Thailand’s Princess Bajrakitiyabha dies aged 47 after years in a coma | Thailand
The palace announced that the eldest child of Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn died at the age of 47 after being in a coma for nearly four years.
Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, known as Princess Bha in Thailand, had been in hospital since December 2022 when she became seriously ill after suffering heart problems while training her dogs.
There have been few updates on his health since he was hospitalized, but in early May the palace had stated that his medical condition had deteriorated due to multiple infections in various organs and that doctors were unable to stabilize his irregular heart rate.
In April, doctors discovered a stomach infection that caused inflammation in his intestines, causing his blood pressure to drop and his heartbeat to become irregular. Palace statements stated that his kidney function and breathing were supported by medical equipment.
Born in 1978 to then-Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn and his wife and cousin Princess Soamsawali, Bajrakitiyabha held several degrees, including a doctorate from Cornell University. He served as ambassador to Austria, attorney general and royal security commander, and as a goodwill ambassador at the UN office on drugs and crime. Bajrakitiyabha also campaigned for the rights of women prisoners.
His death will raise questions about succession; This is a sensitive issue in Thailand, where public discussion of the monarchy is limited by a strict majesty law. Criticism of the royal family can result in up to 15 years in prison on a single charge.
Bajrakitiyabha was considered by many analysts as the most suitable heir to the throne, but this issue was never officially addressed.
The king has been married four times and has seven children. Bajrakitiyabha was one of three children with royal titles, along with 38-year-old Princess Sirivannavari and 20-year-old Prince Dipangkorn.
Some have speculated that Bajrakitiyabha may have acted as regent for Dipangkorn, who reportedly had learning disabilities, or may have become queen herself. Thailand has never had a ruling queen.
Vajiralongkorn’s four other sons have been living abroad since the mid-1990s after he publicly announced his divorce from their mother, former actor Sujarinee, accusing her of adultery. Their sister, Princess Sirivannavari, was returned to Thailand and raised as a member of the royal family.
Their estranged sons traveled to Thailand for the first time in decades in 2023 and made several visits to the country until claiming they were denied entry to Thailand in 2025.
The king divorced Bajrakitiyabha’s mother in 1991, but she retains her royal title and is a prominent member of the monarchy. Dipangkorn’s mother, Srirasmi Suwadee, was stripped of her royal title after her family was accused of corruption.
