Princess Bha, regarded by many as a possible successor to the Thai throne, died on Thursday in a Bangkok hospital. She was 47 years old, and her passing follows a prolonged coma lasting three and a half years.
She was placed on life support in December 2022. While running with her dogs in a park in northern Thailand, she collapsed. In May, the royal palace revealed that she had an abdominal infection that led to low blood pressure and an irregular heartbeat.
The question of succession in Thailand is now more complex. King Maha Vajiralongkorn, aged 73, has not officially appointed an heir. The king had seven children, but Princess Bha, whose full name was Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati, was the only child of his first wife, Princess Soamsawali, who is also related to the king.
The king, known for a life filled with controversy, married four times and has seven children. He disowned four sons from a relationship with actress Sujarinee Vivacharawongse starting in 1979.
Succession is not automatic in Thailand. The monarch can appoint his successor, and the Thai constitution allows the privy council to choose an heir if there is no appointed successor.
The passing of Princess Bha complicates the ongoing speculation about the future of the Thai monarchy, as many saw her as a promising candidate for Thailand’s first ruling queen due to her lineage and close ties to the royal family.
Leave a Reply