Thai king sacks nurse, vet and other top officials over 'evil actions', days after stripping consort of titles

'They have severely breached disciplinary conduct for their evil actions by exploiting their official positions for their own or other people's gain'

King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi pose at the Grand Palace in Bangkok (Royal Household Bureau/Handout via REUTERS)

Accusing them of “evil actions”, the king of Thailand has dismissed six of his staff, days after he stripped his royal consort of her titles.

Among those fired was police lieutenant general Sakolket Chantra, who worked with the Royal Household Bureau and would sometimes represent the palace in public events, according palace newspaper the Royal Gazette.

King Maha Vajiralongkorn also removed a veterinarian and a nurse certified to serve as a royal page in the regent’s bedroom.

"They have severely breached disciplinary conduct for their evil actions by exploiting their official positions for their own or other people's gain," the announcement in the Gazette stated. "They also didn't comply with royal regulations, which has brought severe damage to the royal affairs."

Palace references to ‘evil actions’ are used to denote matters of serious misconduct.

Their removal comes just days after the royal’s official consort, Sineenat Wongvajirabhakdi, was stripped of her title and military rank after she was accused of coveting the queen’s privileges while seeking to undermine her position.

A trained military nurse, the 34-year-old trained as a pilot before serving in the king’s royal bodyguard where she was awarded the rank of Major-General.

On the King’s 67^th birthday he appointed her as royal consort – the first to be given the title in nearly a century.

She was removed from the position after just three months.

Ms Sineenat has not been seen since her dismissal and her current whereabouts are unknown.

While the secretive palace has not linked the dismissals, the timing and circumstances of the most recent sackings do suggest a potential connection to the former consort.

One of the officers served in the same security unit as Ms Sineenat.

She had also worked as a page in the royal chamber, like another of those removed from their post.

Having divorced three times, the king is currently married to Queen Suthida.

His 2014 split with his third wife, Srirasmi Suwadee, took place when he was still crown prince.

Several relatives were arrested shortly before their break-up was announced - including her parents who were arrested for abusing their royal connection.

An uncle who was a senior policeman was sentenced to more than 30 years in prison for corruption.

Ms Srirasmi lost her royal titles and privileges and was sent to live in what amounted to house arrest in western Thailand.

Additional reporting by Associated Press