Photo Credit: Royal Household Bureau The Royal Court has announced the death of Princess Bajrakitiyabha of Thailand at the age of 47. She had been in a coma for more than three years following an episode in December 2022 when she suddenly lost consciousness. The princess suffered from irregular heartbeats, which led to her coma. Having studied law, she served as Thailand’s ambassador to Austria and worked extensively on criminal justice reforms within Thailand.
Reported from Kathmandu on 29 June, Princess Bajrakitiyabha has passed away after remaining in a coma for over three years. The Royal Court communicated that her death occurred at 7:48 PM local time on Thursday evening. In December 2022, while exercising her dogs, she suddenly fainted. Medical experts attributed this to a mycoplasma infection affecting her heart, which resulted in highly irregular heartbeats causing her loss of consciousness. Since then, she remained in a coma. According to a statement issued Friday morning, “The medical team provided the closest possible and intensive care, but her health condition progressively deteriorated.”
The princess was regarded as one of the most capable and publicly active members of the Thai royal family. Her passing also represents the loss of a significant figure who could have played an important role in the future royal succession process.
She was the eldest daughter of King Vajiralongkorn, one of his seven children, born on 7 December 1978 to his first wife and relative, Princess Soamsawali. Princess Bajrakitiyabha studied law and earned two graduate degrees from the United States. Subsequently, she worked at Thailand’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York for a time. Returning to Thailand, she served in the offices of the Attorney General in Bangkok and other sectors. Between 2012 and 2014, she was Thailand’s ambassador to Austria.
Princess Bajrakitiyabha was particularly known for advocating on behalf of vulnerable women incarcerated in prisons, calling attention to the necessity of prison reforms. Thailand is considered to have one of the world’s highest numbers of female inmates. Even after her return to Thailand, she continued to advocate for reforms within the criminal justice system, where harsh penalties are imposed even for minor drug possession offenses.
In 2021, her father, King Vajiralongkorn, appointed her as the chief of staff of his personal security detail, granting her the honorary rank of general. Beyond her official duties, the princess was also a fitness enthusiast who regularly participated in long-distance running competitions.
