Thai king strips royal consort of all titles for ‘disloyalty’

The Thai royal consort was said to have ‘ambitions’ to match the Queen's position

Thai king strips royal consort of all titles for ‘disloyalty’ [File] Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn with royal noble consort Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi | Thailand Royal Office Handout via AFP

Less than three months after being honoured as the royal consort to Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn, former royal bodyguard Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi has been stripped of her titles for “disloyalty” to the king. The royal palace, in a command issued on Monday, said that Sineenat was acting against the appointment of the Queen for her own ambitions.

The 34-year-old consort, also known by her nickname Koi, was bestowed with the title in July. The palace had later released images of Sineenat in combat fatigues, shooting weapons and flying a jet, all the while standing with King Maha Vajiralongkorn, also known as Rama X of the Chakri dynasty.

Sineenat, a trained nurse and pilot, served in the king's royal bodyguard unit, and was awarded the rank of major-general in May.

The royal union didn't last long as Sineenat was dismissed on Monday from the rank of Chao Khun Phra―noble consort―for her apparent ambition to match the position of the Queen (Suthida). She was stripped of all military ranks, decorations and royal titles.

Her actions show “she does not give any honour to the king and does not understand royal tradition... her actions are to benefit herself,” the statement from the palace read. It also added that she was attempting to elevate her position to the same as Queen Suthida.

Thai king strips royal consort of all titles for ‘disloyalty’ [File] Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi, a trained pilot, is seen in an aircraft | Thailand Royal Office Handout via AFP

The statement further said that her behaviour is “deemed disrespectful to His Majesty's grace... and caused divisions among courtiers and misunderstanding among the people.”

Suthida―the former deputy head of the royal bodyguard―was made Queen in May, becoming Rama X's fourth wife. Rama X came to power in 2016 after the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and has asserted his authority since, putting the large wealth of the crown under his direct control and restructuring key army units to his command. Sineenat was the first woman to receive the consort title in nearly a century.

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