Inside German hotel where Thai king is spending lockdown with his harem of 20 'sex soldiers' who have been awarded titles such as 'Beautiful One Who Will be Faithful'

This is the Alpine hotel where the King of Thailand is said to be spending the lockdown - accompanied by a harem of 20 concubines with military ranks. 

King Maha Vajiralongkorn, 67, is believed to be back at the four-star retreat in southern Germany after returning from brief visits back to Thailand. 

A report by Bild found that Vajiralongkorn and his entourage have booked out the whole fourth floor which includes a 'pleasure room' and is decked out with 'treasures and antiques' from Thailand. 

His 'sex soldiers' are said to be assembled as a military unit called the SAS like Britain's special forces - with the same motto, 'who dares wins'. 

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Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida during their wedding ceremony in Bangkok in May last year. According to tradition, the King has a semi-divine status and must be seated higher than those around him 

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The Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl in southern Germany where the King of Thailand is staying during the lockdown while other guests are kept out because of the pandemic 

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A room inside the Alpine hotel - which says it is not accepting bookings during the pandemic, but has a king and his entourage staying on the fourth floor 

The Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl where the king is staying is in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a ski town near the Austrian border which has seen most tourists stay away. 

The hotel's website says that it is 'currently unavailable for bookings' because of the coronavirus pandemic, without mentioning its long-term guests. 

One hotel worker said staff are forbidden from the fourth floor where the king and his entourage have set up camp. 

Max Boeddeker, a Bild reporter who investigated the hotel, said the king's diplomatic immunity meant there was little that Germany could do about it.  

The king, also known as Rama X, spends much of his time outside Thailand and has previously been spotted wearing a crop top while cycling in Switzerland. 

At the hotel, his concubines are apparently given military-style designations with number such as S01 or S020 and ranks such as major or colonel. 

They are also given honorary titles such as Sirivajirabhakdi or 'The beautiful one who will be faithful to the king', it is claimed. 

The king is also said to have a so-called 'pleasure room', which has been set up especially for the monarch and his concubines.

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An outdoor area at the Bavarian hotel, where the Thai monarch has been spending most of the last few weeks except for occasional visits to his home country 

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A view over Alpine scenery from a window of the hotel - a view which is not available to most people during the pandemic 

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A swimming pool inside the hotel, where the King of Thailand is said to have organised his concubines with military ranks 

Thailand expert Andrew MacGregor Marshall told Bild: 'The whole floor is full of Thai antiques and treasures from Bangkok. 

'The concubines make a big gamble - with the hope of winning big. Some are happy to join and are hoping for riches and success for themselves and their families. 

'Others give in to the king's pressure to join over fear of the consequences if they refuse.'

The king's stay in Germany means he missed Coronation Day in Thailand, marking a year since he was installed as the new monarch last year.  

There is no word on how long he intends to stay in Germany, where the state of Bavaria is planning to re-open hotels later this month. 

He is known to have flown back to Thailand from Munich Airport at least once, and was last week seen inspecting protective gear in Bangkok. 

However, it is thought that he has only returned to Thailand for brief periods and is otherwise staying put at the hotel.   

Thailand itself has been under lockdown since March, and has so far recorded 2,992 cases and 55 deaths from coronavirus. 

News of the king's absence has even sparked rare online criticism in Thailand, where insulting the monarchy is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. 

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One of the suites available in the hotel where the king is said to be staying

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At the hotel, his concubines are apparently given military-style designations with number such as S01 or S020 and ranks such as major or colonel

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A double bed at the hotel in Garmisch-Partenkirchen on the German-Austrian border, where the Thai monarch has been staying 

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A well-decorated dining table in a room with floor-length curtains at the hotel in Bavaria - a state which is hoping to re-open hotels in late May 

A hashtag that translates to 'why do we need a king?' became popular in Thailand after an overseas activist posted about Vajiralongkorn's activities in Germany. 

One government minister posted a warning to citizens online with an image of a handcuffed hand above a keyboard.

Vajiralongkorn succeeded to the throne in 2016 after the death of his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who had reigned since 1946. 

The new king was not formally crowned until May 2019 when carried on a golden platform in a six-and-a-half-hour procession through Bangkok.   

During the ceremony he was carried on a golden platform in a spectacular six-and-a-half-hour procession through Bangkok's historic quarter. 

Just days before the coronation, the King married his long-term consort and gave her the title Queen Suthida, in a surprise move.

Suthida Vajiralongkorn na Ayudhya, a former Thai Airways flight attendant, had to lie on the floor as she was given a gift by the king during the marriage ceremony.  

According to royal tradition in Thailand, the ruling monarch is seen as god-like and semi-divine, and is revered as such among his subjects.

As a result, the King must always be seated higher than everyone else, and during official ceremonies, events, and speeches, the monarch's feet are supposed to be above the heads of those around him.