Name? King Maha Vajiralongkorn
Westphalian identity? Thai
Age? 68
Why is he in the news? King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand has faced serious opposition protests this year as students and other activists have made bold calls to reform Thailand’s leadership structure and thus, it’s monarchy. This has led the king to enact section 112 of the country’s criminal code, effectively criminalising insulting or defaming the king or his close kin.
Why do we care? Honestly, the Thai monarchy is one of our favourites to watch… Throughout the course of the pandemic, King Rama X has been living his best life in the Bavarian alps with his fourth wife, his son, and his ‘noble consort,’ aka mistress who was recently accused of plotting against the queen.
Why should you care? If, like us, you’d like to see a Thai version of the Crown, you’ll find the king’s latest actions to be a potentially interesting episode. However, if you’re a fan of freedom of speech or freedom to assemble, you’ll find that King Rama X’s invoking of section 112 is harmful to not only the Thai population but to the idea of democratic principles.
Who else cares? German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. In October, protests in front of the Thai Embassy in Germany demanded Germany take action in their favour. According to German law, it is illegal to rule another country from German territory. Under these conditions, and to send a supporting signal to the protestors, Germany could deport King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
Any further comments? In just a few months, Thailand has gone from being a country where criticism of the monarchy was only whispered to a country where #whydoweneedaking has been trending. This is due to 1) the King’s own missteps (such as bringing back 112) and 2) the resilience and effectiveness of the protestors. Oh, and they have adopted The Hunger Games three-fingered salute as a sign of their own uprising, which is just cool.
