BANGKOK (AP) — Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, widely known as Princess Bha, was the eldest child of Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn. She died Thursday in Bangkok at age 47 after spending more than three years in a coma, ending the life of a royal who was seen as a potential successor to the throne.
The princess, widely known as Princess Bha, collapsed in December 2022 while training dogs in northeastern Thailand. The palace later said she suffered from a severe heart condition and complications that left her in a prolonged coma. She had been receiving treatment at Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital until her death.
Born in 1978, Bajrakitiyabha was the only child from King Vajiralongkorn’s first marriage to Princess Soamsawali. Educated in law at Thammasat University in Bangkok and later at Cornell University in the United States, she built a career as a prosecutor, diplomat and advocate for justice reform. She served as Thailand’s ambassador to Austria and worked with the United Nations on crime prevention and women’s rights.
Her most notable achievement was championing the “Bangkok Rules,” adopted by the UN in 2010, which set international standards for the treatment of women prisoners. She also launched initiatives to support female inmates and reintegration programs, earning respect both at home and abroad.
Princess Bha’s death carries significance beyond Thailand. As the king’s eldest child, she was seen by many as a potential successor in a monarchy that remains central to the country’s political and cultural life. Her passing leaves questions about succession unresolved, as King Vajiralongkorn has not publicly designated an heir.
Funeral rites will follow royal tradition at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, with a period of national mourning expected. For many Thais, her death marks the loss of a royal figure who combined tradition with modern advocacy, and whose international work gave the monarchy a rare global profile.
