Recent announcements made by the Thai Palace and the Bureau of the Royal Household regarding the blood infection of Thai Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol have fueled public speculation about the succession to the throne.
King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand has had a total of four marriages and seven children with his former wives, but only three of his children have royal titles and succession rights, including Princess Bajrakitiyabha.
With her health deteriorating and Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana expressing little interest in the throne, the throne may fall on young Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, who has yet to be officially named heir due to rumored autism and learning difficulties, complicating the succession landscape.
According to East Week -- the sister publication of The Standard -- the 46-year-old Princess Bajrakitiyabha has been unconscious in hospital since falling ill with a heart condition in December 2022 during a military dog training session at Nakhon Ratchasima, north of the capital Bangkok.
The eldest daughter of the king and his first wife and cousin Somsawali Kitiyakon has been using antibiotics and vasopressors along with life support equipment to stabilize blood pressure and prevent infection.
Due to Thailand's constitution allowing women to inherit the throne, along with Bajrakitiyabha's favorable public image and noble lineage, she has long been considered to become Thailand's first future queen.
She has studied criminal law, receiving a Doctor of Juridical Science Degree from Cornell University in May 2005, in which her dissertation focused on the protection of the rights of the accused.
She also holds a Master of Laws Degree from Cornell Law School and a Bachelor of Laws Degree from Thammasat University. In addition to her legal studies, the princess also received a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Sukhothai Thammathirat University.
Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn (C), Queen Suthida (R) and Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol (2nd L) wave to supporters on arrival at the Grand Palace in Bangkok on November 1, 2020. (AFP/File)
The princess has held a number of positions with the United Nations and has campaigned for better treatment of women in prisons. She remains unmarried, but rumors circulate about her love life.
In 1997, the then 20-year-old princess met Taiwanese actor and singer Jimmy Lin Chih-ying at the 70th birthday celebrations of former King Bhumibol Adulyadej when he was performing at the ceremony.
Lin later stated in an interview in 2018 that he was not allowed to look directly at the princess when presenting a record disc to the princess, indirectly denying any romantic involvement.
As for the 20-year-old Prince Dipangkorn, though he is being rumored to be autistic, he was recently seen with a tall, imposing figure when visiting his eldest sister, sparking speculations that he deliberately "played dumb" to navigate palace conflicts.
He has yet to be named heir, possibly due to influence by the Thai military and senior royal family officials, as suggested by analysts, particularly following controversies surrounding his mother, Srirasmi Suwadee, third wife of King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
A nude video of Suwadee dancing in front of the king's dog was leaked in 2009, and it was alleged that her parents had abused their royal connections for fraud, raising concerns about her potential role as "Mother of the Nation."
On the other hand, Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, daughter of the king and his second wife Sujarinee Vivacharawongse, has occasionally participated in royal affairs, but has long stated that she has little interest in the throne, focusing solely on her personal careers such as fashion design and equestrianism.
In comparison, the other four sons of Vivacharawongse were more proactive. Even though they were exiled to the United States along with Vivacharawongse after she was accused of committing adultery in 1996, the former Prince Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse returned to Thailand in August 2023.
While claiming not to be involved in politics, Vacharaesorn frequently travels around the world and participates in public affairs as an "exiled prince." He even divorced his foreign wife, seemingly to comply with Thai law requiring that the royal spouse cannot be a foreigner.
In May this year, Vacharaesorn publicly became a monk in accordance with Thai customs, evidently in an attempt to gain public support. However, he was arrested and deported after a month. His younger brother, Chakriwat, was also deported the following day.
The other two sons of Vivacharawongse, Juthavachara and Vatchrawee, have returned to Thailand several times in recent years, often publicly expressing their desire to mend their father-son relationship with the king. However, their attempts have been met with no response, and they were denied entry in late May.
In addition, Princess Sirivannavari shared a deep bond with Suwadee, as she raised her after Vivacharawongse was exiled.
