Mourners line Bangkok streets to pay respects to Thailand’s Princess Bha | Thailand

Princess Bajrakitiyabha of Thailand died Thursday evening at age 47 after spending nearly four years in a coma, according to reports from The Guardian. Her body returned to the Grand Palace in a royal procession on Saturday, accompanied by her father, the King, as thousands of mourners gathered in Bangkok to pay their respects.

How was Princess Bajrakitiyabha’s return to the Grand Palace marked?

A royal funeral procession of flashing motorcycles and cars carried the princess’s body through Bangkok’s city centre on Saturday afternoon, according to The Guardian. The procession featured the princess in a silver van, followed by the King in a cream-coloured car.

Thousands of Thai citizens dressed in black lined the streets for kilometres. Nurses from the hospital where the princess had been treated bowed prostrate as the motorcade passed. Official representatives wore white suits with black armbands and saluted the passing remains.

Mourners waited for hours in hot and humid conditions, using umbrellas and fans to cope with the heat. Many remained seated on sidewalks, silently bowing their heads in grief, with some witnesses reporting they were in tears.

What was the legacy of Princess Bajrakitiyabha’s public work?

Princess Bajrakitiyabha, known as “Princess Bha,” combined a legal background with various official roles, including serving as an ambassador to Austria and a member of the royal security command, according to The Guardian.

She’s most remembered by the public for her advocacy for underprivileged citizens and female prisoners. One mourner, identified as Anchalee, told The Guardian that the princess and her team responded immediately to help victims of natural disasters.

Local media reports indicate the princess and her mother personally delivered medicine and cooked meals to stranded residents during the devastating 1995 Bangkok floods. This experience led her to found the “Friends in Need (of ‘Pa’)” project under the Thai Red Cross Society in October 1995.

The project focused on providing evacuation tools and frontline services to help disaster victims escape poverty. In northern Thailand, specifically Chiang Mai, the project provided critical support to underprivileged populations, as noted by mourner Wanida Lainun.

What are the next steps in the royal funeral rites?

The funeral process began with a Buddhist bathing ceremony at the Grand Palace, where the King invited the public to participate. This ritual involves pouring holy water into a ceremonial bowl placed before a portrait of the deceased.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul led the Thai cabinet in performing this rite. Following a 15-day royal merit-making ceremony involving Buddhist monastic chanting, the public will be allowed to pay their respects to the royal remains at the Grand Palace’s throne hall starting June 27.

A specific date for the princess’s cremation ceremony hasn’t been announced yet.

How does this compare to previous Thai royal funerals?

The current proceedings follow a pattern of elaborate royal mourning seen in previous decades. According to The Guardian, when King Bhumibol Adulyadej died in October 2016, his body lay in state for more than a year before the final royal cremation ceremony.

While the timeline for Princess Bajrakitiyabha’s cremation remains undecided, the use of Buddhist rituals and the involvement of the broader public in merit-making ceremonies mirror the protocols established during the 2016 transition.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Princess Bajrakitiyabha die?
She died on Thursday evening at the age of 47.

What caused the princess’s illness?
She collapsed in December 2022 while training her dogs and remained in a coma for nearly four years.

What was the “Friends in Need” project?
Founded in October 1995 under the Thai Red Cross Society, it provided disaster evacuation tools and poverty relief for those affected by floods.

When can the public pay their respects?
Public access to the royal remains at the Grand Palace’s throne hall begins on June 27, following 15 days of merit-making ceremonies.

What is the significance of the bathing ceremony?
It’s a Buddhist ritual where holy water is poured into a bowl before a portrait of the deceased to honor them.

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