Princess Ubolratana was rebuked in her political bid, but is still in the spotlight at events and on social media.
Princess Ubolratana is a social media star, with a popular Instagram page and concerts on YouTube. By Shibani Mahtani Shibani Mahtani Reporter covering Southeast Asia Email Bio Follow March 6 at 5:00 AM PATHUM THANI, Thailand — They stood in single file, shoulder to shoulder: thousands of students, government officials, nurses and others. They practiced making heart-shaped fingers, a gesture popularized by South Korean pop bands.
But her brief foray into politics — little more than 72 hours — has opened a new, uncertain chapter in Thai politics, analysts say. She rescinded her royal titles when she married an American in 1972, living as Julie Jensen in San Diego with her family until she divorced and returned to Thailand in 2001.
Students await the arrival of Princess Ubolratana, the elder sister of the Thai king, at a school in Pathum Thani on the outskirts of Bangkok. The drama has left Thais more curious than ever about the inner workings of the royal family and its place in Thai politics — especially as a new king, seen as less revered than his late father, prepares for his coronation in May.
The military-run government has changed the country’s constitution to allow for the army to pick 250 senators in the Thai legislature, a third of parliamentarians. The handpicked bloc will help them push through their candidate for prime minister after the election, giving a leg up to Thai prime minister and junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha, who is seeking to extend his term.
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