BANGKOK – Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati, the eldest daughter of Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn and a royal once regarded as a possible future monarch, has died at the age of 47 after spending more than three years in a coma.
According to a statement issued by the Thai Royal Palace and reported by Reuters, the princess died on Thursday at a hospital in Bangkok where she had been receiving treatment since collapsing in December 2022.
The princess, widely known as Princess Pa or Princess Bha, lost consciousness while participating in military dog training exercises in Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The palace later revealed that she had suffered a severe heart-related condition that deprived her brain of oxygen, leaving her in a coma.
Reuters reported that despite intensive treatment and life-support measures, Princess Bajrakitiyabha never regained consciousness. Her condition remained largely unchanged over the years, although the royal household periodically provided updates on her health.
In announcing her death, the Royal Palace said the princess had recently developed a series of serious medical complications, including an abdominal infection, inflammation of the colon, low blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms and blood-clotting disorders. These complications ultimately led to her passing.
Born on December 7, 1978, Princess Bajrakitiyabha was the only child from King Vajiralongkorn’s first marriage to Princess Soamsawali. As the king’s eldest child and one of the most visible members of the royal family, she was frequently mentioned by royal observers as a potential successor to the throne, although Thailand’s succession laws and royal protocols have never formally designated her as heir.
According to The Guardian, her death is expected to reignite discussions surrounding the future succession of Thailand’s monarchy, particularly as no official heir apparent has been publicly named by the king.
The princess enjoyed a distinguished career beyond her royal duties. Reuters reported that she earned law degrees in Thailand before pursuing further studies in the United States, including at Cornell University. She later worked as a prosecutor and diplomat and represented Thailand as ambassador to Austria, Slovenia and Slovakia.
She was also recognised internationally for her advocacy on legal reform and prison welfare. The Guardian noted that Princess Bajrakitiyabha championed programmes aimed at improving the lives of female inmates and worked closely with international organisations on issues related to justice and human rights.
In 2017, she was appointed as a United Nations goodwill ambassador for the rule of law in Southeast Asia, a role that reflected her growing influence both within Thailand and internationally.
Her prolonged illness had cast uncertainty over the royal family’s future, particularly given her prominence and extensive public service record. Many Thais viewed her as one of the monarchy’s most capable and respected figures.
The Royal Palace said funeral arrangements would be announced in due course and that ceremonies would be conducted in accordance with royal traditions. Thousands of mourners are expected to pay tribute to the late princess, whose death marks the end of a chapter in Thailand’s modern royal history.
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