Bajrakitiyabha, the eldest daughter of King Rama X, has collapsed while exercising with her dog. She is considered a possible heir to the throne.
The eldest daughter of Thailand’s King Rama X, Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati, 44, has collapsed and entered a coma while exercising with her dog. The cause of her collapse was heart problems, the royal family said.
The princess was preparing her dog for an army dog show in Nakhon Ratchaisma province when she lost consciousness. She was first taken to a hospital in the city of Pak Chong and given first aid, after which she was transferred by helicopter to the “King Chulalongkorn Memorial” hospital in the capital Bangkok. Her condition had “stabilized to a certain extent,” it said. King Rama X and Queen Suthida visited her there on Friday, she wrote Bangkok Post. According to a report by BBC However, there are indications that the princess could be doing much worse than officially announced.
Bajrakitiyabha is the eldest of the king’s seven children from three marriages. Some royal house experts see her as a possible successor, making her the first female monarch on the Thai throne. The 70-year-old Rama X, who has been in office since the death of his father Bhumibol in 2016, has not yet formally named an heir to the throne. Traditionally, Thai line of succession favors male descendants, but a 1974 constitutional amendment allowed a daughter to ascend the throne if no successor was named.
Princess Bajrakitiyabha studied law in the USA and then embarked on a diplomatic career. She worked for the UN and was Thai Ambassador to Austria from 2012 to 2014. For almost two years she has held a leading position in the royal bodyguard.
The absolute monarchy in Thailand has been abolished since 1932. On paper, the king no longer has political power, but in reality his influence is great: governments depend on his favor. The military has ruled since a coup in 2014. Rama X, also known by his name Maha Vajiralongkorn, is known abroad as an eccentric with a dissolute lifestyle. He temporarily resides in a villa on Lake Starnberg.