HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha Using Her Skills to Help Pattaya

Princess Pa was born on December 7, 1978. She is the first grandchild of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej Rama XI and Queen Sirikit. Before she relocated to Pattaya, she was appointed Attorney of the Office of the Attorney General in Bangkok in September 2006 and later appointed to Office of the Attorney General of Udonthani.

Princess Pa studied at Rajini School, an all girl school during primary school and in junior high. She wanted to experience western culture and get a broader education like Thai Kings, Princes and Princesses before her. So she moved to England to attend high school at Heatfield.  Princess Pa completed high school in Thailand studying at the prestigious Chitralada School (a school for the royals).

After she finished high school she continued her study at Thammasat University where she received a bachelor’s degree in Law. Princess Pa also received a second bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Sukhothai Thammatirat University with first class honors.

She continued with her master's degree and doctoral degree at Cornell Law School in New York and received her Doctor of Juridical Sciences degree from there in 2005.

On completion of her doctorate Princess Pa worked at the Thai Permanent mission to the United Nations in New York City, before returning to Thailand where she became deeply involved in changing the negative perception of Thailand as a place of inequality and assured the freedom and protection of Thai women by participating in the UN women’s protection from violence and equality program which she would later spearhead.

Apart from her job as a prosecuting attorney in Pattaya, Princess Pa also runs the "Kamlangjai" or "Inspire" project to reach out to Thai women in jail including pregnant inmates and their babies, and intends to assure that female and pregnant inmates are given adequate assistance and prepare them to mingle with society after their release.

She is also working on the project called "Enhancing lives of Female Inmates" (ELFI), which proposes new rules on the treatment of women prisoners and non-custodial measures for women offenders as a supplement to the 1955 Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners Act. Another project that the princess is taking care of is "Friend in need of "PA" “or "Princess Pa Foundation".

Her mother, Princess Soamsavali Kitiyakara and the princess founded the foundation in 1995 following the devastating flood in Bangkok. The Voluntary Project of Princess Pa, Thai Red Cross Society, helped  many affected people by the 1995 flood. Those people were helped when the overburdened government sector and charity organizations could not effectively distribute assistance.

The Princess Pa Foundation continues to help poor people in rural areas, and people affected by natural disasters anywhere in Thailand. To contribute or learn more please go to the website www.princess-pa-foundation.or.th/english.

In addition, Princess Pa was also appointed UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador in September 2008. Her goodwill ambassadorship and personal credentials have lent unprecedented visibility to UNIFEM in Thailand, while uniting multiple stakeholders around the cause of ending violence against women. As a result of a nationwide public awareness drive with her as a central figure, Thailand collected over three million names for UNIFEM’s global “Say NO to Violence against Women” campaign. Those willing to help may go to the website www.unifem.org for more information.

UNIFEM is the women's fund at the United Nations, dedicated to advancing women’s rights and achieving gender equality. It provides financial and technical assistance to innovative programs and strategies that foster women's empowerment. UNIFEM works on the premise that it is the fundamental right of every woman to live a life free from discrimination and violence, and that gender equality is essential to achieving development and to building just societies.
Speaking at a press conference with the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2009, the Princess underlined the theme for the International Day: engaging men and boys in ending violence against women.

 “While there may be no one-size fits all solution; I strongly believe that prevention can be as effective as the cure, if not better. So it is encouraging when men leaders have resolved to confront gender-based violence head on, particularly through fostering the culture of tolerance and respect for women,” Her Royal Highness explained.

She also shared her experiences from the Say NO campaign where she had as UNIFEM’s Goodwill Ambassador led an extensive media campaign in Thailand with personal appearances and urged all segments of society to get involved.

As UNIFEM’s Goodwill Ambassador for Thailand the Royal Princess is now working with the country’s Ministries of Education and Justice and the UNIFEM Office in Bangkok to increase outreach to students and to make ending violence against women a part of the school curriculum.
In November 2009, UNIFEM launched the next phase of Say NO and is showcasing the Thailand initiative as a key example of the kind of work that needs to be done to end the pandemic of violence that affects women and girls worldwide.