No. 1 on our list, for the second year in a row, is Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej. He is worth $30 billion, $5 billion less than last year, as a result of double-digit declines in real estate and stocks owned via the Crown Property Bureau, the state investment vehicle of which he is a trustee. Rising political tensions have also destabilized the country, dampening even the important tourism sector.

– Extracted from Tatiana Serafin, “The World’s Richest Royals”, Forbes, 17 June 2009. New Mandala coverage of last year’s royal rich list, when Bhumibol also took the top spot, is available here.