Purge that wasn’t: Thai king Maha Vajiralongkorn, official mistress reconciled, royal consort title restored
Ten months after purging his official mistress for disloyalty, Thailand’s married king now says she did nothing wrong.
Thailand’s married king, Maha Vajiralongkorn, has reconciled with his official mistress more than ten months after purging her for disloyalty, with a statement denying that she ever did anything wrong.
Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi, 35, was given the title of royal consort by the king, 68, last summer. She was abruptly dismissed at the end of October, accused of disloyalty to the king and hurting the nation at large.
This week the country’s Royal Gazette, which reported the original decision, said it had never taken place. “As Miss Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi has never been a tarnished person, His Majesty has given her the title of the royal consort, military ranks and royal decorations continuously,” it reported. “It will be regarded that she was never stripped of the royal consort title, military ranks and royal decorations previously.”
When given the title, photos were published showing Ms Sineenat, a former nurse nicknamed Koi, as an officer in the royal bodyguard, posing in the cockpits of aircraft.
Her elevation came less than three months after the king’s marriage to Suthida, 42, a former stewardess, known as Nui, who had been his consort for years. It was the first time a Thai king had in effect practised polygamy since the end of the absolute monarchy in 1932.
Ms Sineenat was accused three months after her elevation of actions “considered dishonourable, lacking gratitude, unappreciative of royal kindness and driving a rift between the royal servants, making misunderstanding among the people and undermining the nation and the monarchy”. It accused her of “disobedience against the king and queen”.
The reversal adds to the image of the king as a capricious womaniser who treats his wives and children harshly.
The Times
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