Thailand's Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati, the eldest child of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, passed away on Thursday evening after nearly four years in a coma and multiple health complications, the royal palace announced. She was 47 years old.
Health Decline
The princess was hospitalized in December 2022 after suddenly losing consciousness due to a heart condition while visiting Nakhon Ratchasima province. She was airlifted to Bangkok for treatment. The palace reported that her condition deteriorated due to an intra-abdominal infection, colitis, low blood pressure, arrhythmias, and blood-clotting disorders.
A Life of Quiet Service
Known affectionately as Princess Bha, she studied law at Cornell University, earning a master's degree and a doctorate. During her studies, she visited the Central Women's Correctional Institution and observed inadequate hygiene, lack of support for pregnancy and childcare, and other gender-specific deficiencies. Deeply moved, she launched the Kamalangjai (Inspire) Project to support pregnant women and young children living with incarcerated mothers.
"Women in prison are a vulnerable group that often receives inadequate care. The quality of justice is not about imprisoning but about making offenders better and more responsible people," she said.
The Bangkok Rules
After law school, she worked as an attorney in the Thai Office of the Attorney-General from 2006 to 2011. Her advocacy led to the UN's adoption of the Bangkok Rules in 2010, the world's first set of rules for the treatment of women prisoners and non-custodial measures for women offenders. The rules were named after the city, not the princess, reflecting her preference for impact over attribution.
Advocacy for Rule of Law
Princess Bha was a staunch advocate for the rule of law, a notable stance given Thailand's strict lèse-majesté law. "Society cannot grow without stability and justice. The rule of law is a pillar for development, economic growth, and human rights," she told the AP in 2013.
She served as Thailand's ambassador to Austria from 2012 to 2014 and later focused on criminal justice issues. In 2017, she was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the rule of law in Southeast Asia by the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.
Legacy
The princess believed in equal justice and proposed a rule-of-law goal for the UN's 2016-2030 agenda: "Equal justice—effective, efficient, and transparent justice systems for all." In an era of performative activism, she dedicated her life to quiet, impactful service. As the world mourns her death, it also honors the architect of one of the 21st century's most important human rights frameworks.
