Royal prodigal son's return stirs up Thailand

This week radical successful Thailand person been distracted from the endless wrangling to signifier a caller authorities by the unexpected arrival, from the US, of a cheery-looking, 42 year-old Thai lawyer, visiting the state of his commencement for the archetypal clip successful 27 years.

Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse is the 2nd of 4 estranged sons of King Vajiralongkorn. Until present they were wide believed to person been stripped of their royal presumption and to person nary spot successful the enactment of succession to the throne.

For years determination has been quiescent speech successful Thailand astir the anticipation of 1 of the estranged sons being rehabilitated and brought backmost to play a royal role.

Mr Vacharaesorn's unannounced sojourn could beryllium the commencement of specified a rehabilitation, though determination has been nary authoritative connection from the palace.

He is 1 of 5 children calved to King Vajiralongkorn's 2nd woman Sujiranee, a erstwhile histrion whom helium divorced successful 1996. Mr Vacharaesorn and his 3 brothers, who were astatine schoolhouse successful UK astatine the time, were successful effect banished from Thailand with their mother, and person lived successful the US since then. His sister, Princess Sirivanavari was brought backmost to Thailand to unrecorded with her father.

In the past the 4 sons occasionally published letters appealing for reconciliation with their father, and to beryllium allowed to instrumentality to Thailand, to nary effect.

Mr Vacharaesorn has spent his archetypal 3 days successful Bangkok partially arsenic a tourist, rediscovering the city, visiting temples, enjoying Thai nutrient and riding successful a tuk-tuk. He told journalists coming backmost was similar a imagination travel existent for him.

But has besides had what look to beryllium authoritative engagements, gathering Thailand's astir elder spiritual figure, the Supreme Patriarch of the Buddhist Sangha who is appointed by his father, and visiting a childcare centre sponsored by the palace. Many Thais volition construe this arsenic showcasing his imaginable for royal duties.

Back successful the US helium has been the astir disposable of the 4 sons, precise progressive successful the Thai assemblage determination and openly supportive of the Thai monarchy. He appears to beryllium the 1 who is astir suited to and funny successful taking a higher illustration relation successful the royal family.

Until her illness past twelvemonth Princess Bajrakitiyabha was seen arsenic the astir accomplished of the king's children who are surviving successful Thailand. She is simply a lawyer who had worked with the UN and been Thailand's ambassador to Austria.

The King's youngest child, Prince Dipangkorn, who is 18, is believed to endure from immoderate learning difficulties, and it was wide assumed that Princess Bajrakitiyabha would play the relation of regent, oregon adjacent go queen, connected the decease of her father. Thai succession instrumentality leaves it to the monarch to designate his successor, which King Vajiralongkorn has not yet done.

So could Mr Vacharaesorn, a palmy and fashionable fig backmost successful the US, acceptable the bill? It is acold excessively soon to say.

More apt this volition beryllium seen arsenic an exploratory archetypal visit, with further trips successful the aboriginal to spot however helium copes successful the nationalist spotlight, and with the rigid protocol and sometimes Byzantine authorities of Thailand's royal court.

And it is intolerable to cognize what King Vajiralongkorn's views are connected this. People successful his interior ellipse person been known to spell successful and retired of favour rather suddenly, sometimes disappearing from nationalist view.

Whoever organised this instrumentality of a prodigal lad volition beryllium doing truthful with understandable caution.