Princess Bha Dies in Thailand — Succession Question Remains Open. Princess Bha, the eldest daughter of the King of Thailand, has passed away in Bangkok. She had been in a coma since 2022. Her death has heightened uncertainty about the future of the monarchy.
In Thailand, Princess Bha, the eldest daughter of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, has died at the age of 47. Her death at a Bangkok hospital was confirmed by the royal family. The princess had been in a coma since December 2022 after collapsing during a run in a northern park. Doctors diagnosed her with a severe abdominal infection that led to a sharp drop in blood pressure and cardiac arrhythmia.
Princess Bha's passing has intensified the question of Thailand's royal succession. King Maha Vajiralongkorn, now 73, has not formally named an heir. Princess Bha was considered a possible successor due to her lineage: she was the only daughter of the king and his first wife, Princess Soamsawali, who is also his cousin. Had she been appointed, she could have become the country's first female monarch.
The situation is complicated by the fact that the king has been married four times and has seven children; however, four sons from his second marriage were officially stripped of their titles and removed from the royal family. Among the remaining contenders are Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, son from his third wife Srirasmi Suwadee, and Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, daughter from his second marriage, who retained her title. In 2019, the king granted these three new titles, allowing them to be considered potential heirs.
The death of Princess Bha occurred amid growing discontent with the monarchy among Thailand's youth. In recent years, the country has seen mass protests demanding reforms and a relaxation of the lèse-majesté law, which prohibits criticism of the royal family. Against the backdrop of scandals related to the king's personal life, Princess Bha was perceived as a figure capable of restoring respect for the dynasty. She was unmarried and not involved in public scandals, and her career included work as a diplomat at the UN and as ambassador to Austria, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
Princess Bha was actively involved in women's rights issues in prisons and initiated the adoption of the so-called 'Bangkok Rules' at the United Nations—international standards for the treatment of female prisoners. She also oversaw projects to support incarcerated mothers and advocated for humane treatment of prisoners in Southeast Asian countries.
After her sudden hospitalization in 2022, rumors about possible new candidates for the throne intensified in Thailand. In 2023, two of the king’s sons, who had previously been stripped of their titles and lived in the United States, briefly returned to the country but soon left again. Princess Bha was born on December 7, 1978, studied in England and the United States, earned a law degree, and worked at the Thai prosecutor’s office.
According to open sources, Thailand is one of the few monarchies where the king can independently appoint an heir, and in the absence of a direct instruction, this issue is decided by the Privy Council. The death of Princess Bha has left the monarchy without an obvious successor, which could affect the country's political stability. The princess outlived her parents and six half-brothers and sisters.
