UN agencies pay tribute to late Thai princess

The late Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha’s unwavering commitment to improving the justice system and the quality of life of female prisoners was among the legacies highlighted during a commemorative event at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok on Monday.

The event was co-hosted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ). Various representatives from the United Nations, Thailand’s legal and justice sector and ambassadors took turns to pay tribute to and honour the late princess.

Delphine Schantz, UNODC’s Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, expressed her profound respect for and gratitude to the late princess. Describing her as a “visionary leader”, Delphine stated that Her Royal Highness made exceptional contributions to transforming international criminal justice, particularly in improving the treatment of female prisoners and their children.

Among her most notable achievements was her contribution to the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders, better known as the ‘Bangkok Rules’, which were adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2010.

“What made Her Royal Highness truly exceptional was not only her leadership, but the personal relationship that she built with so many of us,” she said, adding that true justice requires a better understanding of people’s circumstances and responding with compassion, humanity and respect for people’s dignity.

“Thanks to her vision, countless women around the world have benefited from more humane, gender-responsive criminal justice policies. Her legacy is measured not only in international standards and institutions or any resolutions, but also by the lives she changed, the opportunities she restored and the hope she renewed,” Delphine said.

Professor Dr. Kittipong Kittayarak, Chairman of the TIJ’s Board of Directors, shared his own personal memories of the late princess, saying that she was able to connect law with everyday life, justice with development, local experience with international principles and the suffering of individuals with the shared responsibility of the global community.

“Procedure alone cannot answer every question of justice. Justice must also recognise dignity, opportunity and the realities of human vulnerabilities. This was not merely an academic belief, but I believe it shaped the way [Her Royal Highness] lived and worked,” he says.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Rutthapon Naowarat honoured the late princess for providing opportunities for female prisoners and children, while also making significant changes to address domestic violence and promote justice at all levels.

“Her Royal Highness has shown that the justice system is not only about enforcing the law or regulations, but it is also about providing opportunities and protecting the human dignity of all individuals, especially the vulnerable,” he said.

Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati, the eldest daughter of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn, passed away on June 11th at the age of just 47, after receiving medical treatment for more than 4 years following a cardiac incident in 2022.

Throughout her life, Her Royal Highness earned widespread recognition for her commitment to uplifting the lives of ordinary Thai citizens. She advocated for reforms in the criminal justice system, focusing on the rehabilitation of female inmates and the well-being of their children through her ‘Kamlangjai’ (Inspire) project.