Thailand’s playboy king rushed secretly to hospital at 2 am for Covid-19 test after bodyguard tests positive
Thailand's playboy king was rushed to hospital in the middle of the night after one of his bodyguards tested positive for the coronavirus. 68-year-old King Maha Vajiralongkorn was secretly transported to Bangkok Hospital at 2 am Wednesday morning after one of his bodyguards recently contracted the deadly contagion following a royal trip to Thailand, German newspaper Bild reported.
The king's alleged hospital stay, however, has not been confirmed to be COVID-19 related despite the speculation. According to the report, medical staff was also instructed to remain discreet about the hospitalization, which came after the playboy king recently returned to Thailand to mark four years since the death of his reputed father and predecessor, King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
However, no one in the royal entourage that traveled alongside the coronavirus-positive security guard was quarantined or self-isolated, including Queen Suthida, the monarch's wife.
According to the report, there is discontent among Vajiralongkorn's subjects due to him spending much of his time in Germany. There have reportedly been several protests about the cost of the king's lavish stays in Europe coupled with his absence from the kingdom. In fact, a number of clashes between royalists and pro-democracy activists have been reported in Bangkok in recent weeks.
Vajiralongkorn's luxurious exploits are often covered by German media, but it's difficult to criticize the king in his home country owing to Thailand's defamation laws, which include sentences of up to 15 years for insulting the monarchy in the country.
Earlier this year, it emerged that the king had booked out an entire floor of a Bavarian hotel to isolate himself and his concubines. Also known as Rama X, the king was apparently "isolating" in the hotel -- which included a lavish "pleasure room" -- after it was granted "special permission" to stay open to accommodate the entourage amid the pandemic.
Reports suggested he decked out the fourth floor at the resort with antiques and treasures from Bangkok. The concubines were referred to as the king's "sex soldiers" as he purportedly enjoyed playing military role-play sex games with them.
Last year, the king accused his mistress, Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi of the Royal Guard, of being "disloyal" and broke up with her. In the process, she was also stripped of her military ranks. "Sineenat’s behavior disrespected the monarchy, caused conflict among royal household officials, and created misunderstanding among the public," said a statement made in the Royal Gazette at the time.
It was a rapid fall from grace for Wongvajirapakdi, who was given four medals, including the 'most noble order of the crown of Thailand' and 'most exalted order of the white elephant, special class,' during her anointment ceremony. Queen Suthida, meanwhile, is reportedly known to spend most of her time at Hotel Waldegg in Engelberg, Switzerland, without the company of her husband.
Having said that, the Thai king reportedly has an estimated fortune of around £25 billion ($32.5 billion) and has occupied the throne since 2016, albeit he was coronated last May. Vajiralongkorn is notorious for his eccentric, playboy behavior and his jet-set lifestyle. In one instance, the king grabbed headlines after declaring his favorite pet poodle Foo Foo an air marshal. In 2017, he reportedly also took the pooch to a reception hosted in honor by US Ambassador Ralph “Skip” Boyce, according to The Sun.