Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati (1978 – 2026)

Their Story

Princess Bajrakitiyabha was the first grandchild of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit, and the eldest child of King Maha Vajiralongkorn from his first marriage. A highly educated lawyer and diplomat, she earned a doctorate from Cornell University, where her dissertation focused on the protection of rights of the accused. She served as Thailand's ambassador to Austria from 2012 to 2014 and held significant positions in the Office of the Attorney General, eventually becoming Chief of Staff of the Royal Security Command with the rank of general. Beyond her governmental roles, she dedicated herself to criminal justice reform and women's rights, founding the "Kamlangjai" (Inspire) project to support incarcerated Thai women, particularly pregnant inmates, in preparing for reintegration into society. 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. After collapsing from a heart condition in December 2022 while exercising her dogs, she spent nearly four years in a coma at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital before her death in June 2026.

Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bajrakitiyabha