Thai Princess known for charity work dies aged 47 as Royal Palace issues statement
Princess Bajrakitiyabha, known as Princess Pa, was the eldest daughter of Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn and died on Thursday, June 11, after her condition deteriorated due to an intra-abdominal infection and other complications
Princess Bajrakitiyabha greets royalist supporters outside the Grand Palace in Bangkok on November 1, 2020 in Bangkok, Thailand(Image: Getty Images)
Thailand’s Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati has died at the age of 47, the royal palace has confirmed.
The princess, affectionately referred to as Princess Pa, was the eldest daughter of Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn. She was admitted to hospital in December 2022 after collapsing due to a heart condition.
She passed away on Thursday evening, June 11, following complications from an intra-abdominal infection, colitis, low blood pressure, arrhythmias and blood clotting disorders, according to the official statement.
Born on December 7, 1978, the princess dedicated much of her life to championing the welfare of female inmates and forged a distinguished diplomatic career.
Princess Pa pursued legal studies at Cornell University, earning both a Master’s degree and a Doctorate. Between 2006 and 2011, she served as a barrister within Thailand’s Attorney-General’s Office.
From 2012 to 2014, she held the position of Thailand’s envoy to Austria, Slovenia and Slovakia.
She subsequently returned to Thailand to take up a position within the attorney-general’s department in Bangkok.
The princess established a charitable organisation dedicated to advocating for women prisoners’ rights, with particular focus on expectant mothers behind bars.
In 2017, Bajrakitiyabha received appointment as goodwill ambassador for the rule of law in Southeast Asia by the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. In 2021, she made a move to the army where she was honoured with the rank of a general and took on the role of chief of staff in the Royal Security Command.
The princess was among the three children of the king who are constitutionally eligible for ascension to the throne.
Royal funeral rites will be conducted by the palace, and it is anticipated that the government will announce a period of national mourning.
