled around Bangkok, visiting Wat Phra Kaew, a temple in the grounds of the Grand Palace, as well as a shrine in the centre of the city, and a childcare centre for underprivileged families.

He told the media on Tuesday that he had received a warm welcome from everyone. “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 said.

“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 palace has not commented on his arrival.

Vacharaesorn and his three brothers have lived abroad since the mid-1990s, after the then crown prince announced his divorce from their mother Sujarinee, a former actor, publicly accusing her of adultery. His sister later returned to Thailand, and was raised as a member of the royal family.

Vacharaesorn, who became a lawyer in the US, does not have a formal royal title.

On X, the site previously known as Twitter, the #SonOfTenReturnToThailand, referring to the king’s title, King Rama X, has been trending since his arrival. Some welcomed Vacharaesorn’s return to the country, and said he had a humble manner as he spoke with members of the public.

However, Thaluwang, a protest group, said on social media that rather than waiting for his arrival back home, it had been waiting for the abolition of the monarchy. In 2020, young students led mass protests to call for an overhaul of the powerful royal family.

Others remarked that they wanted to know the number of Vacharaesorn’s driver’s registration plate, saying it could prove auspicious for the next lottery draw.

Vacharaesorn has arrived at a time when Thailand is stuck in a political deadlock, with the leader of the party that won the most seats in May’s election, Move Forward, blocked from taking office by the military-appointed senate.

Senators said they could not allow the party to be in government, given its pledge to change the country’s strict lese-majesty law, under which criticism of the monarchy is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

The gridlock reflects the extent to which the status of the royal family has become a new faultline in Thai politics.

Vacharaesorn’s arrival marks a sensitive time for the monarchy as Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati, 44, considered by many to be a well-suited successor, remains in hospital.

In the latest statement in January, the palace said she remained unconscious and that doctors continued “to provide medicine and use equipment to support the functions of the heart, lung and kidney”.

Pavin Chachavalpongpun, an associate professor at the Centre for South-east Asian Studies, Kyoto University, said Vacharaesorn’s visit was not coincidental. “This is to open up a possibility for royal succession,” he said, noting that his outings in Bangkok bore similarities to royal activities.

In public, Vacharaesorn appeared to present himself as friendly and open to taking pictures and talking to the public. It was, Pavin added, too early to predict Vacharaesorn’s future path, saying it was unclear how those aligned with the monarchy, such as the military, would perceive him.

“An equally important question is what will be the direction Vacharaesorn will be taking - whether he would be pro-reform or whether it would be hardline. Nobody knows. It’s too soon to say,” he said.

Vajiralongkorn, who has divorced three times, has seven children. He is married to Queen Suthida, his former bodyguard, who he married shortly before his coronation ceremonies in 2019.