Why is she in Switzerland?

In a brief update to an earlier post, PPT mentioned order issued for officials to ensure that the the absentee queen is acknowledged on her birthday. Queen Suthida is King Vajiralongkorn’s major wife, but lives separately from him, staying at a resort in Switzerland. Like the king, she spends almost no time in Thailand.

Suthida in the uniform, earrings and makeup of a General

In a report on the orders issued to all governors, taxpayer funds are to be poured into “celebrations” for the truant, Khaosod reports that Wednesday is a declared holiday and that Queen Suthida’s 42nd birthday “can take place as the coronavirus situation has subsided.” The instruction “calls for a ceremony expressing loyalty to … the Queen in front of the provincial City Halls, where a large portrait of the Queen must be installed.” In addition, the “Queen’s flag should be put up along with the national flag as well as … banner[s] in the color of purple and white,” said to “represent” the queen. It also ordered that “[l]ight decorations will be on display in certain public areas for a month.”

There is no limit to the availability of public funds when it comes to celebrating the monarch and his official queen, even if neither of them spend much time at all in the country.

It is not clear why she has to spend her time in Switzerland when the king appears to ignore her, seemingly spending all his time with his harem in Germany.