Who’s who of the Thai Royal Family

Photo: Public Relations Department Thailand




It’s one of the most controversial royal families around the globe, making it one of the most interesting families to learn about. We explain who’s who of Thailand’s royal family below:

King Rama X

Photo: Public Relations Office Thailand

Vajiralongkorn was born as the only son of King Rama IX and Queen Sirikit on 28 July 1952. He became Crown Prince of Thailand in 1972. The King was educated in Thailand and the UK. He undertook military training in Australia. He served in the Royal Thai Army and has been interested in agricultural development. The King is a known cycler who has biked in events like Bike for Mom in 2015. He has been married several times and has seven children, although he only claims three of them. His four sons from his second wife live in the United States and have no titles. He is currently married to Queen Suthida and has named Sineenat his Royal Noble Consort. He is the first polygamous monarch in over a century. Vajiralongkorn became King Rama X in 2016 upon the death of his father. His coronation took place in 2019. The King primarily resides in Germany and returns to Thailand several times a year to undertake royal duties. Strict lèse-majesté laws in Thailand mean the Thai people can be imprisoned for years for insulting, criticising, or demeaning the King, Queen or heir. Laws have only been strengthened during his reign. 

Queen Suthida

Photo: Public Relations Office Thailand

Suthida Tidjai was born on 3 June 1978 and was educated in Thailand before becoming a flight attendant. Suthida also served in the military and was appointed Commander of the Special Operations Unit of the Royal Security Command in 2016. By the next year, she was acting commander of the Royal Thai Aide-de-camp Department. She married King Rama X in 2019, just days before his coronation and was made his queen. She primarily resides in Switzerland.

Royal Noble Consort, Sineenat

Photo: Public Relations Office Thailand

Niramon Ounprom (now known as Sineenat) was born on 26 January 1985 in Nan, Thailand. Educated in Thailand, she went on to work as a nurse. Sineenat is in the Thai military and currently holds the rank of major general. Not long after ascending the throne, Rama X made Sineenat his Royal Noble Consort – the first in almost a century as other monarchs have only had one wife. By October 2019, the King stripped her of all her titles and military ranks due to reported disrespect toward Queen Suthida. The Consort was imprisoned for roughly a year before the King announced in August 2020 that her titles and military ranks were restored as if they had never been taken away. 

Princess Bajrakitiyabha

By Government of Thailand – Flickr, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Princess Bajrakitiyabha was born as King Rama X’s eldest child with his first wife, Princess Soamsawali, on 7 December 1978. She was educated in Thailand and the United Kingdom. The Princess is an attorney and has served as the Thai Ambassador to Austria. She has worked to address problems with the treatment of women in the justice system and was widely seen as the likely successor to her father. However, she collapsed while training with her dog in December 2022 due to a heart condition. She remains in a coma on life support.

Princess Sirivannavari

By NewsThaiNews on YouTube – https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=i1LI-0WQcVc, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Princess Sirivannavari was born on 8 January 1987 to King Rama X and his former consort Sujarinee Vivacharawongse. Her parents divorced in 1996 and her mother moved to the United Kingdom with her and her four brothers. The King (then Crown Prince) had Sirivannavari forcefully brought back to Thailand. She is the only child he claims from his marriage. The Princess studied in Thailand and France. She represented Thailand in badminton at the Southeast Asian Games and is a fashion designer.

Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti

Photo: Public Relations Department Thailand

Born on 29 April 2005, Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti is the only child of King Rama X and his ex-wife, Srirasmi. He is the only recognised son of the King. The Prince has spent most of his life in Germany, studying abroad at the Bavarian International School. He is rumoured to have a developmental disorder, but he does occasionally appear at some royal events when he’s back in Thailand. He is the heir presumptive to the throne as he has not officially been named Crown Prince. His elder half-sister, Princess Bajrakitiyabha, was long rumoured to be the next monarch before her collapse and indefinite hospitalisation.

Queen Mother Sirikit

Photo: Public Relations Office Thailand

Queen Sirikit was born on 12 August 1932 as the daughter of Princess Nakkhatra Mangkala Kitiyakara and Thai actress Bua Snidvongs. She studied in Thailand until her father moved the family to the UK when he became the Thai Ambassador. She also lived in Denmark and France due to her father’s job; it was in France that she met King Rama IX. They married in 1950 and had four children: Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya (who no longer represents the Royal Family), King Rama X, Princess Sirindhorn and Princess Chulabhorn. She also became queen upon marriage and later served as Regent in 1952 when Rama IX was undertaking the traditional period as a Buddhist monk. The Queen Mother suffered a stroke in 2012 and has not appeared in public much since. Her husband died in 2016 and their son ascended the throne. She is beloved in Thailand and Mother’s Day is celebrated each year on her birthday.

Princess Sirindhorn

By NBT – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yyja7Fef_pE (13:57), CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Princess Sirindhorn, known as the Princess Royal, is the third child of King Rama IX and Queen Sirikit. She was born on 2 April 1955 and studied at exclusive schools in Thailand. She has several master’s degrees and a PhD in developmental education. The Princess is highly popular, even more so than her brother, the King. She has never married and has no children. The Princess has been dedicated to her royal role and has several international honours.

Ubolratana Rajakanya

By Government of Thailand – [1], CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Ubol Ratana Rajakanya was born to King Rama IX and Queen Sirikit as their eldest child on 5 April 1951. She is their only child born outside Thailand – in Switzerland. She was educated in Thailand and the United States. She married an American Peter Ladd Jensen in 1972. They had two daughters and one son; their son died in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The royal lost her royal titles, and she divorced Jensen in 1998. Ubol Ratana has since returned to Thailand and attempted to run for Prime Minister in 2019. Her brother publicly said her candidacy was “unconstitutional” and “inappropriate.” She was later disqualified from running by Thailand’s election commission.

Princess Chulabhorn

By NewsThaiNews on YouTube – https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xArYS0jCMiE, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Princess Chulabhorn was born on 4 July 1957 as the youngest child of King Rama IX and Queen Sirikit. She was educated in Thailand and has focused on the sciences throughout her life; she regularly attends events surrounding scientific research. Chulabhorn married Thai Air Force officer Virayudh Tishyasarin in 1981 and had two daughters: Princesses Siribha Chudabhorn and Aditayadorn Kitikhun. They divorced in 1996 and she returned to royal duties. The Princess has had several health issues including cataracts, pancreatitis, back problems and lupus.

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About the Author

Brittani Barger
Brittani is from the United States and has been researching, writing and reporting on the royals for over a decade. Successfully gaining exclusives and interviews with royals across the globe, Brittani left her role as an editor for another news site to help bring you Royal News. She's been seen on BBC World, WION News and other news programs to discuss the royal families.

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