Thai Princess Bajrakitiyabha dies after more than three

Thai Princess Bajrakitiyabha, who was in a coma for over three years, has died at 47. She was the eldest of King Vajiralongkorn’s seven children, born on 7 December 1978 to his first wife and cousin, Princess Soamsawali. Princess Bajrakitiyabha was a highly accomplished member of the Thai royal family, with a background in law and a career in international relations. She trained as a lawyer, getting two post-graduate degrees from Cornell University in the US, and worked briefly at the Thai mission to the United Nations in New York, before returning to Thailand to work in the Attorney-General’s offices in Bangkok and elsewhere in the country. From 2012 to 2014 she was Thailand’s ambassador to Austria, where she built a relationship with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). She started speaking out on the need for penal reform, with a particular focus on vulnerable women who end up in prison; Thailand has one of the world’s highest numbers of female inmates. In 2021 her father made her a chief of staff in his private bodyguard, giving her the rank of general. Princess Bajrakitiyabha was also a fitness enthusiast who often took part in long-distance runs. Her death may have implications for the future of Thailand’s royal family and its succession. King Vajiralongkorn, who is 73 years old, has not yet named an heir. The question of succession in Thailand is complex, with the royal institution carrying significant influence in the country. The Thai royal family has not publicly discussed the succession, and the severity of the country’s lese majeste law rules out any public discussion of it. The death of Princess Bajrakitiyabha leaves the question of succession in Thailand unanswered.

What happened

Thai Princess Bajrakitiyabha, who was in a coma for over three years, has died at 47. She was the eldest of King Vajiralongkorn’s seven children, born on 7 December 1978 to his first wife and cousin, Princess Soamsawali. Princess Bajrakitiyabha was a highly accomplished member of the Thai royal family, with a background in law and a career in international relations. She trained as a lawyer, getting two post-graduate degrees from Cornell University in the US, and worked briefly at the Thai mission to the United Nations in New York, before returning to Thailand to work in the Attorney-General’s offices in Bangkok and elsewhere in the country. From 2012 to 2014 she was Thailand’s ambassador to Austria, where she built a relationship with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). She started speaking out on the need for penal reform, with a particular focus on vulnerable women who end up in prison; Thailand has one of the world’s highest numbers of female inmates. In 2021 her father made her a chief of staff in his private bodyguard, giving her the rank of general. Princess Bajrakitiyabha was also a fitness enthusiast who often took part in long-distance runs. Her death may have implications for the future of Thailand’s royal family and its succession. King Vajiralongkorn, who is 73 years old, has not yet named an heir. The question of succession in Thailand is complex, with the royal institution carrying significant influence in the country. The Thai royal family has not publicly discussed the succession, and the severity of the country’s lese majeste law rules out any public discussion of it. The death of Princess Bajrakitiyabha leaves the question of succession in Thailand unanswered.

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Source: BBC News

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