Dr Chakriwat, King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s third son, pleads to return home for urgent brain surgery. Two large tumours threaten his life as savings run out, overseas treatment becomes unaffordable and he admits he is scared without an operation.
King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s estranged third son is pleading to return to Thailand for urgent brain surgery as his health deteriorates in Malaysia. Dr Chakriwat “Than Aong” Vivacharawongse, 43, says two large brain tumours could leave him bedridden or dead. His savings are running out, Malaysian treatment is unaffordable and his US health insurance has ended. Despite displaying a new Thai identity card and appealing to come home, no operation is scheduled. His brothers have offered help, but no Royal Household intervention has been publicly documented. On Tuesday, Dr Chakriwat delivered a stark update: “I am scared….”
Dr Chakriwat “Than Aong” Vivacharawongse, the third son of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, is making an urgent appeal from Malaysia. The 43-year-old physician says he has two large brain tumours and urgently needs surgery. Moreover, he says his savings are running out and treatment abroad is beyond his financial reach.
He now wants to return to Thailand for potentially life-saving treatment. On Tuesday, Dr Chakriwat confirmed that surgery had still not taken place. “My health current situation…… no operation yet, I am scared….” he wrote.
Days earlier, he said several neurologists warned that delays could leave him bedridden or dead. Meanwhile, his brothers have publicly offered assistance and said their mother is deeply worried. However, no Royal Household intervention has been publicly documented. The King’s estranged son is now making his medical crisis increasingly public.
Dr Chakriwat reveals severe health decline as brain tumours leave him facing urgent surgery and death
The latest development follows a sharp deterioration described by Dr Chakriwat throughout September. Initially, he disclosed little about his condition. On September 6, he confirmed that he was unwell but remained determined to recover. “Right now I’m not well, but I’m trying my best,” he wrote in Thai and English. At that stage, he did not identify his immediate illness. Nor did he disclose his location, treatment programme or prognosis.
Twelve days later, however, the picture became considerably more serious. On September 18, Dr Chakriwat described his health as “truly in terrible condition”. Furthermore, he disclosed warnings from several neurologists about the consequences of delaying treatment. According to Dr Chakriwat, three or four specialists had warned him about the risks. Without treatment, he said, he could become bedridden or lose his life. Crucially, he revealed that he urgently required brain surgery.
Since then, Dr Chakriwat has provided significantly more information. Most importantly, he says he has two large brain tumours. Yet the operation has still not taken place. His latest public message on Tuesday made that clear. “My health current situation…… no operation yet, I am scared….” he wrote. Separately, Thai reports described his condition as remaining critical. The 43-year-old therefore continues seeking access to the surgery he says doctors have recommended.
His latest video also provides stark details about his physical deterioration. Dr Chakriwat says there have been periods when he could not stand. In addition, he says he has lost control of his bladder and bowels. On one occasion, he described being unable to get up for approximately two hours. He said he remained helpless throughout that period. Those specific symptoms have not been independently confirmed by a treating hospital. Nevertheless, his longstanding neurological illness is well documented.
Longstanding NF2 illness has led to repeated operations as latest tumours raise serious health risks
Dr Chakriwat has lived with neurofibromatosis type 2 since adolescence. The condition is now generally known as NF2-related schwannomatosis. It is a rare genetic disorder affecting the nervous system.
In particular, it can cause tumours to develop along nerves throughout the body. These can appear around the brain and spinal cord. They can also affect nerves responsible for hearing and balance.
Importantly, NF2-associated tumours are not necessarily cancerous. Indeed, they are frequently benign. However, benign tumours can still cause severe medical problems because of their location. They can press against the brain, spinal cord or important nerves. Consequently, patients can suffer serious neurological impairment without malignant cancer. Reports describing Dr Chakriwat’s present condition as “brain cancer” therefore go beyond the available evidence.
No treating physician has publicly confirmed that his current tumours are malignant. Instead, Dr Chakriwat has described two large brain tumours requiring surgery. His medical history, meanwhile, stretches back decades. In a personal account published in 2015, he detailed years of intensive treatment. By then, he said he had undergone 10 open operations. Additionally, he had received Gamma Knife and CyberKnife procedures.
Dr Chakriwat seeks treatment in Thailand as new Thai identity card reaches him while in Malaysia
Later, in 2020, Dr Chakriwat said he was undergoing chemotherapy. He said the side effects affected his ability to produce medical educational videos. However, chemotherapy does not itself establish a diagnosis of malignant cancer. Likewise, no available medical statement confirms malignancy in his current tumours. The established diagnosis remains NF2-related schwannomatosis, alongside his latest account of two brain tumours.
Dr Chakriwat is himself medically trained. He studied medicine in the United States and later established the Chakriwat Medical Information Centre. Through the organisation, he produced public health education material. His experience with NF2 also formed part of his public medical history. Now, however, his attention has shifted sharply towards obtaining treatment for himself.
Most significantly, Dr Chakriwat is explicitly asking to return to Thailand. “I want to return to Thailand for treatment because Thai doctors are highly capable,” he said. His request is therefore not simply about financing treatment at a Malaysian hospital. Instead, he wants to come home for surgery. Moreover, he says Thai doctors understand his condition and have successfully treated him previously.
Notably, another important detail has emerged alongside his appeal. Dr Chakriwat displayed what he described as his newly issued Thai national identity card. According to the published transcript, the card was recently delivered to him in Malaysia. However, the circumstances surrounding its delivery remain unclear. The development nevertheless reinforces a central element of his case. Dr Chakriwat is a Thai citizen who says he wants medical treatment in Thailand.
Questions surround Dr Chakriwat’s return as treatment costs in Malaysia drain his remaining savings
Precisely what prevents his return remains unclear from the available information. There is no public evidence establishing that he is legally prohibited from entering Thailand. Similarly, no published information identifies an immigration restriction preventing his arrival. Instead, unresolved questions surround his health, travel arrangements and access to specialised treatment.
On another front, it is unclear whether Dr Chakriwat can safely use an ordinary commercial flight. No treating physician has publicly addressed that issue. Likewise, no specialist medical transport arrangements have been disclosed. The journey from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok is comparatively short. However, his ability to undertake it depends on medical factors that have not been publicly established.
Another unanswered question concerns where he would receive treatment after arriving in Thailand. No hospital has publicly confirmed preparations to receive him. Similarly, no Thai neurosurgeon has publicly described the proposed operation. There is also no confirmed surgical timetable. Despite those unanswered questions, Dr Chakriwat’s stated preference is unequivocal. He wants the operation performed in Thailand.
Financial problems have become another central element of his appeal. Dr Chakriwat says his personal savings are disappearing. According to reports carrying his video, surgery in Malaysia is prohibitively expensive. As a result, he says he cannot afford the required treatment there. His previous option of returning to the United States also appears financially closed.
Lost US insurance and disputed fundraising deepen crisis as brothers publicly offer Dr Chakriwat help
Dr Chakriwat says his American health insurance has been terminated. Consequently, he says treatment in America has become inaccessible. The result is a striking situation. The 43-year-old son of Thailand’s monarch says he cannot afford the urgent surgery he requires abroad. At the same time, he says his physical condition is worsening.
The financial issue also has another unusual dimension. Before the latest crisis became public, Dr Chakriwat warned about fundraising conducted using his name. On September 2, he said people had collected donations supposedly for his medical expenses. However, he said none of that money had reached him. Furthermore, he denied authorising anyone to collect donations on his behalf.
In response, Dr Chakriwat urged the public to verify fundraising appeals through his official social media accounts. He also made another significant statement. He said he had not been involved with the Vivacharawongse family for years. That declaration pointed towards a substantial family rupture. Subsequent statements from his brothers, however, complicate any suggestion of complete family abandonment.
His brothers later appeared together and publicly expressed concern about his deteriorating condition. Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse said their mother was extremely worried. Moreover, he said she had attempted to locate leading doctors in America. The brothers also made clear that they were prepared to help Dr Chakriwat. Yet they described a serious communications problem.
No public Palace intervention emerges as the King’s seriously ill son says his savings are running out
According to the brothers, they had been unable to contact him. Furthermore, they said they did not know precisely where he was. They also lacked detailed information about his medication and treatment. Their statements therefore establish a public offer of assistance from within the family. Whether direct contact has since been established remains unclear.
Separately, no publicly documented intervention from his father or the Royal Household has emerged concerning the latest medical crisis. Equally, there is no public evidence that Dr Chakriwat requested Palace funding and was refused. Nor is there evidence establishing that assistance was privately offered or rejected. Those distinctions remain important because much of the latest information comes directly from Dr Chakriwat.
Even so, the documented circumstances are already extraordinary. Dr Chakriwat is the third son of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Sujarinee Vivacharawongse. International reporting has repeatedly described the Thai monarch as exceptionally wealthy. However, precise estimates of his personal fortune are difficult to establish transparently.
Royal assets, institutional holdings and Crown Property Bureau assets cannot automatically be treated as personally disposable funds. Accordingly, claims assigning the King a precise personal fortune require caution. Yet no such calculation is necessary to establish the contrast surrounding Dr Chakriwat’s appeal. The seriously ill son of a wealthy monarch says his own savings are running out.
In practical terms, Dr Chakriwat says he cannot afford urgent brain surgery in Malaysia. Meanwhile, he says American treatment is inaccessible after losing his medical insurance. He also describes severe neurological symptoms and two large brain tumours. Against that background, he is publicly asking to return to Thailand for treatment.
International attention grows as Dr Chakriwat’s medical crisis and appeal to return home intensify
International attention to the story increased significantly on Tuesday. The South China Morning Post reported Dr Chakriwat’s latest appeal and identified him as the King’s estranged son. Furthermore, it reported his warning that the condition could result in paralysis or death without treatment. The Bangkok Post has also reported his request to return to Thailand for life-saving surgery.
Earlier, Germany’s t-online reported his worsening health on September 19. Its report also addressed the absence of publicly reported Palace support. Until recently, however, much of the latest information emerged through Dr Chakriwat’s social media and Thai-language reports. The immediate medical crisis has only now developed into a wider international story.
The broader family story, by contrast, has previously received extensive international attention. In 2023, Dr Chakriwat and his brother Vacharaesorn made remarkable visits to Thailand after decades abroad. Their appearances generated international headlines because of the brothers’ long absence. Reuters reported on their return after 27 years outside Thailand. At the time, the Palace made no public comment.
More recently, Time examined the estranged sons and their relationship with Thailand in a substantial 2025 report. International media are therefore familiar with the unusual family history. What has changed is the urgency surrounding Dr Chakriwat’s medical condition. His public statements now concern immediate treatment, diminishing savings and the possibility of severe disability or death.
Key medical and travel questions remain unanswered as Dr Chakriwat seeks urgent treatment in Thailand
For now, several critical questions remain unanswered. It is unclear whether Dr Chakriwat has formally sought assistance from Thailand’s embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Similarly, there is no public confirmation that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been asked to facilitate his journey. There is also no explanation of who arranged his newly issued Thai identity card.
In parallel, no public information establishes whether specialised medical transport is required. No Thai hospital has announced that it will accept him. Likewise, no surgical team has publicly confirmed preparations for an operation. His immediate entitlement to specialised treatment under Thailand’s healthcare system has also not been publicly clarified.
Another significant gap concerns independent medical confirmation. No treating hospital has publicly confirmed the two large tumours described by Dr Chakriwat. Furthermore, no neurosurgeon has publicly detailed their location, dimensions or immediate risks. No physician has publicly confirmed the precise operation required or its timetable. Consequently, those details currently rest on Dr Chakriwat’s statements.
His underlying neurological disease, however, is longstanding and extensively documented. His history of repeated operations and radiation procedures is also established through his previous public accounts. Moreover, his statements during September have become progressively more urgent.
Dr Chakriwat’s worsening condition and two brain tumours intensify his urgent appeal to return home
First, Dr Chakriwat acknowledged that he was unwell. Twelve days later, he disclosed warnings about becoming bedridden or dying. Next, he revealed that he urgently needed brain surgery. Subsequently, he said he had two large brain tumours. He then described severe physical symptoms, financial pressure and the loss of his American medical insurance.
Finally, he made his preferred course of action explicit. Dr Chakriwat wants to return to Thailand. He says Thai doctors have the required expertise and previously treated him successfully. His newly issued Thai identity card adds another element to that request. It was reportedly delivered while he remained in Malaysia seeking a route home for treatment.
At the same time, his brothers say they are ready to help. Their mother has also sought medical assistance, according to their account. Nevertheless, Dr Chakriwat said on Tuesday that surgery had still not happened. His latest update therefore left the central medical problem unresolved.
The immediate issue remains stark. A 43-year-old physician with a lifelong neurological disorder says his health has deteriorated severely. He says two large brain tumours require urgent surgery. Additionally, he says several neurologists warned him about the consequences of further delay. According to his account, those consequences include becoming bedridden or dying.
Financial options narrow as Dr Chakriwat awaits surgery and continues his urgent appeal to come home
Meanwhile, his available financial options abroad appear to be disappearing. Malaysia is too expensive, according to Dr Chakriwat. America is financially inaccessible after the loss of his health insurance. Consequently, Thailand is now his stated choice for treatment. He says Thai doctors are capable of carrying out the treatment he needs.
As part of that effort, he has publicly displayed his new Thai identity card. Yet no receiving Thai hospital has been announced. There is no publicly confirmed surgical team or operation date. Likewise, there is no publicly documented Royal Household intervention concerning the present crisis.
King’s son from America spreads cheer in surprise and some would say significant visit home
There is also no evidence establishing that Palace assistance was formally requested and refused. His brothers, meanwhile, have offered to help and described their mother’s efforts to find doctors. These facts leave several important practical questions unresolved. None changes the urgency of Dr Chakriwat’s own account.
Above all, his appeal has become increasingly direct. The King’s 43-year-old third son says his savings are running out. He says he urgently requires brain surgery. Moreover, he says he faces grave consequences if treatment continues to be delayed. His stated objective is now clear: he wants to return to Thailand for treatment.
On Tuesday, Dr Chakriwat reduced the situation to a short personal update. After weeks of increasingly serious disclosures, the operation had still not happened. His health remained critical. His final words conveyed his immediate state plainly: “I am scared….”
Join the Thai News forum, follow Thai Examiner on Facebook here
Follow Thai Examiner on Google here
Receive all our stories as they come out on Telegram here
Follow Thai Examiner here
Further reading:
King’s son from America spreads cheer in surprise and some would say significant visit home
Thai King and Queen return from a well-received and successful trip to London for the coronation
New ministers take the reins in a formal audience with King Rama X & Queen Suthida at Dusit Palace
Thai King and Queen extend New Year’s wishes to the Thai people for a happy 2020 through the media
Thailand united in wishing the King a Happy Birthday with events in Bangkok and all provinces
Coronation of Rama X a new start for Thailand as King gives the country a new Queen in a surprise
