Death of Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol After Long Period of Unconsciousness

巴姬拉吉緹雅公主長期昏迷後逝世

Jun 12, 2026, 11:28

Introduction

The Bureau of the Royal Household has announced that Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol has passed away at the age of 47, after spending three years in the hospital.

王室辦事處宣布，巴姬拉吉緹雅公主在住院三年後，於 47 歲時逝世。

Main Body

The Princess, who was the eldest child of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, died at 19:48 local time on June 11, 2026, at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. Her health began to decline in December 2022, when she lost consciousness during dog training in Nakhon Ratchasima. Doctors initially identified a heart condition and a bacterial infection. Over time, her condition worsened as she suffered from multiple organ failures, which required the use of machines to support her breathing and kidney functions.

這位公主是國王瑪哈·哇集拉隆功的長女，於 2026 年 6 月 11 日當地時間 19:48 在朱拉隆กรณ์國王紀念醫院逝世。她的健康狀況於 2022 年 12 月開始惡化，當時她在那 Khorat 訓練狗時突然失去意識。醫生最初診斷為心臟問題與細菌感染。隨著時間推移，她的情況日益嚴重，陷入多器官衰竭，需要依靠機器維持呼吸與腎功能。

Professionally, the Princess had a successful career as a legal expert and diplomat. After earning a doctorate in law from Cornell University, she worked as a public prosecutor and served as Thailand's ambassador to Austria, Slovenia, and Slovakia between 2012 and 2014. She was particularly well-known for her work in prison reform, where she started the 'Kamlangjai' project to help female prisoners. Furthermore, she played a key role in the 2010 adoption of the 'Bangkok Rules' by the United Nations and held a high rank as chief of staff in the Royal Security Command.

在專業領域，公主是一位成功的法律專家與外交官。在康奈爾大學獲得法學博士學位後，她曾擔任檢察官，並於 2012 年至 2014 年間擔任泰國駐奧地利、斯洛維尼亞及斯洛伐克大使。她最為人熟知的是其在監獄改革方面的工作，發起了「Kamlangjai」計畫以幫助女性囚犯。此外，她在 2010 年聯合國通過《曼谷規則》中扮演了關鍵角色，並在皇家安全司令部擔任參謀長，擁有極高地位。

Regarding the royal succession, the Princess's death removes a person who was often seen by analysts as a strong candidate to become the next ruler or regent. Although the law allows women to take the throne, traditional customs usually favor male heirs, making Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti the likely successor. However, the King has not officially named an heir, and strict laws prevent the public from discussing this topic. International organizations, including the Indian Embassy, have expressed their condolences and praised her diplomatic achievements.

關於王位繼承，公主的逝世使一位經常被分析師視為強有力繼承人或攝政候選人的人選不再。雖然法律允許女性登基，但傳統習俗通常傾向於男性繼承人，使得迪龐恭王子成為最可能的繼承人。然而，國王尚未正式指定繼承人，且嚴格的法律禁止公眾討論此話題。包括印度大使館在內的國際組織均表示哀悼，並讚揚她的外交成就。

Conclusion

The Princess will lie in state at the Grand Palace, where royal funeral services will be held with the highest honors.

公主將在大宮殿停靈，屆時將舉行最高規格的皇家葬禮。

Vocabulary Learning

🚀 The 'Professional Bridge': Moving from Basic to Sophisticated Descriptions

At the A2 level, we usually describe people using simple verbs: "She was a lawyer" or "She worked in a hospital." To reach B2, you need to describe roles, achievements, and statuses using more precise academic language.

🔍 The Linguistic Shift

Look at how the article describes the Princess. Instead of saying "she had a good job," it uses specific B2-level collocations (words that naturally go together):

"Successful career as a..." $\rightarrow$ (Don't just say "good job")
"Played a key role in..." $\rightarrow$ (Don't just say "helped with")
"Expressed their condolences" $\rightarrow$ (Don't just say "said sorry")

🛠️ Practical Application: The "Power-Up" Table

If you want to sound like a B2 speaker, swap your A2 words for these structures found in the text:

A2 (Simple)	B2 (Professional/Academic)	Example from Text
Important part	Key role	"...played a key role in the 2010 adoption..."
Strong/Good	Successful	"...had a successful career..."
Likely/Maybe	Likely successor	"...making Prince Dipangkorn the likely successor."
Started	Identified / Initiated	"Doctors initially identified a heart condition."

💡 Pro Tip: The "Passive" Transition

Notice the sentence: "The Princess will lie in state... where royal funeral services will be held."

An A2 student says: "They will hold a funeral."

A B2 student says: "Services will be held."

Why? In professional English, we often focus on the event rather than the person doing it. This is called the Passive Voice, and it is a hallmark of the B2 level.

Vocabulary Learning

unconsciousness (n.)

A state of being unaware of one's surroundings, typically as a result of a medical emergency.

Example:The patient remained in a state of unconsciousness for several days after the accident.

decline (v.)

To become smaller, fewer, or worse in quality or health.

Example:His health began to decline rapidly after he stopped taking his medication.

prosecutor (n.)

A lawyer who conducts the case against a person or organization accused of a crime in a court of law.

Example:The public prosecutor presented strong evidence to prove the defendant's guilt.

reform (n.)

The improvement or modification of what is wrong, corrupt, or unsatisfactory.

Example:The government is planning a major prison reform to improve the living conditions of inmates.

succession (n.)

The process of inheriting a title, office, or property.

Example:The royal succession is strictly governed by laws regarding the order of heirs.

regent (n.)

A person appointed to administer a state because the monarch is a minor, absent, or incapacitated.

Example:The Queen Mother served as regent while the young King was still a child.

condolences (n.)

An expression of sympathy, especially on the occasion of a death.

Example:We sent a letter of condolences to the family after hearing the sad news.

lie in state (v. phrase)

To be placed in a coffin in a public place for people to visit and pay their respects before burial.

Example:The late president will lie in state at the capital building for three days.

Practice B2 words in a crossword→