Princess Bha of Thailand, Second in Line to the Throne, Dies at 47
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati, the eldest child of the Thai king and a potential successor, died at age 47 after being in a coma for three and a half years.
- She had been on life support since December 2022 following a collapse in a park and later suffered an abdominal infection causing low blood pressure and irregular heartbeat.
- Her death adds uncertainty to the Thai royal succession, as King Maha Vajiralongkorn has not publicly named an heir.
- Princess Bajrakitiyabha was considered a possible candidate to become Thailand’s first ruling queen due to her royal lineage.
- She was the only child of the king and his first wife, Princess Soamsawali, who is also the king’s cousin.