Princess Bajrakitiyabha, eldest daughter of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, died at 19:48 local time today at Chulalongkorn Hospital in Bangkok after over three years in a coma [1, 2, 3]. She was 47 years old, born December 7, 1978 [1, 2].
The princess fell unconscious suddenly in December 2022 during military dog training or while walking her dog due to heart complications caused by a mycoplasma infection triggering severe arrhythmia. She never regained consciousness after the incident [1, 3, 4]. Her condition worsened in May 2026 with an abdominal infection from colitis that caused low blood pressure, blood clotting abnormalities, and multiple organ complications before her death [3, 4, 5].
Princess Bajrakitiyabha held advanced legal degrees from Cornell University and had a career as a diplomat and legal reform advocate. She served as Thailand’s ambassador to Austria from 2012 to 2014, working with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime [1, 3, 6]. In 2021, King Vajiralongkorn appointed her commander of the royal private guard and promoted her to general rank [1, 3, 6]. She was known for her work in judicial reform, focusing on harsh drug laws and the conditions of incarcerated women in Thailand [1, 6].
Widely regarded as a prominent and capable member of the royal family, she was considered a leading candidate for succession to the Thai throne [1, 3]. However, traditional succession favors males, and the king, aged 73, has not officially named a successor. The presumed heir is Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, his son by the third wife, though questions remain about his readiness to reign [1, 3, 6].
After her death, the king ordered the highest royal honors for her funeral and arranged for her coffin to lie in state at Bangkok’s Grand Palace [4, 5]. Official statements said doctors provided the closest, most complete care but could not reverse her illness progression, with the royal household noting the medical team "provided the closest and most complete care, but her condition continued to worsen" [1, 4, 7].
