Asia12 June, 20262 min read
Thailand’s Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol Dies At 47 After Nearly Four Years In Coma
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Bajrakitiyabha died at 47 after more than three years in a coma. She was the eldest daughter of King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
Princess Bha Dies
Thailand’s Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, known as Princess Bha, died this Thursday at the age of 47 after almost four years in a coma. The royal household said Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati died “this Thursday at the age of 47,” after a heart problem linked to a bacterium that caused multiple infections in various organs.
BBC reported she “passed away at 19:48 local time (12:48 GMT) the previous day in Chulalongkorn Hospital,” after collapsing in December 2022 while exercising her dogs. The BBC said her doctors attributed the collapse to a severely irregular heartbeat caused by a mycoplasma infection in her heart, and the palace said the medical team provided “the closest and most intensive care possible” as her condition continued to decline progressively.
Succession Questions
Princess Bha had been widely treated as a key figure in the Thai succession, with People noting she was believed to be her father’s presumptive heir before her hospitalization in December 2022. People said King Vajiralongkorn “never officially named a successor,” and that her death left questions about who may step into the role after the 73-year-old monarch.
The BBC described her as “the eldest of King Vajiralongkorn's seven children,” and said her death leaves the question of succession “unanswered, and the severity of the country's lese majeste law rules out any public discussion of it.” The Guardian said criticism of the royal family can lead to up to 15 years in prison on a single charge, and it said Bajrakitiyabha was considered by many analysts to be a well-suited heir though this has never been addressed officially.
Legacy and Impact
Beyond succession, multiple outlets highlighted Princess Bha’s work on legal and humanitarian issues, including her advocacy for the rights of women prisoners and her role connected to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. Diari ARA said she pressured the Thai government to present a resolution to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, and it quoted UN Office on Drugs and Crime senior official Jeremy Douglas saying, “She dedicated a large part of her time to a task she didn't have to do.”
Town & Country said the palace stated “The medical team provided the closest and most intensive care possible, but her condition continued to decline progressively,” and it described her as having a PhD in law from Cornell University and serving as Thailand’s ambassador to Austria. The BBC said she started speaking out on penal reform with a focus on vulnerable women who end up in prison, and it noted Thailand has one of the world’s highest numbers of female inmates, while her death removed “the most visibly accomplished member” of the royal family.