The Thai King in Germany: The Status of Foreign Heads of State on Private Visits
Published: 14 March 2023 Author: Stefan Talmon
The King of Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn frequently stayed in Germany for longer periods of time – making the country his second home. He owned a lakeside villa in the town of Tutzing in Bavaria. As he was not on an official State visit to Germany and also was not in the country at the invitation of the Federal Government, these were purely private stays. When in early 2000 mass pro-democracy protests broke out in Thailand, the king was living in Germany. While the protests were first directed at the government, they later also included demands for reform of the Thai monarchy. This triggered questions whether the king was actually ruling his country from Germany and whether he was allowed to do so under international law. The king left Germany for Thailand on 19 October 2020, but the prospect of him returning in due course triggered further questions about his status under international law while residing in Germany in his private capacity. The Thai king returned to Germany on 8 November 2021. (more…)