It’s hard to find a figure more unusual and extravagant than Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn, officially known as Rama X. His personal collection includes 17,000 properties, 38 private jets, over 300 luxury cars, and a total of 52 ceremonial golden barges. A fortune that seems unbelievable, but for the monarch, it is part of everyday life. Rama X ascended the throne in 2016, following the death of his father, the legendary King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
With the crown, he also inherited a fortune of around $43 billion, instantly making him the richest king in the world. But he has also invested wisely, adding new profits to his inheritance.
His 17,000 properties in Bangkok alone generate significant rental income, while luxury construction projects in key areas of the capital have multiplied his earnings. Rama X also owns shares in strategic energy and telecommunications companies, building an economic empire that goes beyond his family legacy.
Born as the only son of King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit, Vajiralongkorn was prepared early for his role. He studied at military academies in Australia and the United Kingdom and trained as both a fixed-wing and helicopter pilot. In his youth, he participated in domestic military missions, combining a military aspect with boundless luxury.
Rama X remains a contradictory figure: a king between Thailand’s sacred traditions and endless extravagance, symbolizing a nation divided between devotion and excessive splendor.
