The King of Thailand Favors Military Rule

King Rama X has aligned himself with Thailand’s military government. In return, the military has supported the monarchy’s authority and made him the richest monarch in the world.

King Rama X of Thailand in 2017. Official state portrait. Source.

With a personal net worth of at least $30 billion, the King of Thailand is believed to be the wealthiest monarch in the world.¹ Vajiralongkorn, who took the regnal name Rama X upon taking the throne in 2016, has cooperated with the military government of Thailand that took power following a coup d’etat in 2014. In doing so he has followed in the footsteps of his father, who ruled from 1946 until his death in 2016. But Rama X has also gone further, by using the military government to consolidate the autonomy and authority of the Thai monarchy in relation to the rest of the government. This is a rare example of a modern monarchy being strengthened, rather than weakened in favor of democracy.