King Charles III’s personal wealth, excluding the Crown Estate valued at £15 billion, is estimated at about £640 million. This amount, while significant, is overshadowed by the immense fortune of Thailand’s King Rama X.
Reportedly, King Rama X, with a wealth of £32 billion, has indulged in acquiring 17,000 residences, 38 private jets, 300 automobiles, and 52 luxury yachts. Known formally as His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, he assumed the throne in 2016 following the passing of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, delaying his coronation out of respect for his father.
Ascending as the 10th ruler of the Chakri dynasty, which has governed Thailand since 1782, Rama inherited a legacy worth $43 billion, instantly making him the world’s wealthiest monarch, estimated to be approximately 50 times richer than King Charles.
King Rama X has reportedly managed his vast wealth astutely, making strategic investments in real estate and the telecommunications sector to further enhance his already staggering fortune. His extensive property holdings include commercial edifices, opulent hotels, and historic palaces.
Additionally, he is said to own a remarkable fleet of about 300 luxury vehicles, ranging from classic Rolls-Royces to state-of-the-art sports cars. His personal aviation fleet comprises 38 helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, customized to meet his specific needs. Following tradition, he maintains a ceremonial fleet of 52 gilded barges for regal river processions, underscoring the monarchy’s deep cultural roots in Thailand.
Similar to the Crown Estate in Britain, Thailand operates the Crown Property Bureau overseeing the royal family’s business interests, which King Rama X has increasingly taken personal control over. Some Thais have called for democratic reforms, constitutional amendments, and the revocation of Thailand’s lèse-majesté laws, which criminalize any criticism of the monarch.
Questions have been raised about the king’s vast wealth in light of Thailand’s stark economic inequality. In 2019, King Rama X brought two army units under his direct command, a move viewed by some as a step towards establishing closer to an absolute monarchy according to Joshua Kurlantzick of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Kurlantzick highlighted in a World Politics Review article that while Rama’s father, King Bhumibol, had been discreet in politics, Rama has strategically positioned himself at the forefront of Thai politics, diminishing the influence of both the military and politicians in the process.