Thailand’s new queen: From general to royalty
- King Maha Vajiralongkorn stripped Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi, 34, of her title
- She was dismissed as 'Chao Khun Phra' because of 'disloyalty to the king'
- King Vajiralongkorn officially anointed her in a bizarre ritual in August this year
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Thailand's 67-year-old King Maha Vajiralongkorn has stripped his 34-year-old concubine of all titles - less than three months after she got the position in a bizarre kneeling ceremony.
Former army nurse Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi was dismissed from the rank of 'Chao Khun Phra' for 'disloyalty to the king,' the Royal Gazette said, as well as 'acting against the appointment of the Queen for her own ambitions'.
She was appointed the king's official consort after they met when she was part of his royal bodyguard - less than a year after he married the Queen of Thailand.
Vajiralongkorn is known as Thailand's playboy King because he has been married four times and caused a scandal when he was pictured in a tight crop top and with a back tattoo that he later claimed to be fake.
The statement announcing Sineenat's public downfall added 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 said, adding she was attempting to elevate her position to the same as Queen Suthida.
Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn has stripped his 34-year-old consort (pictured together) of all titles, less than three months after she was bestowed with the position in a bizarre kneeling ceremony
Former army nurse Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi (left) was dismissed from the rank of 'Chao Khun Phra' for 'disloyalty to the king'. Queen Suthida is is sitting to the King's right watching the ceremony
A statement said Sineenat was attempting to elevate her position to the same as Queen Suthida (pictured left and right)
Her behaviour is 'deemed disrespectful to His Majesty's grace... and caused divisions among courtiers and misunderstanding among the people', the statement added.
Queen Suthida, 40, from Bangkok, married King Maha Vajiralongkorn (also called King Rama X) on May 1
She was stripped of all military ranks, decorations and royal titles.
The statement also described Sineenat as 'ungrateful'.
'Royal Noble Consort Sineenat is ungrateful and behaves in ways unbecoming of her title. She is also not content with the title bestowed upon her, doing everything to rise to the level of the queen,' the statement said.
'She lacks the understanding of the good traditions of the royal court. She displays disobedience against the king and the queen.'
Details on exactly what the former consort did to cause such offence have not yet been released.
The Thai monarchy is protected by a harsh defamation law, making open discussion on the institution all but impossible. King Vajiralongkorn had made the woman his consort during his birthday ceremony attended by his new wife in August, marking the first time the country's modern monarchy has publicly admitted to polygamy.
He has dramatically bolstered his authority since his 2016 ascension to the throne, pulling the immense wealth of the crown under his direct control and restructuring key army units to his command.
And the August ceremony was less than three months after he made another royal consort his wife - Suthida Vajiralongkorn na Ayudhya, who had been a Thai Airways flight attendant.
He poured ceremonial water over Ms Sineenat's head to officially anoint her a concubine during a televised service.
During the service she lay on the floor to remain lower than the King's feet, in accordance Thai royal tradition.
Born in the northern province of Nan on January 26, 1985, Sineenat, graduated from the Royal Thai Army Nursing College at the age of 23.
The move marked the first time a Thai king publicly had more than one partner since an absolute monarch ruled the country in 1932.
Major General Sineenat was also given four medals, such as 'most noble order of the crown of Thailand' and 'most exalted order of the white elephant, special class', as well as being lauded for her time as a senior officer in the King's bodyguard team the Ratchawallop Police Retainers.
Ms Sineenat, who is known as Koi but used to be called Niramon Ounprom, was formerly a nurse at the Ananda Mahidol army hospital.
Born in the northern province of Nan, she graduated from the Royal Thai Army Nursing College, trained as a pilot in Thailand and abroad, and served in the king's royal bodyguard unit, reaching the rank of major-general in May.
A cycling and aviation enthusiast who spends much of his time abroad in Germany, Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned in May in an elaborate three-day ceremony that Sineenat participated in.
Vajiralongkorn, who has been married four times, spends much of his time with his wife and mistress at the Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl in the German resort town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Yet Queen Suthida reportedly spends most of her time at Hotel Waldegg in Engelberg, Switzerland, without her husband.
The King was educated at Millfield boarding school in Somerset and was described by his roommate the journalist Rupert Christiansen as a 'vile bully', according to the Times.
Harsh lese-majeste laws have shielded public scrutiny of his colourful private life, and all media in Thailand must self-censor.
King Vajiralongkorn had made the woman his consort in a ceremony attended by his new wife in August, marking the first time the country's modern monarchy has publicly admitted to polygamy
Ms Sineenat (pictured in 2017), who is known as Koi but used to be called Niramon Ounprom, was formerly a nurse at the Ananda Mahidol army hospital
Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn standing with former royal noble consort Sineenat Bilaskalayani, also known as Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi, while holding his cherished poodle
Born in the northern province of Nan, she graduated from the Royal Thai Army Nursing College, trained as a pilot in Thailand and abroad, and served in the king's royal bodyguard unit
Sineenat, who is known as Koi but used to be called Niramon Ounprom, was formerly a nurse at the Ananda Mahidol army hospital
General Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi adjusts the straps on her helmet before take-off
Major General Sineenat takes part in a parachuting drill (left) and with an assault rifle draped across her front with the king (right)
The king named Sineenat, a former nurse and his bodyguard, as former Royal Noble Consort on his birthday last month
Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn pictured left looking impressed as former royal noble consort Sineenat goes through her paces. Pictured right is the King and his former consort standing together in army fatigues
Former royal noble consort Sineenat Bilaskalayani, also known as Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi, at a firing range (left) and as part of the royal guard (right)
Dressed as a military paratrooper, the former royal noble consort is pictured in a variety of roles in the new photos
Major General Sineenat was also given four medals, such as 'most noble order of the crown of Thailand' and 'most exalted order of the white elephant, special class', as well as being lauded for her time as a senior officer in the King's bodyguard team
