JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has sent a cable of condolences to Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn following the death of Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
King Salman extended his deepest condolences and sincere sympathies to the Thai monarch, the royal family and the people of Thailand. Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman sent a similar message.
Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the eldest child of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and a prominent lawyer and diplomat, died on Thursday at the age of 47, according to Thailand’s Bureau of the Royal Household.
She had been receiving treatment at a Bangkok hospital since December 2022 after collapsing while training dogs for an army exhibition. At the time, Thai authorities said she suffered from a mycoplasma infection, a bacterial illness commonly associated with pneumonia.
The princess was widely respected for her work on legal and criminal justice reform. She led initiatives aimed at improving conditions for female prisoners and supporting their rehabilitation and reintegration into society through her “Kamlangjai” (“Inspire”) project.
A graduate of Thailand’s Thammasat University and Cornell University in the US, she served as a public prosecutor, worked at Thailand’s mission to the UN in New York and later served as Thailand’s ambassador to Austria from 2012 to 2014.
The princess was also a goodwill ambassador for the UN’s Office on Drugs and Crime and played a key role in promoting the organization’s “Bangkok Rules,” which set international standards for the treatment of women prisoners and non-custodial measures for female offenders.
In a televised address, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul described the princess as “a pride of Thailand,” saying her dedication to justice, equality and social welfare would remain a lasting legacy for future generations.
