The eldest daughter of the King of Thailand continues to fight a three-year-long coma in a hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, with the royal household issuing a rare update on the health condition of Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol. In December 2022, the princess, aged 44 at the time, collapsed while training her dogs for a dog competition in Nakhon Ratchasima, northeast of Bangkok.

A new medical report from the Bureau of the Royal Household revealed that the princess has now developed a serious blood infection that has required intensive care, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and dialysis sessions to replace her deteriorating kidney function. The statement said: "The doctors have reported that the princess's lungs and kidneys have been functioning with support from medical devices and medication.

"From August 9, 2025, the medical team detected a severe infection in the bloodstream, leading them to administer antibiotics and medication to stimulate blood pressure in order to maintain stable levels."

When the incident first happened, the initial diagnosis was a heart attack, which was thought to have affected several of her vital organs. Since then, the princess has remained unconscious on life support.

The Thai royal family has maintained a strict silence surrounding her wellbeing, only releasing four statements in three years since she was initially hospitalised.

Prior to being hospitalised, Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol was accomplished, holding a PhD in Law from the University of Chicago and a degree in International Relations. She then served as ambassador to Austria and worked for the United Nations.

Princess Bha is the eldest daughter of the King, 73, and his only child by his first wife, Soamsawali Kitiyakara.

King Maha Vajiralongkorn, also known as Rama X, has yet to officially announce a successor. Before her hospitalisation, Princess Bha was considered a frontrunner, even though Thai tradition favors a male heir.

King Rama X has yet to officially name an heir. He has seven children from four marriages, but only three are in a position to succeed him. Bajrakitiyabha was considered the natural choice prior to her coma.

But now, with her health worsening, her brother, Prince Dipangkorn, is thought to be a frontrunner to take over the throne after his father.