Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse

Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse (Thai: วัชเรศร วิวัชรวงศ์; Watchareson Wiwatcharawong; born 27 May 1981), commonly referred to by Thai media as Thaun Oun (Thai: ท่านอ้น), is a Thai-American attorney and member of the Thai Royal Family. Based in New York, Vivacharawongse is the second son of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his second wife Sujarinee Vivacharawongse. Banished along with his mother and siblings in 1996, Vacharaesorn briefly returned to Bangkok twice in 2023, and again in 2024.

Vacharaesorn was born on May 27, 1981. He is the second son of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Sujarinee Vivacharawongse. When he was born, he had the rank of "Mom Chao" as Mom Chao Vacharaesorn Mahidol.

He started his education at Churairat Kindergarten in Bangkok, before attending Chulalongkorn University Demonstration Elementary School from 1987 to 1989, and then Chitralada School. In 1990 he was at Hill House in Knightsbridge, in 1991, he attended Sunningdale School in Berkshire, United Kingdom, where he finished his primary education. Following this, Vacharaesorn and his older brother, Juthavachara, attended Harrow School in London.

However in 1996, he was exiled from Thailand to the United States with his brothers and mother. Along with his brothers he lost his royal titles. His first jobs in the U.S. were selling hot dogs and vacuum cleaners. After that, he went to study at the Trinity Preparatory School. With an interest in law, he continued his studies for bachelor's and master's degrees at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida. He thereafter received a graduate law degree (LL.M in International Law) from the George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C.

On 6 August 2023, Vacharaesorn returned to Thailand after 27 years of exile on an unannounced visit, arriving in Bangkok at Suvarnabhumi airport. On 10 August, he visited several sites around Bangkok, as well as paying tribute to his ancestor Nangklao. The arrival of his younger brother on 12 August, Chakriwat Vivacharawongse, caused him to postpone his departure back to the United States scheduled for 13 August. Together with his brother, they visited Phra Nakhon Si Ayuthaya province on 12 August and Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok on 13 August. They also visited Ariyavongsagatanana, the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand at Wat Ratchabophit.

He returned again back to Thailand in 2023 on 4 December to mark Father's Day. In Thailand, Father's Day is marked on 5 December to honour the birthday of his grandfather Bhumibol Adulyadej, and Vacharaesorn paid respect to him in Bangkok. Vacharaesorn had also received his first Thai identification card and applied for a Thai passport. On 16 December, he participated in a mangrove reforestration project in Samut Songkhram province. He left Thailand on 19 December.

On March 6, 2024, he returned to Thailand for the third time in seven months as a Thai citizen with a Thai passport. On 12 March, he made a visit to the Kanchanaburi Provincial Deaf School. He has also made visits to Siam Paragon, and locations in Chiang Mai, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Sawan, and Nonthaburi provinces. For his 2024 visit, he has said that he plans to stay in Thailand until after Songkran.

In an interview with the Bangkok Post on 21 March, which was the first media outlet he visited in Thailand, Vacharaesorn said that he wished to permanently reside in Thailand. When asked by the Bangkok Post on if his return visits had a purpose, he said, "I only wanted to return to my homeland. This is the feeling of a person who left over 27 years ago."

Vacharaesorn's first job was selling hot dogs at the Daytona 500 races shortly after arriving in the United States in 1996. After graduating from law school, Vacharaesorn worked as a legal advisor for Maney & Gordon, P.A., a Tampa law firm, at the firm's flagship Tampa office. He thereafter relocated to New York City, New York, after accepting a position with Goldberg Segalla, LLP. Vacharaesorn worked for Goldberg Segalla, LLP from 2008 until 2017, and became a Partner in the firm. He joined Gerber, Ciano, Kelly, Brady, LLP as a partner in 2017. Vacharaesorn also has experience as in-house counsel with Chubb Insurance.

In addition to regular work, he has established the Thai Heritage Scholarship Fund of New York for Thai students in New York City to encourage Thai students born or educated abroad to remember their home country and make a contribution to the nation.

Vacharaesorn has been a notable promoter of Buddhist and Thai art and culture within the United States, participating in various activities to promote Thai culture in Los Angeles and New York. During the COVID-19 pandemic on 4 April 2020, he encouraged the Thai government to implement policies to support people affected by the pandemic. On 6 August 2023, he posted pictures of his meeting with former German president, Christian Wulff.

Vacharaesorn has been supportive of the Thai monarchy. Following his visit to a New York exhibition, he has called for open discussion on the nation's stringent laws against insulting the royal family.

On December 8, 2023, he visited Surao Kae Rai School, an Islamic elementary school in Bang Nam Priao district of Chachoengsao province, to grant scholarships to students.

Succession

As Princess Bajrakitiyabha remains in a coma, Vajiralongkorn is under pressure to resolve the succession deadlock. In Thailand, the monarch designates their successor, something Vajiralongkorn has not done. It is widely believed that Vacharaesorn will be selected to fill the succession vacuum.

In March 2024, The Daily Beast published an article claiming that Vacharaesorn was married to American civil servant Elisa Garafano and had two children with her. Succession laws in Thailand states that royals “shall be excluded from the line of succession” if they are “married to a foreign consort." Vacharaesorn confirms that he is divorced from Elisa.