Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha presided over the opening ceremony of the ELFI project exhibition at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, October 6, 2010. (Government of Thailand/Wikimedia)
The Thai Royal Government announced the death of Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati on June 12, as Thailand enters a period of national mourning. The eldest daughter of King Maha Vajiralongkorn or Rama X passed away at the age of 47 after spending nearly four years in a coma.
The princess, widely known as Princess Pa, had remained unconscious since December 2022 after collapsing while carrying out official duties in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima. The incident was later attributed to a serious heart condition. She was airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in Bangkok, where she received continuous specialist care.
According to a statement from the royal palace, Princess Bajrakitiyabha died on June 11 following a significant deterioration in her health. In recent days, she had been suffering from a combination of severe medical complications, including an intra-abdominal infection, colitis, low blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmias and disorders affecting blood clotting.
The palace announced that her body will lie in state at Bangkok’s Grand Palace, allowing members of the royal family and the public to pay their respects. Funeral rites will be conducted with the highest royal honours in accordance with longstanding Thai tradition. The Thai government has declared a 15-day period of national mourning to mark her passing, with flags flown at half-mast nationwide.
Born on December 7, 1978, Princess Bajrakitiyabha was the first child of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his first wife, Princess Soamsawali. As the eldest of the King’s seven children, she was one of the most prominent members of the Thai royal family and carried out a wide range of public duties throughout her career.
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