King Maha of Thailand – a throwback from a bygone age

The eccentric new King of Thailand, Maha Vajiralongkorn, has not improved his image by sitting out the CV crisis in a luxury hotel in the Bavarian Alps with his entourage of 100 including a harem of at least 20 women. While the pandemic hasn’t claimed many lives, it has hit the vital Thai tourism trade badly.

“The king’s behaviour during the coronavirus crisis has been a disaster for the reputation of the Thai monarchy,” said journalist and activist Andrew MacGregor Marshall, adding that the king is a “troubled, sadistic and authoritarian monarch who should have no place in the 21st century.” Not that such comments would be allowed within the borders, since criticism is severely punished under a draconian lese-majeste law, forbidding disparaging opinions about the king.

Since taking over from his much-revered father in 2019, Maha has successfully pushed the kingdom towards absolute monarchy, acquiring an elite unit of soldiers and police, and taking over direct control of the assets of the Royal Family, upwards of fifty billion dollars.  The military-backed government that took power after the 2014 coup protects him; and both prop each other up so it’s difficult to see any challenge to his position in the near future.

He was born 28 July 1952 5.45pm Bangkok and was a playboy prince, with a rackety reputation, three failed marriages and an explosive temper who made his pet poodle an Air Chief Marshal in the Thai air force and gave him a four-day Buddhist funeral when he died.  He has a flamboyant Leo Sun and his chart is dominated by an ambitious and vengeful 10^th house Mars in Scorpio opposition a super-indulgent Jupiter in Taurus square Venus Pluto in Leo opposition an Aquarius North Node. No surprises he revels in a life of excess of wine, women and wealth. His Aquarius North Node hints at a karmic journey through life which demands he gives up pride and dominating ways, aiming instead for a life of humanitarian service – and paying his way by his own efforts. Not much sign of that or Buddhist detachment kicking in anytime soon.  And with a Fixed T Square involving an 8^th house Pluto square Mars in Scorpio he won’t be inclined to volunteer for a life of austerity and selflessness.

However he does have tr Uranus moving towards his Fixed T Square upending a few certainties from 2021 onwards for two years; with a reputation-denting and possible fall from grace when tr Pluto squares his Midheaven in 2023/24. Plus he has tr Saturn moving downwards through his 1^st Quadrant for almost all of this decade, which is not successful and will throw a few banana skins his way.

His Coronation chart, 4 May 2019 at 12.10pm does hint at disappointments and jarring changes in 2021/22 with tr Neptune square the opportunistic Mars opposition Jupiter and tr Uranus conjunct the Midheaven and Sun.

There’s nothing on his Solar Return chart for this year to show much disruption. But where Thailand itself will be subject to a major shift will be when the outer planets start to change sign from 2023 to 2025.

What is bizarre is how many of these Western-tourist paradises in Asia and the Arab Emirates have hair-raising political setups which no one seems to bat an eye about.

See previous posts: November 8 2019 and 16 October 2016.