Bajrakitiyabha, Princess Rajasarini Siribajra, was a member of the Chakri dynasty of Thailand. She was the eldest child of King Vajiralongkorn, and the only one born to his first wife Princess Soamsawali. She was born during the reign of her grandfather, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and was his eldest grandchild.
🎓 Education
Bajrakitiyabha studied at the all-girls Rajini School for elementary and junior high school. She moved to England for secondary education at Heathfield School in Ascot, then finished at Chitralada School in Bangkok. She received an LL.B. from Thammasat University and a B.A. in International Relations from Sukhothai Thammatirat University in 2000. She obtained an LL.M. from Cornell Law School in 2002 and a J.S.D. from Cornell University in 2005.
⚖️ Legal Career
In 2002, she was a summer legal intern at Baker McKenzie’s Washington, D.C. office. She worked briefly at the Thai Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York before returning to Thailand. In September 2006, she was appointed Attorney in the Office of the Attorney General in Bangkok, then in Udon Thani Province. From 2012 to 2014, she was the Thai ambassador to Austria. On 3 February 2021, she was transferred to the Royal Security Command as Chief of Staff of The King’s Close Bodyguard Command and bestowed the rank of general.
👑 Succession Speculation
Until her comatose state in 2022, Bajrakitiyabha was considered to be the heir to the Thai throne. The BBC described her as a “pivotal role” in an unclear line of succession. While Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti is the presumptive heir due to male children taking precedence, her public service career caused speculation she was set to hold an important role. She was also speculated to be a potential Regent of Thailand.
🕊️ Advocacy and Projects
The princess was instrumental in prodding the Thai government to submit a resolution on women’s vulnerability in prison, leading to the UN adoption of the “Bangkok Rules”. She ran the “Kamlangjai” project reaching out to incarcerated Thai women, including pregnant inmates and their babies. She also worked on “Enhancing lives of Female Inmates” (ELFI), proposing new rules for treatment of women prisoners. Because of her Kamlangjai project, she was noted as an influential legal advocate and became popular among the Thai public.
🏥 Illness and Death
On 14 December 2022, she collapsed while walking her dogs due to a severely irregular heartbeat caused by a mycoplasma infection. She was taken to Pak Chong Nana Hospital then transferred to King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. In August 2025, she was diagnosed with a severe bloodstream infection and was still supported by equipment for lung and kidney functions. In May 2026, she developed a stomach infection causing her blood pressure to drop. She died on 11 June 2026 at 7:48 pm local time at age 47.
📊 Key Facts Table
| Category | Detail | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | Born to King Vajiralongkorn and Princess Soamsawali | 7 December 1978 | Amphorn Sathan Residential Hall, Dusit Palace, Bangkok |
| Education | LL.B., B.A., LL.M., J.S.D. | 2000–2005 | Thammasat, Sukhothai Thammatirat, Cornell |
| Career | Attorney, Ambassador, Chief of Staff | 2006–2021 | Thailand, Austria, UN New York |
| Death | Collapsed from heart condition, died from complications | 11 June 2026 | King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok |