BANGKOK (Agencies): The Thai government will observe a 15-day period of official mourning following the death of Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati, though Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the public need not alter their daily routines.
The 47-year-old eldest daughter of King Maha Vajiralongkorn died Thursday night after more than three years in hospital following a sudden collapse caused by a heart condition.
The whole of Thailand was in shock at the news, and many cried openly for the princess who saved many lives in the country.
The Nation Thailand (Asian News Network) reported from the 1995 Bangkok floods to nationwide disaster-warning networks, Princess Bajrakitiyabha’s Friends in Need Foundation became one of Thailand’s most important humanitarian lifelines.
When catastrophic floods strike Thailand, the first sign of hope for isolated villages usually arrives in the form of a bright purple survival bag.
But behind this iconic symbol of relief stems a highly sophisticated, multi-million dollar humanitarian network that reshapes how a nation prepares for, survives, and recovers from natural disasters.
This is the legacy of the Friends in Need (of "Pa") Volunteer Foundation, Thai Red Cross Society, a lifelong mission conceptualised and driven by Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendiradebyavati (famously known as Princess Pa).
While many royal charities globally focus on traditional financial donations, Princess Pa’s foundation transformed a localised 1995 flood-relief initiative into a gold standard for sustainable disaster management in Southeast Asia.
The foundation was forged in the mud of Bangkok's historic 1995 deluge.
As the capital sat submerged under stagnant water for months, young Princess Pa, alongside her mother, Princess Soamsawali, refused to watch the crisis unfold from palace walls.
Rolling up their sleeves, the royal mother and daughter personally cooked hot meals, packed essential medicine, and waded into flooded, cut-off slums to deliver aid directly to the stranded.
Recognising that ad-hoc, reactive charity would never be enough to combat the accelerating threat of climate change, Princess Pa formalised the operation.
On October 29, 1995, the "Friends in Need (of 'Pa') Project" was officially born under the Thai Red Cross, later registering as a full-fledged foundation. The core philosophy was simple yet revolutionary: be a reliable friend when a neighbour has absolutely nowhere else to turn.
Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported that National flags at government offices and public schools will be flown at half-mast during the official mourning period, which begins Friday. Civil servants, state-enterprise employees and government officials will observe mourning customs, typically by wearing black. The general public should proceed as appropriate, Anutin said.
"When it comes to carrying out our duties, living our lives and earning a livelihood, things should proceed as normal,” Anutin told reporters Friday after a cabinet meeting on mourning arrangements. "This is a time when we keep our grief in our hearts. Everyone is already deeply saddened and mourning the loss.”
Television stations across the country, including state broadcasters and private channels, switched to muted graphics and subdued color schemes as part of the mourning observances.
Thailand is already observing a one-year mourning period for Queen Mother Sirikit, who died in October 2025 and whose funeral rites are scheduled for December.
The king has allowed the public to attend a royal bathing rite for the princess at the Grand Palace on Saturday morning and to pay respects and sign a condolence book from Sunday, according to a palace statement.
Civil servants will attend daily Buddhist chanting ceremonies for 100 days, said government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek. -- ©2026 Bloomberg L.P.
