Srirasmi Suwadee (Thai: ศรีรัศมิ์ สุวะดี;[3] RTGS: Sirat Suwadi; born 9 December 1971), formerly Princess Srirasmi, Royal Consort to the Crown Prince of Thailand,[4] is a former member of the royal family of Thailand. She was the third consort of then-Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn (now Rama X) from February 2001 to December 2014.[5]
Srirasmi Suwadee | |
|---|---|
| ศรีรัศมิ์ สุวะดี | |
.jpg) Srirasmi in 2007 | |
| Born | 9 December 1971 Samut Songkhram, Thailand |
| Alma mater | |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti |
| Relatives | Pongpat Chayaphan (uncle)[1] |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | Thailand |
| Branch | Royal Thai Army |
| Years of service | 2012–2014 |
| Rank | Major general[2] |
| Commands | King's Guard |
| Signature | |
 | |
Early life
editSrirasmi Suwadee was born in Samut Songkhram Province[6] to a family of modest means. She was the third of four children born to Apiruj and Wanthanee Suwadee,[7] and is of Mon-Thai descent from her mother's side.[8]
She attended Bangkok Business College and in 1993, at age 22, entered the service of Vajiralongkorn as a "lady-in-waiting". Srirasmi enrolled in Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University in 1997 and graduated in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in management science. Vajiralongkorn personally bestowed her with her diploma. In 2007, she received a Master of Science degree in Family and Child Development from Kasetsart University.[citation needed]
Marriage and family
editSrirasmi married the Crown Prince of Thailand on 10 February 2001 in a private ceremony at the prince's Nonthaburi Palace.[9] The public was informed of the event some time afterwards. The prince, who had married twice before and has children with his previous wives, stated it was his intention to settle down: "I am now 50 years old and think I should have a complete family."[6] After the wedding, Srirasmi was styled Mom Srirasmi Mahidol na Ayudhya (Mahidol is the surname of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and King Ananda Mahidol, and the na Ayudhya designation signifies non-titled descendants of the Chakri dynasty and their spouses).
On 14 February 2005, it was announced that Srirasmi was pregnant. On 29 April 2005, a son named Dipangkorn Rasmijoti was born via caesarean section at Siriraj Hospital. Because of the birth, she was granted by King Bhumibol Adulyadej the title "Princess of Thailand" and styled "Her Royal Highness" as the royal consort of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn. A royal ceremony, called "Phra Ratchaphithi Somphot Duean Lae Khuen Phra U," to celebrate the first month of the baby was held on 17 June 2005 at the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall in Bangkok.[10]
Srirasmi initiated and launched the "Sai Yai Rak Chak Mae Su Luk" (Love and care from mother to children)[11] campaign which promoted breast feeding.[12][13][14] The campaign features images of her son.
Srirasmi came to wider public attention in 2009, when she appeared in a leaked video feeding a birthday cake to her husband's dog Fufu while only wearing a G-string.[15]
Divorce and loss of title
editA letter asking for Srirasmi's family to be stripped of their royal name was sent to the interior ministry in November 2014. The letter was sent by her husband, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, after allegations of corruption against seven of her relatives.[16] On 11 December 2014, the Royal Thai Government Gazette announced that Srirasmi relinquished her royal title,[17] presumably due to the corruption affairs that involved her family.[18] Srirasmi was granted a payment of 200 million baht (US$6 million) by Maha Vajiralongkorn in exchange for her relinquishment.[19] The money was paid out of the Crown Property Bureau, as confirmed by the Ministry of Finance.[20]
After Srirasmi's divorce,[21] her parents, father Apiruj Suwadee, 72, and mother Wanthanee, 66, were arrested for lèse-majesté. The two later admitted to misusing their royal connection 12 years prior, which led to a former neighbor being jailed on bogus fraud charges. Both were sentenced to five years in prison, reduced to two and a half years after pleading guilty to defaming the monarchy.[22][23] One week later, her brothers Maj. Natthapol Suwadee, Narong Suwadee and Sitthisak Suwadee were jailed for five-and-a-half years.[24] She chose to embrace a monastic life as a maechi, residing in simplicity while effectively being under house arrest.[25][26]
References
edit- ^ "Senior Thai police sentenced to six years for lese majeste, corruption". Reuters. 30 January 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
- ^ "ประกาศสํานักนายกรัฐมนตร" (PDF). ratchakitcha.soc.go.th. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
- ^ "ย้อนรำลึกภารกิจ 'ท่านผู้หญิงศรีรัศมิ์ สุวะดี'". ThaiRath. 16 December 2014.
- ^ "The Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary, Thailand". The Thai Monarchy (in Thai). Archived from the original on 25 June 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
- ^ มีพระบรมราชานุญาตให้ พระองค์เจ้าศรีรัศมิ์ฯ ลาออกจากฐานันดรศักดิ์ แห่งพระราชวงศ์. Thairath (in Thai). 13 December 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
- ^ a b "Simplicity, warmth win hearts". The Nation. Thailand. 30 April 2005. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
- ^ Siam Thurakit newspaper, สายธารอันยิ่งใหญ่แห่งเจ้าชายน้อย, 16 สิงหาคม พ.ศ.2549 (in Thai)
- ^ รอยทาง 'สุวะดี' แห่งแม่กลอง และ 'เกิดอำแพง' แห่งท่าจีน. Nation (Thailand) (in Thai). 19 December 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
- ^ "Thailand's King Rama X – from pilot prince to powerful monarch". Reuters. 2 May 2019.
- ^ "พระราชพิธีสมโภชเดือนและขึ้นพระอู่ พระเจ้าหลานเธอ พระองค์เจ้าทีปังกรรัศมีโชติ" (in Thai). Thai News
- ^ http://banmai-munic.go.th/public/news_upload/backend/files_1_1.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ "A chronicle of a Prince Archived 29 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine", The Nation
- ^ "The Royal Family and people across the entire Kingdom yesterday celebrated the first birthday of HRH Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, the son of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn", The Nation via Thai Parliament web.
- ^ "Princess visits family project". The Nation. 4 August 2006. Archived from the original on 10 October 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
- ^ McDonald, Hamish (12 February 2011). "Thai politics becomes a dog's dinner". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- ^ "Thailand crown prince strips wife's family of royal name". BBC News. 29 November 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
It comes after seven of her close relatives were arrested in a purge of officials allegedly involved in corruption.
- ^ "What's behind the downfall of Thailand's Princess Srirasmi?". BBC News. 1 December 2014.
- ^ "Thai princess gives up royal title". The Guardian. 13 December 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
- ^ พระมหากรุณาธิคุณ พระบาทสมเด็จพระเจ้าอยู่หัว. Thai Rath (in Thai). 14 December 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
- ^ กระทรวงการคลัง (15 December 2014). "ข่าวที่ 106/2557 การชี้แจงของรัฐมนตรีว่าการกระทรวงการคลัง ในฐานะประธานกรรมการทรัพย์สินส่วนพระมหากษัตริย์ กรณีการพระราชทานเงินให้ท่านผู้หญิงศรีรัศม์ สุวะดี" (PDF).
- ^ Chachavalpongpun, Pavin (15 December 2014). "A Thai Princess' Fairy Tale Comes to an End". The Diplomat.
- ^ "Parents of former Thai princess jailed for insulting monarchy". The Daily Telegraph. London. Reuters. 11 March 2015. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ "Parents of Thai ex-princess given jail term for lese majeste". BBC News. 11 March 2015. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ "Brothers of Thai ex-princess jailed for lese majeste". BBC News. 20 March 2015.
- ^ "泰王废妃西拉米 变凄苦种菜尼姑|中國報". 中國報 China Press. 7 November 2020.
- ^ "Thai King's Third Wife, Stripped Off Title and Become a Nun Under House-Arrest". RedChili21 MY. 8 November 2020.