73-year-old Don Juan on the throne: Thailand’s king shocks the world with harem and scandalous antics

When it comes to wealth, luxury, and a scandalous reputation, few can rival King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand. Officially known as Rama X, the 73-year-old monarch is the richest royal in the world, with an estimated fortune of £52 billion, according to the Daily Mail.

His life has been wild—and at times downright bizarre—so much so that even the most indulgent rulers in history would envy him. But in recent months, the extravagant king has mostly withdrawn from public view.

Since the death of his mother, Queen Sirikit, in October last year, the once lively and flamboyant monarch has appeared infrequently in public, seemingly in mourning.

In November, just weeks after his mother’s passing, the somber Vajiralongkorn became the first Thai monarch to visit China for a state visit. On February 1, he was seen performing religious rites marking 100 days since her death. Photographs show soldiers bowing to the solemn king and queen in a richly decorated hall, with a massive portrait of the late Sirikit in the background.

Adding to his sorrow is the critical condition of his eldest daughter, Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, who has been in a coma for over three years. Palace representatives reported in August that she continues to receive “continuous” treatment to stabilize her blood pressure amid a severe infection. She has been unconscious in hospital since December 2022.

Outside official events, the king seems to have minimal contact with the outside world.

Scandals and Eccentricities

Before stepping back from public life, Vajiralongkorn was involved in a string of scandals: appointing his poodle as head of the Air Force, conducting a COVID-19 lockdown surrounded by a harem of “love soldiers” in a German hotel, and imprisoning a mistress who angered him and his wife.

Despite Thailand’s strict lese-majeste laws—which carry up to 15 years in prison for insulting or mocking the monarch—foreign media have frequently reported on his antics. Spending much of his time in Germany, Vajiralongkorn has become tabloid gold, often seen in crop tops and skinny jeans, strolling with numerous companions.

Even as a child, Vajiralongkorn displayed a detachment from ordinary life. Educated in England at King’s Mead School in East Sussex and Millfield in Somerset, he was reportedly a spoiled troublemaker. By age 12, he couldn’t tie his own shoelaces because attendants handled such tasks.

After British schooling, he completed two military training courses in Australia and earned a law degree in Thailand. Rising quickly in the military, he commanded the Royal Guard, overseeing the royal family’s security, and became a certified pilot capable of flying F-16s and Boeing 737-400s.

Yet, military discipline could not tame his eccentricity.

A Poodle in Command

A striking example is his beloved poodle, Fufu, purchased as a one-month-old puppy in Bangkok in 1997. Fufu led a life most could only dream of, often seen perched in the king’s arms and described as “cute but very weak.” The dog was even given a high-ranking military position—commander of the Air Force. Diplomatic cables from 2007 noted that Fufu behaved like a true officer at receptions: dressed in a suit, jumping on tables, and drinking from guests’ glasses. Fufu died in 2015, and the king held four days of Buddhist ceremonies before cremation.

The Harem Years

Vajiralongkorn is also known as a dedicated womanizer. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he reportedly hosted a harem of 20 women with military ranks on the fourth floor of the Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl in Germany, outfitted with Thai antiques and a “pleasure room.” His consorts received rooms, titles, and honorary names like “Beautiful, Loyal to the King,” with staff forbidden from entering the floor.

His mother once compared him to a legendary seducer: “My son, the crown prince, is a bit of a Don Juan. He’s a good student, a good boy, but he’s very interested in women.”

In 2019, three days before his coronation, he married Suthida Tidjai, his fourth wife and queen consort, only to later focus his attention on mistress Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi, whom he made a royal consort and army general two months after the wedding. She was later imprisoned, then reinstated into the German harem with all previous titles restored.

A King in Style

Vajiralongkorn is also notorious for his flamboyant fashion. In 2017, the Thai government forced Facebook to remove hundreds of posts showing the king in a bright yellow crop top and skinny jeans in a Munich shopping center.

With recent tragedies—the death of his mother and the comatose state of his daughter—it remains unclear how long the king will remain in this dark and somber mood.