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Thailand

Princess Bajrakitiyabha remains hospitalised – what we know

Thailand’s Princess Bajrakitiyabha remains in a Bangkok hospital after a heart problem placed her there in mid-December.

The Thai Royal Palace revealed that the 44-year-old royal, who is widely assumed to be the heir to the throne, lost consciousness while training her dogs in northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima province on 14 December.

She was treated at a local hospital before being transferred to Chulalongkorn Hospital in Bangkok, where the palace said she was in stable condition, on 15 December.

On 11 January, the Royal Palace released an update on the Princess, saying she remained unconscious and was being treated for a severe heart arrhythmia.

The statement also said: “Doctors continue to provide medicine and use equipment to support the functions of the heart, lung and kidney as well as using antibiotics while monitoring her condition closely.”

Since then, there have been no official updates from the Thai Royal Family, but we know that Bajrakitiyabha remains in hospital with equipment supporting her vital organs.

Andrew MacGregor Marshall, a reporter specialising in the Thai royals, first reported the health issues of the royal and has said his sources say Bajrakitiyabha’s outlook is grim, going as far as to report that the Princess is brain dead.

Until the Royal Palace makes a statement, we cannot know for sure Princess Bajrakitiyabha’s condition, but it is uncertain when another health update will come. The Princess is going on two and half months unconscious at Chulalongkorn Hospital, and the last official statement from Thailand was a month and a half ago.

Princess Bajrakitiyabha is the eldest child of King Rama X with his first wife, Princess Soamsawali. She has served as the Thai ambassador to Austria and held several legal positions, including working in the Office of the Attorney General and the Royal Security Command.

She is not married and has no children.

About author

Brittani is from Tennessee, USA. She is a political scientist and historian after graduating with a degree in the topics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in December 2014. She also holds a master's degree from Northeastern University. She enjoys reading and researching all things regarding the royals of the world. She's been researching, reading, and writing on royalty for over a decade. She became Europe Editor in October 2016, and then Deputy Editor in January 2019, and has been featured on several podcasts, radio shows, news broadcasts and websites including Global News Canada, ABC News Australia, WION India and BBC World News.