Thailand's Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati has died at the age of 47 after spending more than three years in a coma. The eldest child of King Maha Vajiralongkorn was airlifted to hospital after collapsing while exercising her dogs in December 2022. Her sudden loss of consciousness was attributed to a heart condition.
She died on Thursday evening after her condition deteriorated due to a combination of health problems. 'The medical team provided the closest and most intensive care possible, but her condition continued to decline progressively,' the royal household said.
Early Life and Education
Bajrakitiyabha, popularly known as Princess Pa, was born on December 7, 1978, to the then Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn and his first wife, Princess Soamsawali. She studied law at Cornell University, obtaining a Master’s degree and a Doctorate, and worked as an attorney in the Thai Office of the Attorney-General between 2006 and 2011.
Diplomatic Career and Charity Work
From 2012 to 2014, she was Thailand’s ambassador to Austria, Slovenia and Slovakia, before returning to the attorney-general’s office in Bangkok. She also founded a charity promoting the rights of female inmates, particularly those who were pregnant while in jail.
In 2017, Bajrakitiyabha was appointed as the goodwill ambassador for the rule of law in Southeast Asia by the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. She transferred to the army in 2021, where she was bestowed the rank of a general and served as a chief of staff in the Royal Security Command.
Royal Succession and National Mourning
The princess was one of King Vajiralongkorn’s three children who have formal titles and are eligible to take the throne under the constitution. In October last year, Thailand’s Queen Mother passed away at 93. The palace will hold royal funeral rites, while the government is expected to declare a period of national mourning.
In Thailand, she will be remembered for her prominent role in public life, her efforts to improve the livelihoods of female prisoners, and her diplomatic career.
