Divorce of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and former Princess Srirasmi
Many reports are confirming that the marriage between Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and Srirasmi Suwadee met its end last week. However, there is some confusion as to whether the divorce occurred on Wednesday, 10 December, or Saturday, 13 December. Apparently communiques were issued in the Royal Gazette about the situation on both dates.
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The Daily News, one of the major newspapers in Thailand, has confirmed that the divorce took place.
It seems to indicate that the divorce was witnessed on Wednesday, 10 December.
The Daily News (15 Dec 2014)
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Srirasmi Suwadee first came into the service of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn in 1992 while he was still married to his first wife and his mother's niece, Princess Soamsavali, but living with his long-time mistress and soon-to-be second wife, the former actress Yuvadhida Polpraserth. The Crown Prince had married Princess Soamsavali in 1977 and with her produced Princess Bajrakitiyabha in 1978, the first grandchild of King Bhumibol.
The union of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and his first cousin Princess Soamsavali was finally dissolved in 1993. The Crown Prince went on to marry Yuvadhida Polpraserth in 1994. This second marriage did not meet with the approval of Queen Sirikit and it ended in divorce in 1996 with Yuvadhida Polpraserth fleeing into exile with her three of her five children with the Crown Prince.
Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn wed Srirasmi Suwadee (who become Princess Srirasmi) in secrecy in 2001; the marriage was not made public until 2005 when it was announced that Srirasmi was expecting the couple's first child. The infant born later that year was Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, who is so far the only legitimate male heir of the Crown Prince. Upon the birth of the young prince, Srirasmi received the royal title of Princess.
Pure People states that the Royal Gazette confirmed the divorce in a bulletin on Saturday, 13 December.
Vajiralongkorn de Thaïlande divorce : la belle princesse Srirasm déchue... (Pure People - 15 Dec 2014)
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Yahoo News also states that the divorce was announced in the Royal Gazette during the morning of Saturday, December 13.
Thai prince divorces amid anxiety over monarchy's future (Yahoo News - 13 Dec 2014)
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The Diplomat writes that the divorce took place on 10 December.
It was reiterated that Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn has retained custody of the couple's only child. As the Crown Prince resides part of the year in Munich with his companion, Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti departed Bangkok for Germany on 12 December. The young prince is expected to be enrolled in a local Munich school.
Reiterating other reports, Srirasmi Suwadee has moved out of the Crown Prince's palace in Bangkok. She is relocating to her hometown of Rachaburi. Unsurprisingly, she is expected to lead a very quiet life there.
The current mistress of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn is identified as Suthida Vajiralongkorn (aka Suthida Nui). She was formerly a Thai Airways flight attendant. Echoing how his third wife was given a military rank during her period as consort, Suthida Vajiralongkorn has also received an appointment as a Major General in the Thai Army.
Rumors are rife that Suthida Vajiralongkorn gave birth to a son in recent months and that she is likely to become the fourth wife of the Crown Prince. As such, it is plausible that the till now unknown Suthida Vajiralongkorn could become Queen of Thailand in the near future given the frail health of King Bhumibol. There is also speculation that the newborn son of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and Suthida Vajiralongkorn could displace Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti in the line of succession.
A Thai Princess' Fairy Tale Comes to an End (The Diplomat - 15 Dec 2014)
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Cambodia-based journalist Andrew MacGregor Marshall tweeted last week that the Crown Prince had signed divorce papers which were witnessed by General Prem Tinsulanonda and Chirayu Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya.
Source:
Twitter posting of 11 December
Marshall also released a photo that purports to show the five month-old son of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and mistress Suthida Vajiralongkorn.
See:
Twitter posting of 12 December
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Other articles about the marital breakdown of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and the former Princess Srirasmi:
Thai prince divorces wife beset by family scandals amid anxiety over monarchy’s future (South China Morning Post - 13 Dec 2014)
Thaïlande : le divorce du prince héritier sème le doute sur l’avenir de la monarchie (Les Echo - 13 Dec 2014)
Thai prince divorces scandal-hit wife (Taipei Times - 14 Dec 2014)
Princess Srirasmi a Royal No More After Agreeing to Resign Title, Divorce (Newsmax - 15 Dec 2014)
In monarchist Thailand, does money now trump a royal title? (The Christian Science Monitor - 15 Dec 2014)