Thailand's royal family, compared to the constantly spotlighted British monarchy, is extremely secretive.&nbsp;

The country has strict laws that forbid citizens and the Thai press from insulting and reporting on embarrassing details about the family.

From marrying his bodyguard to flying his own plane and&nbsp;and throwing a four-day funeral for his pet poodle,&nbsp;here's everything we know about Thailand's eccentric ruler.

Thailand's King Vajiralongkorn - his name means "adorned with jewels or thunderbolts" - was born on 28 July 1952, the first son and second child of Queen Sirikit and King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who had succeeded to the throne unexpectedly six years previously.

Though he was officially named Crown Prince in 1972, aged 15, he actually spent much of his childhood outside Thailand. He was sent to school in England from ages 13 to 17, before enrolling at military college in Australia until 1976.

Despite his military training, there were questions of&nbsp;whether the prince was fit to rule. Rumors of gambling,&nbsp;womanizing, and associating with illegal businesses reported&nbsp;plagued the prince's reputation.

A few years ago he had been photographed cycling in a crop top in Switzerland and Germany.&nbsp;When a photo of the king was posted on Facebook&nbsp;he threatened to sue the company , saying the images were insulting.

After his father passed away in October 2016,&nbsp;the prince ascended Thailand's throne and became King Rama X, the 10th monarch of his royal house.

He has been married four times and has 20 mistresses. He has assets worth 43 billion dollars under his control.

In October 2019, the king stripped his royal noble consort&nbsp;of her title, citing disloyalty.&nbsp;According to the royal palace's official statement, she was&nbsp;"ambitious," her behavior was "disrespectful,"&nbsp;and she tried to "elevate herself to the same state as the queen.

Although Thailand is a constitutional monarchy, the king wields&nbsp;much power. He commands an estimated 5,000 troops&nbsp;in the royal guard.

Thousands of protesters turned up on the streets in&nbsp;Bangkok&nbsp;to denounce the government's move to invoke the emergency decree even as police made several arrests on Thursday.

Protesters want to reverse a 2017 increase in the&nbsp;king's constitutional powers, made the year after he succeeded his widely revered late father&nbsp;King&nbsp;Bhumibol Adulyadej.

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Pro-democracy activists say&nbsp;Thailand&nbsp;is backtracking&nbsp;on the constitutional monarchy established when absolute royal rule ended in 1932. They say the monarchy is too close to the army and argue that this has undermined democracy.

Protesters also seek the scrapping of lese majeste laws against insulting the&nbsp;king. They want the&nbsp;king&nbsp;to relinquish the personal control he took over a palace fortune estimated in the tens of billions of dollars, and some units of the army.

Thailand's royal family, compared to the constantly spotlighted British monarchy, is extremely secretive. The country has strict laws that forbid citizens and the Thai press from insulting and reporting on embarrassing details about the family.

Thailand's royal family, compared to the constantly spotlighted British monarchy, is extremely secretive. The country has strict laws that forbid citizens and the Thai press from insulting and reporting on embarrassing details about the family. From marrying his bodyguard to flying his own plane and and throwing a four-day funeral for his pet poodle, here's everything we know about Thailand's eccentric ruler. Thailand's King Vajiralongkorn - his name means "adorned with jewels or thunderbolts" - was born on 28 July 1952, the first son and second child of Queen Sirikit and King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who had succeeded to the throne unexpectedly six years previously. Though he was officially named Crown Prince in 1972, aged 15, he actually spent much of his childhood outside Thailand. He was sent to school in England from ages 13 to 17, before enrolling at military college in Australia until 1976. Despite his military training, there were questions of whether the prince was fit to rule. Rumors of gambling, womanizing, and associating with illegal businesses reported plagued the prince's reputation. A few years ago he had been photographed cycling in a crop top in Switzerland and Germany. When a photo of the king was posted on Facebook he threatened to sue the company , saying the images were insulting. After his father passed away in October 2016, the prince ascended Thailand's throne and became King Rama X, the 10th monarch of his royal house. He has been married four times and has 20 mistresses. He has assets worth 43 billion dollars under his control. In October 2019, the king stripped his royal noble consort of her title, citing disloyalty. According to the royal palace's official statement, she was "ambitious," her behavior was "disrespectful," and she tried to "elevate herself to the same state as the queen. Although Thailand is a constitutional monarchy, the king wields much power. He commands an estimated 5,000 troops in the royal guard. Thousands of protesters turned up on the streets in Bangkok to denounce the government's move to invoke the emergency decree even as police made several arrests on Thursday. Protesters want to reverse a 2017 increase in the king's constitutional powers, made the year after he succeeded his widely revered late father King Bhumibol Adulyadej. × Pro-democracy activists say Thailand is backtracking on the constitutional monarchy established when absolute royal rule ended in 1932. They say the monarchy is too close to the army and argue that this has undermined democracy. Protesters also seek the scrapping of lese majeste laws against insulting the king. They want the king to relinquish the personal control he took over a palace fortune estimated in the tens of billions of dollars, and some units of the army.

Everything you need to know about Thailand's King Vajiralongkorn

A Thai man was jailed for 35 years on Friday for Facebook posts deemed insulting to the royal family, a watchdog said, in one of the harshest sentences handed down for a crime that insulates Thailand&#39;s ultra-rich monarchy from criticism.

A Bangkok military court convicted the 34-year-old of ten counts of lese majeste for posting photos and videos of the royal family on a Facebook account that purported to belong to a different user.

Wichai, whose last name was withheld to protect his relatives from ostracisation, was accused of using the account to slander a former friend, said iLaw, a group that tracks royal defamation cases.

&quot;The court punished him with seven years per count. Altogether he was given 70 years, but it was reduced in half because he confessed,&quot; said Yingcheep Atchanont from iLaw.&nbsp;

Lese majeste cases are routinely shrouded in secrecy, with media forced to heavily self-censor the details to avoid violating the broadly interpreted law.

Reporters were barred from entering the military court where Wichai&#39;s verdict was read.

Later on Friday, a criminal court sentenced another lese majeste suspect to 2.5 years in jail for uploading an audio clip from an underground political radio show that was deemed insulting to the monarchy.

Use of the draconian law has surged under a royalist junta that grabbed power in 2014, with more than 100 people charged since the coup.&nbsp;Prosecutions have continued under Thailand&#39;s new king Maha Vajiralongkorn, who took the throne in late 2016 after the death of his deeply revered father.&nbsp;

Observers have been closely watching how the new king approaches the controversial law, which effectively blocks scrutiny of Thailand&#39;s opaque and powerful monarchy.&nbsp;

According to iLaw, Wichai initially denied the charges but later confessed after waiting for more than a year in jail for the court proceedings to begin.&nbsp;

Lese majeste suspects are rarely acquitted or granted bail.&nbsp;The United Nations&#39; rights body has warned that Thailand&#39;s widespread use of the law &#39;may constitute crimes against humanity&#39;.

(AFP)

Wichai was punished with one of the harshest sentences - 35 year jail time - for posting photos and videos of the royal family on Facebook

A Thai man was jailed for 35 years on Friday for Facebook posts deemed insulting to the royal family, a watchdog said, in one of the harshest sentences handed down for a crime that insulates Thailand's ultra-rich monarchy from criticism. A Bangkok military court convicted the 34-year-old of ten counts of lese majeste for posting photos and videos of the royal family on a Facebook account that purported to belong to a different user. Wichai, whose last name was withheld to protect his relatives from ostracisation, was accused of using the account to slander a former friend, said iLaw, a group that tracks royal defamation cases. "The court punished him with seven years per count. Altogether he was given 70 years, but it was reduced in half because he confessed," said Yingcheep Atchanont from iLaw. Lese majeste cases are routinely shrouded in secrecy, with media forced to heavily self-censor the details to avoid violating the broadly interpreted law. Reporters were barred from entering the military court where Wichai's verdict was read. Later on Friday, a criminal court sentenced another lese majeste suspect to 2.5 years in jail for uploading an audio clip from an underground political radio show that was deemed insulting to the monarchy. Use of the draconian law has surged under a royalist junta that grabbed power in 2014, with more than 100 people charged since the coup. Prosecutions have continued under Thailand's new king Maha Vajiralongkorn, who took the throne in late 2016 after the death of his deeply revered father. Observers have been closely watching how the new king approaches the controversial law, which effectively blocks scrutiny of Thailand's opaque and powerful monarchy. According to iLaw, Wichai initially denied the charges but later confessed after waiting for more than a year in jail for the court proceedings to begin. Lese majeste suspects are rarely acquitted or granted bail. The United Nations' rights body has warned that Thailand's widespread use of the law 'may constitute crimes against humanity'. (AFP)

Thai man jailed for defaming royals on Facebook

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Everything you need to know about Thailand's King Vajiralongkorn

Thai man jailed for defaming royals on Facebook