Thailand’s Princess Bajrakitiyabha has died at the age of 47 after remaining in a coma for more than three years, according to an announcement by the royal household.
The princess collapsed in December 2022 while exercising her dogs. Her doctors attributed the incident to a severely irregular heartbeat caused by a mycoplasma infection affecting her heart.
In a statement released on Friday morning, the palace said the medical team had provided intensive treatment throughout her illness but that her condition continued to deteriorate. She died at 7.48pm local time on Thursday at Chulalongkorn Hospital.
Distinguished career in law and diplomacy
Princess Bajrakitiyabha was the eldest of King Vajiralongkorn’s seven children and was born on Dec 7, 1978, to his first wife, Princess Soamsawali.
Trained as a lawyer, she obtained two postgraduate degrees from Cornell University in the United States before serving briefly at Thailand’s mission to the United Nations in New York.
She later returned to Thailand and worked in the Attorney-General’s offices in Bangkok and other parts of the country.
From 2012 to 2014, she served as Thailand’s ambassador to Austria, where she developed close ties with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. She subsequently became the agency’s Ambassador for the Rule of Law in Southeast Asia and advocated reforms to the country’s criminal justice system, with particular attention to vulnerable women in prison.
Active role in public service
In 2021, King Vajiralongkorn appointed Princess Bajrakitiyabha as chief of staff in his private bodyguard and granted her the rank of general.
She was also known for her enthusiasm for fitness and frequently participated in long-distance running events.
Her experience and responsibilities, together with the confidence her father appeared to place in her, led to speculation about her potential future role within the monarchy.
Succession questions remain
King Vajiralongkorn, now 73, has not publicly named an heir to the throne.
Although Thai custom traditionally favours a male successor, a constitutional amendment introduced in 1974 allows a woman to ascend the throne.
The king has five sons. Four from his second marriage were disowned in 1996 and have since lived in the United States with their mother. His fifth son, Prince Dipangkorn, from his third marriage, is widely regarded as the presumed heir, although questions have been raised about his ability to undertake the role of monarch.
For many royalists, Princess Bajrakitiyabha had been viewed as a possible successor to her father or as a potential regent for Prince Dipangkorn.
Her death leaves the issue of Thailand’s royal succession unresolved, while the country’s lese majeste law continues to restrict public discussion on the matter.
