Thai Princess Dies After Three Years in a Coma, Kingdom Enters Mourning

Thailand’s Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the eldest daughter of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and heir to the Chakri dynasty, died on Thursday evening at the age of 47, the palace announced Friday morning. She had been in a coma for more than three years after collapsing in December 2022 while training her dogs for a national competition.

According to earlier reports, she lost consciousness after her lungs, kidneys and heart failed. At the time, she was 44. Since then, she had remained under close medical supervision, although it was clear she would not wake up. Over the years, rumors and conspiracy theories circulated online claiming she had already died and the monarchy was hiding it, but those claims were never verified.

The palace said her condition worsened because of an intra-abdominal infection, colon inflammation, low blood pressure, arrhythmia and blood-clotting problems. Her death is expected to trigger at least 30 days of mourning in Thailand.

Thailand has marked similar losses with major mourning measures before. When the king died in 2016, the country declared 30 days of mourning, and when his sister died eight years earlier, the mourning period lasted 100 days. Such events have disrupted tourism, with ceremonies in major cities and cancellations of parties and celebrations. After the queen died in 2025, the government ordered flags lowered to half-staff for 30 days, asked state workers to observe a year of mourning, and urged entertainment venues to reduce or stop performances for 30 days out of respect.