Thailand’s Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati has died at the age of 47 after suffering prolonged health complications that left her in a coma for nearly four years.
The Thai royal palace said the princess died on Thursday evening following a deterioration in her condition, which was attributed to a range of medical issues, including infection, colitis, low blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms and blood clotting disorders.
Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the eldest child of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, was hospitalised in December 2022 after collapsing while visiting the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima.
The loss of consciousness was linked to a heart condition, and she was later transported by helicopter to Bangkok for specialised treatment. She remained in a coma from that point until her death.
Widely known as Princess Pa, she played a prominent role in Thailand’s public life, combining royal duties with a legal and diplomatic career.
She studied law at Cornell University, where she completed both a master’s degree and a doctorate. She later worked as an attorney at the Thai Office of the Attorney General between 2006 and 2011.
Her career also took her into diplomacy, serving as Thailand’s ambassador to Austria, Slovenia and Slovakia from 2012 to 2014 before returning to legal work in Bangkok.
Princess Bajrakitiyabha was particularly recognised for her work supporting vulnerable groups, especially female prisoners.
She founded a charitable initiative aimed at improving the rights and conditions of women in custody, including those pregnant while in prison.
In 2017, she was appointed as a goodwill ambassador for the rule of law in Southeast Asia by the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, reflecting her growing international influence.
In addition to her legal and humanitarian work, the princess also held a senior position in the military. In 2021, she joined the army and was promoted to general, later serving as chief of staff of the Royal Security Command.
As one of King Vajiralongkorn’s three formally recognised children, she was considered eligible to succeed to the throne under Thailand’s constitutional framework.
The palace has announced that royal funeral rites will be held, with the government expected to declare a period of national mourning.
Her death comes less than a year after the passing of Thailand’s Queen Mother at the age of 93.
Princess Bajrakitiyabha leaves a legacy defined by public service, legal reform efforts and advocacy for marginalised groups.
China has lodged a formal diplomatic protest with the UK after British border officials allegedly subjected Chinese travellers to lengthy questioni...
Member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) prevented 273 terrorist attacks and more than 3,000 crimes linked to terrorism, separa...
More than 150 people have been killed in a drone strike on a crowded market in the disputed Abyei region, South Sudanese officials said, marking on...
U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for continuing to target Russia's energy infrastructure, while Russian strikes on Kyiv overnight killed at least one person and damaged a metro station.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Norway for talks about the Russia-Ukraine war. He is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who arrived in Oslo earlier. Witkoff will also meet European officials.
French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the violence, looting and vandalism that erupted during cost-of-living protests across France. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu held crisis talks on Monday, calling for partial curfews and raising the possibility of a state of emergency.
An oil tanker caught fire after striking a naval mine in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said late Sunday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said regional issues should be resolved through diplomacy and blamed the United States for insecurity and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, speaking at a joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday.
China has lodged a formal diplomatic protest with the UK after British border officials allegedly subjected Chinese travellers to lengthy questioning and seized personal electronic devices, including phones, laptops and smartwatches.
More than 150 people have been killed in a drone strike on a crowded market in the disputed Abyei region, South Sudanese officials said, marking one of the deadliest attacks linked to Sudan's civil war since it began in April 2023.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Norway for talks about the Russia-Ukraine war. He is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who arrived in Oslo earlier. Witkoff will also meet European officials.
Beijing says it deployed naval forces to monitor a U.S. warship near Sabina Shoal, while Taiwan reports a separate confrontation with a Chinese coast guard vessel near the Pratas Islands.
Tensions are mounting across Asia, with North Korea warning of war, China clashing with the U.S. and the Philippines, and protests gathering pace in Indonesia and India. Military threats, diplomatic disputes and political unrest are fuelling uncertainty across the region.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment