The playboy king was secretly taken to Bangkok Hospital at 2AM local time after one of his body guards tested positive for COVID-19. No details have been confirmed over whether King Vajiralongkorn contracted the virus, but speculation began after he was spotted in Thailand. The king also faces renewed anger from protesters after they demanded Germany investigate the monarch over his reign.
King Vajiralongkorn’s bodyguard is believed to have contracted the virus after flying to Thailand.
German newspaper Bild reported the shock hospital stay for the monarch, and claimed medical staff were ordered to keep his stay a secret.
They also claimed the monarch’s entourage, which includes his wife Queen Suthida, have not quarantined or self-isolated following the scare.
King Vajiralongkorn was covered by Bild as he spends much of his time in Germany, and Thailand laws hold someone in breach of defamation laws can spend up to 15 years in prison for insulting the monarchy.
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King Vajiralongkorn returned to Thailand recently to mark the fourth anniversary of his father King Bhumibol’s death.
The monarch has come under fire for his eccentric and jet-setting lifestyle.
Reports from earlier this year held he booked out the entire fourth floor of a Bavarian hotel, including a “pleasure room.”
The King was “isolating” in the hotel after it was given “special permission” to stay open because the party was classed as a “single household” amid the pandemic.
Thailand has seen months-long pro-democracy protests against King Vajiralongkorn, in an unprecedented attack on the country’s monarchy.
The protesters are demanding huge reforms to the monarchy, as well as the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-ocha.
Members of the country’s Royal Family were confronted by protesters in Bangkok earlier this month, after the royals were spotted travelling in a motorcade at the time.
One car contained Royal Family members Queen Suthida and Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, with another reported to be carrying the king himself.
Recently the protesters have focused their protesters to the Germany embassy in Thailand, urging Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government to investigate the King.
Protesters said in a statement it would submit a letter to the embassy to ask whether the king had used his powers from there, which they argue would be a violation of Germany’s territorial sovereignty
It read: “This request is aimed at bringing Thailand back to the real constitutional monarchy.”
Reports claim the German government are receptive to the protesters demands, and may begin investigating soon.
