The royal mansion is where Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn was born and it's where, as Crown Prince, he accepted the formal invitation to the crown in 2016 following the death of his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, which was four years ago on Tuesday. Vajiralongkorn -- who spends much of his time overseas -- returned to Thailand this week for a host of royal duties.
The King's scheduled stay won't just be a run-of-the-mill royal engagement, however. In recent months, the idea of a sacrosanct monarchy and a King shielded from public scrutiny has been torn apart by a new generation of young Thais, who are openly challenging the powerful institution.
