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Second son of Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn makes surprise return after 27 years away: ‘a dream to be back’
- Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse is the second of four sons of King Vajiralongkorn’s second wife, whom the then-crown prince divorced in 1996
- He, his mother, three brothers and one sister were estranged after the divorce, in which his mother was publicly accused of adultery, and they moved abroad
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The second-eldest son of Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn visited a childcare centre for underprivileged families on Tuesday during a surprise visit to the kingdom, the first time he has been back in his homeland in 27 years.
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The trip by Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse, 42, comes at a fraught time for the Thai royal family, with the monarch’s eldest daughter in a coma since December.
Vacharaesorn, who works at a law firm in New York, visited the Foundation for Slum Child Care, which is supported by the royal family, and greeted well-wishers.
I am delighted to return … I have been away for a long time, 27 years
Clad in jeans and a casual black shirt, he posed for photographs in front of portraits of his father and his grandfather, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in 2016 after a 70-year reign.
“I am delighted to return … I have been away for a long time, 27 years,” Vacharaesorn told reporters at the Bangkok foundation.
“It is like a dream come true to be back,” he said.
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The Royal Palace has not commented on the visit. The Palace Household Bureau did not respond to requests for comment.
Many Thais have been surprised by Vacharaesorn’s return. A picture of him in a “tuk-tuk” autorickshaw in Bangkok, that he posted on Monday on his Facebook page, which has more than 80,000 followers, received tens of thousands of likes.
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