According to a statement from the Thai Royal Household, Princess Bajrakitiyabha died at 7:48 p.m. on 11/6 at Chulalongkorn Hospital in Bangkok. The Royal Family stated that the medical team applied the most intensive treatment and care possible, but her condition continued to worsen due to complications from an abdominal infection.

Princess Bajrakitiyabha suffered a stroke in December 2022 while training her dogs for an army competition. Doctors determined the cause was a severe arrhythmia resulting from a bacterial infection in her heart. She had been in a coma since then.

Her passing is a significant loss for the Thai Royal Family, as the princess was one of the most accomplished members of the royal family and was considered a potential key figure in succession matters.

Thai people pray for Princess Bajrakitiyabha at Chulalongkorn Hospital on 16/12/2022, shortly after she fell into a coma. Photo: AFP

Born on 7/12/1978, Bajrakitiyabha was the eldest of King Maha Vajiralongkorn's 7 children. She was his only child with his first wife, Princess Soamsawali.

Princess Bajrakitiyabha trained in law, earning two postgraduate degrees from Cornell University in the US. After a brief period working for the Thai mission to the United Nations in New York, she returned to Thailand to work at the Office of the Attorney General in Bangkok and various other localities.

From 2012 to 2014, Bajrakitiyabha served as Thailand's Ambassador to Austria. During this time, she established cooperative relationships with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and promoted prison system reforms, with particular focus on vulnerable women serving sentences.

After returning to Thailand, she became UNODC's Goodwill Ambassador for the Rule of Law in Southeast Asia and continued to advocate for criminal justice system reform. In 2021, King Vajiralongkorn appointed her chief of staff of his personal guard, holding the rank of general.

Beyond her career in government, the princess was also known as a sports enthusiast, often participating in long-distance runs.

The issue of succession in Thailand has long been a subject of interest, as King Vajiralongkorn, 73 years old, has not yet named an heir. Traditionally, the successor is male, although the 1974 amended constitution allows women to ascend the throne.

Thanh Danh (AFP, BBC)