Thailand’s Princess Bajrakitiyabha dies at 47 after prolonged coma
Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, the eldest child of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, passed away at age 47 following four years in a coma caused by heart complications and subsequent infections.
The palace announced that Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, 47, died after nearly four years in a coma. The princess had been hospitalized in December 2022 when she fell seriously ill with heart problems while training her dogs. In early May, palace officials said her condition deteriorated due to multiple organ infections and an irregular heart rate that doctors could not stabilize. Earlier in April, a stomach infection was identified, leading to intestinal inflammation, a drop in blood pressure and an irregular heartbeat; her kidney function and breathing were supported by medical equipment.
Born in 1978 to then-Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn and Princess Soamsawali, Bajrakitiyabha earned several academic degrees, including a doctorate from Cornell University. She served as Thailand’s ambassador to Austria, worked in the attorney general’s office, the royal security command, and acted as a goodwill ambassador to the United Nations office on drugs and crime, where she advocated for the rights of female prisoners.
Her death occurs amid ongoing sensitivities surrounding succession in Thailand, where public commentary on the monarchy is restricted by strict lese-majesty laws. The king has four marriages and seven children; Bajrakitiyabha was one of three children to retain a royal title, alongside Princess Sirivannavari and Prince Dipangkorn.
