Maha Vajiralongkorn

Maha Vajiralongkorn is the current King of Thailand. He is newsworthy due to his formal opening of the new Thai parliament following the recent general election. The election results are currently facing scrutiny by the Constitutional Court regarding potential violations of the law related to bar codes on the ballots, which the Office of the Ombudsman claims may undermine ballot secrecy. This event occurred after Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul dissolved parliament to pave the way for early elections, citing political deadlock and border disputes as reasons. The King's role in formally opening parliament highlights the monarchy's continued significance in Thai politics, even amidst political instability and electoral challenges.