Thailand's Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the eldest daughter of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, has died at the age of 47 after a prolonged illness, the royal palace announced in a statement on Friday.

The princess had been in a coma for over three years after collapsing due to a heart condition during a visit to the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima in December 2022. She was airlifted to a hospital in Bangkok and never regained consciousness.

According to the palace, she suffered from an abdominal infection and her condition continued to worsen. She passed away peacefully on Thursday evening.

Popularly known as Princess Bha, she was the only child from the king's first marriage to Princess Soamsawali. Born on December 7, 1978, she was a prominent figure in Thai public life.

Princess Bajrakitiyabha had a distinguished career as a prosecutor and diplomat. She earned a master's degree in law from Cornell University in the United States and worked on justice reform, focusing on the rehabilitation of incarcerated women.

She also served as a United Nations honorary goodwill ambassador for women and the Office on Drugs and Crime, and was Thailand's ambassador to Austria from 2012 to 2014.

Source: www.dw.com