Mourners line Bangkok streets to pay respects to Princess Bha

As the sun set on the golden spires of Bangkok’s Grand Palace, the gates stood open for the return of Princess Bajrakitiyabha. Since December 2022 she had been in hospital after collapsing while training her dogs; after nearly four years in a coma she died on Thursday evening.

On Saturday afternoon her body left the hospital in a royal funeral procession of flashing motorcycles and cars through the city centre’s empty streets, which were closed to traffic but lined for kilometres with nurses bowing prostrate, thousands dressed in black, and officials in white suits with black armbands.

Mourners had been waiting for hours for the princess’s arrival in a silver van, with her father, the king, following in a cream-coloured car. Officials saluted as the cortege passed and the crowd, remaining seated on the sidewalk, bowed their heads toward their hands; many were in tears.

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