Thai king's son visits temple on surprise trip to kingdom

Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse (left) talks with a monk after a religious ceremony at Yannawa temple in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. The estranged son of Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn has made his surprise return to the country after 27 years of living abroad. - AP

BANGKOK (AFP): Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn's second son visited a Bangkok temple on Thursday, offering alms to monks as he makes a surprise first trip to the kingdom in more than two decades.

Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse has caused a stir this week with his unexpected return to Thailand, after spending most of his life abroad following his parents' divorce in the 1990s.