A new law giving Thailand’s king direct control over royal assets worth billions of dollars went into force Monday, the latest move by an increasingly assertive monarch to consolidate his power. King Maha Vajiralongkorn inherited one of the world’s great fortunes when he ascended the throne in October following the death of his father Bhumibol … Read more
An artist has been forced to rework a giant statue built for Thailand’s late king after the inclusion of Apple, Facebook and Google logos on it caused an outcry. Artist Pitak Chalermlao included the logos on a two-metre tall statue of the Garuda – a half-bird half-human creature in Hindu and Buddhist mythology – as … Read more
Apple, Facebook and Google logos have been removed from a giant statue of a mythical beast that will stand inside the sprawling cremation complex being built for Thailand’s late king after their inclusion caused an online outcry. Dozens of palace artisans are working around the clock to produce a dizzying array of sculptures for the … Read more
Thailand’s king will sign off on the country’s new constitution later Thursday, a document touted by the junta as a cure for political instability but dismissed by critics as a move to further entrench army influence. The military says royal approval of the charter — Thailand’s twentieth since 1932 — will open the door for … Read more
Japan’s emperor Akihito met Thailand’s new monarch on Sunday during a brief visit to pay respects to his recently departed friend the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The audience was one of the first face to face meetings King Maha Vajiralongkorn has held with a fellow monarch since he ascended the throne following the October death … Read more
Thailand’s generals took centre stage on Monday at a ceremony blessing the start of construction of an enormous funeral pyre for the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, a vivid illustration of the army’s intimate links to the palace. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha, a former army chief who seized power in 2014, led the ceremony, which saw … Read more
The meeting with Google representatives was as a result of insults targeted at Thai monarchy system. Thailand’s government met with representatives from Internet giant Google, amid growing calls from Thai hardline royalists to bring those who insult the monarchy to justice, as many Thais look with uncertainty to a future without their revered king. King … Read more
Thailand’s military government said on Tuesday it would ask other countries to extradite people suspected of insulting the nation’s monarchy following the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej last week. Thailand has entered a year of mourning and sensitivities are running high following the death of the revered king last week after seven decades on the … Read more
The death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej is raising new questions about Thailand’s economy, a tourist hotspot where growth has been derailed time and again by political instability and violence. The king’s 70-year reign came to an end on Thursday, and mourning began immediately. The 88-year-old was revered by his people, the vast majority of whom … Read more
A Thai woman holds a portrait of King Bhumibol Adulyadej as she prays for his health The health of Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej is “still unstable”, the palace said late Wednesday, with the 88-year-old on a ventilator and battling a new infection as crowds gathered to pray outside his Bangkok hospital. Bhumibol is the world’s … Read more