Dr Prasit Watanapa, dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Siriraj Hospital, said that Khwankeo suffered from chronic heart disease and had been admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit for a while.

Despite the best efforts of the medical team, he passed away at 4.48am today.

Khwankeo was born on September 3, 1928. He was the twin brother of Keokhwan Vajarodaya, the former Lord Chamberlain, who passed away last year.