Bangkok, June 13: Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendra Debyawati (47), the eldest of the Thai royal family, has passed away in Bangkok.
She had been in a coma for more than three years and breathed her last at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital after failing to respond to treatment, the Royal Bureau of the Royal Family officially announced.
Following the news of the princess’s death, Thailand was in deep mourning, and the debate over who would be the next heir to the royal family has come to the forefront globally.
In December 2022, the princess suddenly collapsed while exercising with her pet dogs. She was unconscious due to a severe heart rhythm disorder caused by a mycoplasma infection in her heart. Later, despite intensive treatment by doctors, she did not regain consciousness.
The royal family said in a statement, “The medical team provided the best and most intensive treatment possible. However, her health condition gradually deteriorated.”
Known as the ‘Lawyer Princess’:
Bajrakitiyabha, who was popularly known as the “Lawyer Princess” in Thailand, earned a doctorate in law from Cornell University in the US. She also served as a lawyer in Thailand.
After working at Thailand’s United Nations Mission in New York, she returned to the country to serve in the Attorney General’s Office. She also served as Thailand’s ambassador to Austria from 2012 to 2014.
She was particularly interested in the welfare of female prisoners, prison reform and social rehabilitation. She launched the ‘Kamlongjai’ project to improve the lives of female prisoners. As a result of her efforts, the United Nations adopted the ‘Bangkok Rules’ on the rights of women prisoners.
The question of succession is back in the spotlight
In 2021, King Vajiralongkorn appointed Bajrakitiyabha as the head of his private security force. In 2025, while still in the hospital, she was appointed deputy commander of the king’s personal security command.
Her name has been discussed many times as a future heir due to her administrative ability and the king’s trust. However, the King of Thailand has not yet announced an official heir.
Funeral with royal honors
Princess Bajrakitiyabha’s body is being kept at the Piman Ratthaya Throne Hall in the Grand Palace complex in Bangkok, and funeral rites will be held with the highest royal honors.
With the death of the princess, the Thai royal family has lost one of its most influential and popular members, and the question of succession to the country’s throne has once again become the focus of debate.