Thailand's Princess Bajrakitiyabha, King's eldest daughter, dies after long illness

Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the eldest daughter of King Vajiralongkorn of Thailand, has passed away at the age of 47. Known affectionately as "Bha," she died on Thursday afternoon at Chulalongkorn Hospital, where she had been admitted for over three years.

The Royal Household announced her death, citing a "progressive deterioration in her health due to an abdominal infection." The King has issued a decree for the Royal Household to organize funeral rites with the highest honors, and her remains will be transferred to the Grand Palace in Bangkok.

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The King has issued a decree in which he instructs the Royal Household to organize the funeral with the highest honors.

Princess Bajrakitiyabha first lost consciousness in December 2022 while training her dogs. Official explanations at the time pointed to a mycoplasma bacteria infection that caused heart inflammation and severe cardiac rhythm disturbances. In May, after 41 months of hospitalization, the Royal Household reported she was being treated for a severe intestinal infection.

Born in 1978, she was the only child from the King's first marriage. Following her father's ascension to the throne in 2016, she took on a more prominent role, leading to speculation about her potential as the heir to the throne. A law graduate from the University of Chicago, she also served as Thailand's ambassador to Austria and held various representative roles at the United Nations.

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Despite the meticulous and constant attention from the medical team, her condition progressively worsened until Thursday, June 11, at 7:48 p.m. (12:48 GMT), when she passed away.