Thailand’s Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati has sadly passed away at 47 years old, as confirmed by the royal palace. Renowned as Princess Pa, she was the firstborn of Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn. In December 2022, she was hospitalized after collapsing due to a heart ailment.
Tragically, she succumbed on Thursday, June 11, following a decline in her health caused by an intra-abdominal infection, colitis, low blood pressure, arrhythmias, and blood clotting issues. Born on December 7, 1978, the princess dedicated herself to advocating for the well-being of female inmates and had a distinguished diplomatic career.
Princess Pa pursued a legal education at Cornell University, where she earned both a Master’s and a Doctorate degree. Between 2006 and 2011, she practiced law at the Thai Office of the Attorney-General. From 2012 to 2014, she served as Thailand’s ambassador to Austria, Slovenia, and Slovakia before returning to Bangkok to work at the attorney-general’s office.
Additionally, she established a charitable organization supporting the rights of incarcerated women, especially those who were pregnant while in custody. In 2017, she was appointed as the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice’s goodwill ambassador for the rule of law in Southeast Asia. In 2021, she transitioned to the military, attaining the rank of general and holding the position of chief of staff in the Royal Security Command.
Being one of the king’s three eligible children for the throne, the princess was a key figure in the royal lineage. The palace will conduct ceremonial rites, and a period of national mourning is anticipated by the government.