BANGKOK — Thailand's Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the eldest child of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and a senior member of the royal family, has died at the age of 47 after a prolonged illness, the Bureau of the Royal Household announced on Friday. The princess died on Thursday evening at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok, where she had been receiving treatment since December 2022, according to the palace.
Princess Bajrakitiyabha, widely known in Thailand as Princess Pa, had remained unconscious for more than three years after collapsing due to a cardiac condition during an engagement in northeastern Thailand in late 2022, palace statements said. Her condition worsened in recent weeks because of complications that included an abdominal infection, low blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia and blood-clotting abnormalities, according to the Royal Household Bureau.
In an official statement, the Royal Household Bureau said medical teams had provided treatment "to the utmost of their abilities" but that the princess's condition continued to deteriorate. The bureau said she passed away peacefully on June 11.
Born in 1978, Princess Bajrakitiyabha was the only child from the king's first marriage and was one of the most prominent members of the Thai royal family. A lawyer by training, she earned advanced legal qualifications, including studies in the United States, and held a range of public positions during her career. She served in Thailand's attorney-general's office, worked as ambassador to Austria and several neighboring European countries, and was active in initiatives supporting female prisoners and legal reform.
The princess also held military rank within the Royal Security Command and represented Thailand in international legal and diplomatic forums. In 2017, she served as a United Nations goodwill ambassador for the rule of law in Southeast Asia, according to official records cited by media reports.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul paid tribute to the princess in a televised address on Friday. "Her commitment to building a society of kindness, justice, and equality will forever remain as a moral legacy for the nation," he said.
The Royal Household Bureau said funeral rites would be conducted with the highest royal honors in accordance with Thai tradition. The princess's remains will lie in state at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, while the government is expected to observe an official mourning period. Details of the full funeral schedule had not been released as of Friday.
