BANGKOK (AP) – The estranged son of Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn visited a daycare centre for underprivileged children in Bangkok yesterday following a surprise return to the country after 27 years of living abroad.
Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse’s return was first revealed in a video posted online on Sunday showing him in the arrival area of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport being greeted by well-wishers.
His return came at a sensitive time for the Thai royal family, with the eldest daughter of the king being in a coma since December.
The 42-year-old, who works at a law firm in New York, is the second son of King Vajiralongkorn with his second wife Sujarinee Vivacharawongse, a former actress.
The then-crown prince divorced Sujarinee who was accused of adultery in public in 1996.
Sujarinee and her children later moved abroad. The youngest daughter was taken back by the royal family and was given the title Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, but the four sons remain estranged and do not have any formal royal titles.
The Palace has not commented on his visit.
Vacharaesorn went to the Foundation for Slum Child Care and donated money to support their work, according to the foundation’s Facebook post, saying he “greeted the children thoughtfully and took great interest in the foundation’s work”.
