Bangkok: Large crowds gathered at the Grand Palace's Sahathai Samakhom Pavilion to pay tribute and sign books of condolence for Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendiradebyavati, who passed away on June 11, 2026, at the age of 47.
According to Thai News Agency, the venue opened to the public on Sunday, drawing mourners from across the country throughout the day. Among those paying respects were the Chief of Defence Forces, the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, civil servants, and representatives from corporate and charitable organizations.
The Bureau of the Royal Household announced that the pavilion will remain open for condolence signings from June 14 to 16, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. To accommodate the public mourning and funeral rites, the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha are closed to tourists from June 13 to 19, and government flags nationwide have been ordered to fly at half-mast for 15 days.
The Princess, the eldest child of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn, had been hospitalized under intensive care since collapsing from a severely irregular heartbeat in December 2022. The palace stated that despite continuous medical treatment, her condition deteriorated following a recent infection. A Cornell Law graduate and former diplomat, she was widely respected for her advocacy of judicial reform and women's prison welfare.