Thailand’s King Bhumibol remains the world’s richest royal for the third year in a row, despite his country’s riots and turmoil.

Royal assets are held under Thailand’s Crown Property Bureau, which benefited from stock market and real estate gains in 2009. As a result, his fortune remains stable at $30 billion, at least for now.

The rioting that broke out in March, led by protesters demanding new elections, may irreparably damage the country’s tourism and investment markets.

Collectively the group’s fortune is down 9 per cent, or $10 billion, to $99 billion. (That is $32 billion below their 2008 sum).

This year’s drop was primarily due to problems in the United Arab Emirates, the federation of seven emirates including Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which are still suffering from the collapse of real estate markets.

Bank America-Merrill Lynch estimates total UAE debt of up to $184 billion with a heavy schedule of repayments through 2013.

No surprise then that Dubai’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (pictured above) fared the worst. His fortune dropped $7.5 billion this year as his Dubai Holding crumbled under a $12 billion debt burden.

This comes on the heels of last year’s loss of $6 billion, making him the biggest loser on Forbes’ annual list of the world’s 15 richest royals two years in a row.

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Following is Forbes’ ranking of the world’s richest royals

1. Bhumibol Adulyadej – King of Thailand, $30bn.
2. Haji Hassanal Bolkiah – Sultan of Brunei, $20bn.
3. Abdullah bin Abul Aziz – King of Saudi Arabia, $18bn.
4. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan – Ruler of the UAE, $15bn.
5. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum – Ruler of Dubai, $4.5bn.
6. Hans-Adam II von und zu Liechtenstein, $3.5bn.
7. Mohammed VI – King of Morocco, $2.5bn.
8. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani – Amir of Qatar, $2.4bn.
9. Prince Albert II – Monaco, $1bn.
10. Prince Karim Al Husseini, Aga Khan, $800m.
11. Qaboos bin Said – Sultan of Oman, $700m.
12. Queen Elizabeth II – Queesn of the UK, $450m.
13. Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah – Amir of Kuwait, $350m.
14. Queen Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard, Queen of the Netherlands, $200m.
15. King Mswati III of Swaziland, $100m.